Basement waterproofing for water in basement has led to some inaccurate descriptions of how water moves underground on its way to get the basement wet. A leaking basement or a flooded basement.
Water in basement causes are not high water tables or clay bowls. Its almost always gravity or the depth of water at a footing.
We can help with DIY basement waterproofing by accurately understanding how water is getting into the basement:
The standard basement waterproofing construction company when investigating a water leak in your basement will justify the use of a drain tile and sump pump system because, they tell you without any testing: the water table is high in your neighborhood.
High water tables are extremely rare in Lincoln and Omaha Nebraska. The average depth to the water table in Lincoln is over 50 feet. And, it can run as high as 80 feet to the water table in many places.
How do you know if you know if you are living near a high water table?
The easiest way is to check the FEMA floodplain maps. If your house is located in a blue area on the floodplain map, then you very likely near a high water table. Our experience investigating water leaks in basements in Lincoln shows that 97% of all water leaks are NOT caused by high water tables.
In other words, only about 3% or less of water leaks are caused by, or are related to high water tables.
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.
Matric forces consist of cohesive and adhesive forces in water. Cohesive forces are the attractions between two water molecules, and adhesive forces are the attraction between water and non water particles such as soil and sand.
Gravity force is the exertion of water downward by the earth. The significance of both types of force is these cause water to leaks in basements. You don’t have to understand physics to fix the problem yourself. DIY waterproofing should focus on the surface drainage of water and not drain tile and sub pump systems because gravity pulls water down the foundation wall, and adhesive and cohesive forces pulls water through the soil towards the foundation from a surface penetration point. In order to stop leaks in basements, wet basements and damp basement it is necessary to remove sources of water on the surface. Look at our section on the causes of leaks in basements, or call the Leak Detective for ideas to waterproof your damp basement.
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.
“Clay bowl” is not a scientific term. Rather, it is a fictitious theory of water penetration caused when digging a foundation. This fictions theory states that the soil not disturb around the perimeter of the house(called virgin soil) is claimed to not be able to absorb water as well the soil that is removed (called active soil). This fake theory is used to justify the use of a sump pump pit and drain tile system in a basement where it is not necessary.
We have found no scientific proof that a clay bowl has ever been discovered, observed or proven to have occurred.
In order to have a clay bowl around your house you would need a waterproof layer of soil around your foundation. Clay soil is not waterproof. Water can leak out of the boundary between a virgin and active soils easily on all surfaces including vertical and horizontal surfaces. Water does not fill a clay ball as evident by the lack of a continuous water level line around the perimeter of the basement walls. In addition water should come up through the floor via every crack or floor penetration. If your contractor tells you you have a clay bowl, please escort him out of your house and call the Leak Detective for ideas to waterproof your damp basement.
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.
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.
Hydrostatic pressure is the force exerted within water that pushes water evenly in horizontal andvertical directions. Hydrostatic pressure is increased by creating a vertical column that resists the pressure of water, and allows water to stacked vertically in a linear continuous fashion.
Basically, think of a water tower. The ground around your house, unless 100% saturated with water, cannot create a significant amount of hydrostatic pressure. What most people observe during a leak in their basement is the gravity flow of water down the outside face of the foundation until it finds a horizontal crack. From there, adhesive forces and gravity forces combine to gently nudge the water into the basement. If hydrostatic forces were great, water would flow out horizontally into your basement a great distance, like shooting a hose sideways.
If a contractor tells you you have hydrostatic forces pushing water into your basement, please escort him out of your house and call the Leak Detective for ideas to waterproof your damp basement.
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.
