Why Does My Basement Get Wet After It Rains?

It's one those evenings, where it's cold out and a storm is in full swing. You're upstairs minding your business and you hear water drips coming from the basement. You go down to the basement to check to see where that drip sound is coming from, to realize your basement has started to leak in water and pool. So many of us Canadians have this issue or other similar situations that arise whenever it seems to rain or storm. A bad home drainage system can perpetuate most of these problems. Issues that could effect your gutters, sump pumps, and soil grade to name a few. Although a poorly encapsulated basement can be the reason but there is also some scientific reasons why these problems seems to be flowing in (no pun intended).

 

Hydrostatic Pressure is one of the main reasons for the leaks that come into your basement. Hydrostatic Pressure is when there is exerted pressure from water or any fluid confined in a space. For example; your basement blocks the natural flow of water. Whenever it rains, rainwater would normally move down in the soil but instead, pools and contains itself adding pressure to the foundation of the home. This when many issues start arise, where you'll notice cracks forming and walls bowing. A photo example below. 

 

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With an inefficient drainage system, the collected water over saturates the soil surrounding your house and the weight of the water pushes against the foundation walls. Thus water starts to leak into the home. To make matters worse the " clay bowl effect" is at place when Hydrostatic pressure starts to form around your home. 

 

 

What is the " Clay Bowl Effect"?

Imagine what the land looked like before your home was built. A flat (sometimes) land that hasn't been excavated was then dug into a bowl shape. Within that bowl shape the foundation of your home was laid and then the basement walls were built. Once the foundation is built, the soil that was excavated out is then shoveled back into dug out to fill in any gaps. The excavated soil has gone through some changes after it's been dug out of the ground. It becomes softer, less dense and much looser. This softer soil is called "back fill", and it absorbs more water than the hard and undug soil. Talk about a situation!

 

Combined with the hydrostatic pressure, clay bowl effect, backfill and inefficient drainage system can all wreak havoc. Though through preventive measures, you can beat the problem before it starts, Lets look at 4 ways to prevent it!

 

1: Gutters and Downspouts-  Make sure you update your gutters if they're out of date and have them cleaned annually or invest in gutter shutters.

 

2: Cleaning your window wells. If you start to notice that your window wells are starting to puddle, that's a good sign there is a blockage in the drain. 

 

3: Repair any Foundation cracks. As soon as you found a crack in your foundation, its important to have it sealed before the situation becomes worse.  Touch up on your foundations will save you lots of money down the road.

 

4: Install a sufficient basement waterproofing system. If you've notice your basement always has a leak whenever it rains or storms. Investing in a good basement waterproofing system is paramount is preventing further damages.

 

A wet basement is annoying problem but it's definitely not an unsolvable one. Understanding the science behind what is happening will help you prevent any issues from progressing so you can live happy with a dry basement. The Foundation guys have been helping Canadians with their basement water issues since 1978, and continue to do so! We're just a phone call away!