During the rainy months of the spring season, your home’s foundation is at a greater risk for becoming damaged, potentially flooding your basement. One of the primary factors that can lead to this is hydrostatic water pressure. In this article, we are going to explain what hydrostatic water pressure is and provide you with some helpful tips to prevent it from affecting your home.
What Is Hydrostatic Water Pressure?
“Hydrostatic water pressure can be a major problem for homeowners. It can cause foundation damage and flooded basements. But what is hydrostatic water pressure? When it rains, surface water can surround foundation walls and floors, or cause soil around homes built on slabs to expand and contract. This water or soil expansion can create an enormous amount of pressure on the foundation or slab which can lead to cracks, holes, and ultimately damaging leaks.
Hear are some tips to keep your home dry. First, check your gutters and downspouts and make sure they’re free of leaves and other debris. If they are damaged, repair or replace them. Make certain that downspouts extend at least 6 feet from the foundation wall. If you live in an area with heavy rainfall, consider installing additional downspouts to prevent gutters from overflowing. Inspect the exterior foundation and your basement walls and floors. Fill small cracks with epoxy on the exterior foundation walls and use a masonry sealer inside. If major leaks are occurring, contact a professional contractor. Next, check your landscaping and irrigation systems to make sure water is safely flowing away from your foundation. If water is pooling near your home, seek the advice of a landscaper or excavation contractor on ways to direct water away from the house. Finally, clean and maintain any sump pumps. Test them periodically to make sure they’re working properly. Although these preventative tips can help, flooding and foundation damage may still occur.”
How Does Waterproofing Your Home’s Foundation Help?
For a home that is about to be built, waterproofing its foundation is a great way to prevent hydrostatic water pressure from wreaking havoc on your basement. At Radiant Drywall & Insulation, we use trusted waterproofing products from Tremco Barrier Solutions ®.
- Watchdog H3 Waterproofing
- 10-year performance warranty
- Effectively withstands up to three feet of water
- Soil, mold, and bacteria resistant
- TUFF-N-DRI H8
- 15-year performance warranty (up to 30 years when installed with other specialty Tremco waterproofing products like the WARM-N-DRI foundation boards)
- Effectively withstands up to eight feet of water
- Soil, mold, and bacteria resistant
- DrainStar Z-Drain
- 30-year performance warranty
- Works alongside the TUFF-N-DRI waterproofing system
- Whisks water away from the foundation to a leakage system
Learn More: Waterproofing Your Home – A Smart Investment
Trusted Waterproofing Experts
At Radiant Drywall & Insulation, our experts have effectively waterproofed home foundations throughout the greater New York area. And for current homeowners experiencing foundation water damage, our waterproofing retrofitting process can help keep your basement stay clean and dry for years to come. Contact us today to schedule a free onsite evaluation.
