When winter comes around, it can bring a slew of problems for homeowners, one of which is the risk of basement moisture caused by the cold temperatures. Waterproofing your basement is essential for making sure that your home is protected from the damaging effects of moisture and winter basement waterproofing is a preventative measure that can make a big difference!
Tag: basement foundation
Frost Heave Can Lead to Foundation Failure
By: | Published December 6, 2022
How Drainage Around Your House Affects Your Foundation
By: | Published November 1, 2022
Although you may never see it, the foundation of a home is a vital aspect to its strength and stability. A proper foundation does more than keep your house above ground: It should also keep out moisture, insulate against the cold and resist movement of the ground surrounding it. There are many factors to consider, such as drainage around your house and soil condition, to help avoid a cracked foundation. The type of soil can have a big impact on the quality and lifespan of your home’s foundation.
Types of Soil
Soil shifts and moves over time often as a result of how it handles moisture and the climate — including the freeze / thaw cycle. As soil shifts, it changes the support around your foundation, which can lead to cracks. And it’s those cracks that can allow in moisture and maybe even some pests.
Each type of soil is comprised of different properties that have various effects on the bedrock of a home. Soil with good structure is going to be more stable. The way in which soil handles wetting and drying cycles is also an important consideration, as expanding soil can put unwanted pressure on foundations and soil that retains too much moisture can cause the foundation to weaken.
Here are the most common types of soil and how they measure up:
Peat: Usually dark in color, peat is easily compactable because it holds a great deal of water, which makes it prone to shifting. This is not ideal soil for a foundation.
Clay: Because it’s made up of tiny particles, clay shrinks significantly when dry and expands when it’s moist. The extreme changes can put pressure on the foundation, which opens the door to potential cracks.
Silt: Usually smooth to the touch, this type of soil tends to retain water longer and drains poorly. This can push against and weaken foundations when wet.
Sand / Gravel: A better choice than peat, clay or silt, sand / gravel drains easily and does not retain moisture because it’s made up of larger particles. However, when wet, these particles can be washed away leaving gaps around the foundation.
Loam: Typically, a combination of sand, silt and clay, loam is an ideal soil type for supporting foundations, as it is able to maintain water at a balanced rate.
Rock: The strength and stability of rock makes it a great choice for foundations. However, it can be difficult to dig into, and homeowners should be sure the rock is level before constructing the foundation.
Effects of Drainage Around Your House on Your Foundation
So, what exactly happens when you have poor drainage around the house? More than you might think! Keeping your foundation safe is paramount to protecting your home and everyone in it. Here are some of the effects that constant, unmanaged drainage can have on your property:
Soil Erosion
Moving water affects anything it touches, which includes the soil around your home. The more drainage there is, the more erosion that will happen. Over time, that erosion will cause a significant amount of soil to be displaced.
Because your foundation was built with that soil around the home, any loss can cause shifting and reduce its overall support from the environment around it. The longer this erosion goes, the weaker your foundation becomes due to cracks and further shifting.
Soil Expansion
In addition to being displaced, soil also absorbs moisture. Depending on the type of soil around your home, its level of expansiveness can vary. The more expansive it is, the more risk your home is at when drainage is left uncontrolled.
Certain soils can absorb a great deal of moisture, expanding significantly. This puts pressure on your foundation and can quickly lead to cracks and shifting.
Soil expansion is a threat that can’t be completely eliminated. However, reducing drainage to the soil goes a long way to mitigating how much expanding it can do. Waterproofing around your foundation can often be the only way to prevent problems if you have soil with high potential for expansion.
Concrete Absorption
We like to think of concrete as sturdy and reliable. While that is true, the properties of concrete aren’t exactly what you may expect. Primarily – did you know it’s porous? All those holes in concrete are susceptible to incoming moisture – and it’s common for most homes to experience absorption.
In small amounts, this absorption isn’t a major problem. The moisture enters in small amounts and can evaporate. But in home foundations with poor drainage issues, the constant assault of moisture means the concrete keeps absorbing more and more.
Over time, this water breaks down the concrete and leads to cracks. Those cracks weaken the foundation, and continue to grow unless dealt with. One ignored crack in your foundation is all it takes to lead to leaks and eventually major damage!
Improving Drainage Around Your House
Whether your home is resting on stable or not-so-stable soil, water drainage is an important part of maintaining the life of a foundation. Poor drainage can cause problems like water in the basement or structural damage, while proper surface drainage can lead moisture away from your home ultimately protecting the precious foundation. Here are some things you can do to ensure better drainage.
Roof gutters and downspouts: Gutters should be kept free of debris and direct water to downspouts that carry it away from the foundation. Be sure they’re draining at least six feet away from the home — downspout extensions can help!
Sufficient grading: Check to see if dirt is graded away from the home. Housing codes have various requirements, but it’s helpful if the ground slopes away from the foundation for a distance of eight feet or more.
Basement windows: Sometimes debris and water can collect near basement windows, so be sure to provide adequate drainage to the foundation drain.
Sump pumps remove excess water from around your basement and are best for minor amounts of groundwater. Ensure your sump pump is in good, working condition and consider a battery back-up.
Install foundation drains: This repair consists of removing portions of existing basement slab, installing new drains directing water to a sump pump and then installing new slab. Learn more about
basement waterproofing options
What Is the Ideal Basement Humidity in Winter Weather?
By: | Published February 26, 2021
Winter here in the Midwest means cold weather, ice, and snow. While this can be great for winter sports like skiing, ice fishing, and snowmobiling, those dropping temperatures outside generally create dropping humidity levels inside.
Common Sources of Moisture & Water in Basements
By: | Published May 29, 2020
The joys of being a homeowner can quickly turn sour when you have moisture problems. Between water damage costs and the risks of mold, you need to keep your basement dry! To diagnose your basement moisture issue, you should start by investigating for the most common sources of water in basement areas.
Avoid These Basement Foundation Repair Mistakes to Keep Your Home Waterproofed!
By: | Published December 30, 2019
Let’s face it; even though your basement is the foundation of your home, it is not always the first thing on your mind when it comes to repairs. Things like broken appliances, peeling paint, and worn carpet are things that homeowners – or their guests – see on a regular basis; so they are more likely to be the things that get addressed.
Know the Warning Signs of a Sinking Foundation in Your Home!
By: | Published September 27, 2019
It’s not good when a boat is sinking. When you have that foreboding or sinking feeling, something’s not good. It’s also not good when the foundation of your home is sinking!
Tips for Home Foundation Protection to Avoid Watery Woes
By: | Published March 26, 2019
A foundation, by definition, is the basis or groundwork of anything. Whether it’s a skyscraper or math skills, if you don’t have a solid foundation, the rest will eventually crumble. Nothing, including your home, will last for long with a shoddy or damaged foundation. Additionally, even well-designed foundations are at risk if not cared for. Your home is only as sound as your foundation, so house foundation protection is one of the best investments you can possibly make. Here are some tips on protecting your home’s foundation.
Should I Seal the Gap Between My Basement Floor and Wall?
By: | Published January 4, 2018
Every homeowner is concerned with keeping their house protected from moisture and water damage. One area that is vulnerable to seepage is your home’s cove joint. Unfortunately, you can’t just seal the gap between your basement floor and wall to fix it. Learn why not, and the best options for keeping water out of the cove joint by reading below.
What Is a Cove Joint?
This joint, where your basement wall and floor meet, is known as a cove joint. It exists due to the way that a home’s foundation is poured. After your foundation footings are built, your basement walls are poured so that they slot into a keyway. This helps keep them properly aligned.
When your walls have cured, the basement floor itself is then poured. This leaves a small gap between the floor and the walls – known as the cove joint.
Why Does the Cove Joint Leak?
Following a heavy rain, ground water around your home will rise. It begins to push into any potential openings in your foundation. Because the cove joint is a necessary part of structuring your foundation, it’s a common entry point for water. As prolonged rains or heavy rains continue, they’ll begin to force their way in through these gaps. This is typically referred to as hydrostatic pressure.
Why You Can’t Just Seal the Gap Between Your Basement Floor and Wall
It may seem like an obvious solution to simply seal the cove joint to prevent water from breaching into your home. However, it’s not that simple. In the short term, a sealant applied along this gap between your basement floor and wall may prevent leakage. However, it will eventually fail in one of two ways:
#1. The water being blocked by the sealant will find another gap in your foundation to enter the home. Typically, this will be cracks in your foundation.
#2. The sealant you used will be forced off or penetrated by the water. Once this happens, all the water will leak through the opening in your sealant, rendering it useless.
Either of these events will happen due to the strength of the hydrostatic pressure. It’s not easy for water to push into your home. When it meets with resistance, such as a sealant, it will work its way through or around that resistance.
The Best Solutions to Protect Your Cove Joint
While sealing the gap isn’t recommended, you do have options to help protect your home from potential water damage. There are
multiple approaches to keep this water from leaking into your basement
Don’t Ignore Inward Movement of Your Basement Foundation Wall!
By: | Published December 7, 2017
There are few things in your home as important as the basement foundation wall. It helps ensure the structural integrity of your home and fights against the tide of moisture and soil pressing against your basement interior. If it fails, it can devastate your home.
Foundation wall failure typically happens slowly over time, and there are signs that you can see. But only if you know what to look for! Learn how to spot the signs and identify what’s going wrong with your wall before it fails completely.
How Do You Know If Your Foundation Wall is Leaning, Bowed or Bulging?
Fortunately, there are several indicators that can help you identify when your basement foundation wall is compromised. When looking for structural issues, they can present themselves differently depending on the type of inward movement your walls are experiencing.
Here are some of the most common signs of problems with your basement foundation wall:
- Cracks in your walls more than 1/8 inch wide
- Angled cracks from the corners of the wall or across the center
- Unleveled flooring
- Water seepage
- Walls sliding inward at the bottom or leaning in at the top
Distinguishing Between Types of Basement Foundation Inward Movement
Not all foundation damage is the same. If you think you’ve identified the early signs of failure, it can help to distinguish between leaning walls or bulging walls. The difference may not seem important, but it can help with locating the source of the problem and deciding on a solution.
Bulging walls often have horizontal cracks, as the pressure is closer to the center of the wall and will cause it to fold in from the center. You can measure for a bulged wall by using a plumb string attached to the ceiling and measuring the distance of the wall, bottom to top. If the wall measures longer than the plumb line, it indicates a failing wall that is likely to be bulging.
Leaning foundation walls will angle slightly. Most homeowners expect leaning walls to lean in from the top. In some cases, the inward movement comes from the bottom instead. Make sure to look for both.
What Can Cause a Foundation Wall to Fail?
Drainage
Inadequate drainage is one of the most common ways that foundations suffer damage. As moisture drains into the foundation, it builds up against the side of your home and can cause soil heaving. Hydrostatic pressure is also a typical cause of water leaking into your basement.
You can prevent drainage problems from occurring. In addition to ensuring your home’s grading provides moisture with a path away from your foundation, gutters and spouts that direct water far away from your foundation is important.
If your gutters are damaged or clogged
