Accurate Illustration of Water Leaks

The reality of water leaks is they are typically caused by the gravitational force of water as well as adhesive and cohesive forces of water. These forces pull the water underground where the adhesive forces of water pull it towards a foundation. Additionally, adhesive forces will pull water through materials such as concrete block and masonry. The idea that hydrostatic pressure causes leaks in basements is very misleading, See our section on Hydrostatic Forces Myth. Water underground is at extremely low pressures and cannot push water more than a few millimeters laterally.

Begin by understanding that all rain fall starts in one spot and eventually flows off your property in another spot. This is called the path of water. When this path is blocked or routed toward your home, the water can penetrates the ground. This point of penetration becomes the initial point of leaking.

If there is a flaw in your storm water system and water can find its way into the ground. Water will then either directly flow down the foundation or migrate through the soil to the foundation and at some weak spot along the foundation it will work it's way back in into the basement. There are many points of entry into the basement. They all have in common that water started from the surface and has migrated towards the foundation. If the initial point of leak on the surface is removed the basement will not leak.

Basement waterproofing for water in basement has led to some inaccurate descriptions of how water moves underground on its way to get a leaking basement or a flooded basement. We can help with DIY basement waterproofing by accurately helping you with understanding how water is getting into the basement.