Basement Waterproofing Defeats the Effects of Hydrostatic Pressure
Your basement doesn't have to be unpredictable, but can be comfortably stable. On the other hand, a proposal is far better enjoyed when the surprise is left undiscovered. But, a basement's surprises are never just as sweet.
How has your basement surprised you in the past? Has it been the floods, the cracks or maybe the mold and must? Whether you've experienced one, multiple or different problems with your basement; hydrostatic pressure is one natural process that could be the cause of many severe basement issues.
What is Hydrostatic Pressure?
When a child hides behind his/her parent it's usually because of fear. When water hides behind a structure it's in preparation for an attack. The prefix hydro- means water and static means standing or not moving. And when water stands behind a structure its volume only builds and builds until it finds a way through or around said barrier. Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure that a certain volume of water exerts on an object due to gravity.
What Does Hydrostatic Pressure Do?
Hydrostatic pressure can cause your retaining wall to buckle, can cause your foundation to move and walls to crack. Then, you guessed it; your basement will most certainly flood during those heavy rains.
This water pressure can even move through concrete foundations, because against popular belief, concrete is actually porous-- meaning it's not all that solid after all. It has many pores giving concrete its strength, but provides water its open access.
How To Keep Your Basement Dry Against Hydrostatic Pressure
Some waterproofing systems utilize external ways to waterproof the outside of your home. This could very well include a tar or waterproof coating on the actual foundation. However, the most beneficial way to keep a basement dry is not by keeping the wall dry, but by preventing water from building up behind a wall-- thus applying high hydrostatic pressure.
An internal waterproofing drainage system actually meets the water at its prime hangout-- the wall-floor joint. Then, the water is diverted away from your foundation.
Compare External And Internal Drainage Systems
An external drainage system can take a long time to install and could cause a lot of landscaping damage or problems with your electric lines and plumbing. In addition to the work around your foundation, a disposal pipe is placed beneath the ground leading toward a well, which will also need to be dug.
This well can fill with water and the drain can clog-- this all due to the loose soil building up around the foundation and absorbing large amounts of water. In other words, the external "solution" is more of a short term mirage that causes the very problem it's said to be relieving.
In contrast, the internal system can take, at most, a couple of days to install and causes very little damage or residual issues. The internal system will not clog and rests directly on top of the footing.
This system will go around your entire foundation and prevents water from building up and pressuring your walls. No more cracks and no more buckling.
Where Does The Water Go?
Once the drainage system collects the water it will direct it toward a sump pump. This sump pump will them push the water out and away from the home. This sump pump is the heart of the system, if not for the sump, the drainage would have to run a pipe to the outside submitting itself to damage and making for easy access to rodents.
Basement Waterproofing Experts
For basement waterproofing in New Jersey, contact Quality 1st Basement Systems. They're the expert basement waterproofers in New Jersey and New York areas. They install the patented WaterGuard Drainage System that will waterproof your basement and prevent hydrostatic pressure. This system has been evaluated by the International Code Council formerly known as BOCA.
