Leaking and Wet Basement Walls
Once concrete cures it will shrink, which can take from six months up to ten years (in the most extreme cases) to properly cure after the home has been built.
Concrete block basement walls hold large open cavities inside that can run up and down the walls.
Several small cracks forming in any type of basement wall is not uncommon–even in new homes–but water will have an easier way through these cracks to create moisture problems in these basements.
Block wall cavities can fill with water, soaking the concrete and seeping through to the home, and water can push its way through the basement wall floor joint and flood the basement. As water passes through the concrete, it can reach the large hollow gaps in block walls or force its way through basement wall cracks.
Materials that are porous or let water in, like concrete walls, act like sponges in that water and vapor can seep and sink through the porous material and into your basement. If you’ve had concrete that was damp and a few days later dried, this has happened to you.
To get your free dry basement estimate, call or contact us!
Stop and Repair Leaky and Flooding Basements
If you have a basement that floods or leaks easily, there is help available to you. Often times solutions include a sump pump, a drainage system around the entire perimeter, possibly a vapor barrier, and weeping holes in block walls. Depending on the basement, the entire process can often be completed, start to finish, in a few days.
Expert basement waterproofers can make sure the solutions are appropriate for your home’s problems specifically, and make sure they are installed correctly.
How to Waterproof Concrete Block Walls:
1. Installing a Sump Pump and Backup Battery
A good, durable sump liner should be included with the pump during installation.
Sumps with battery backups help ensure that if the power goes out or a fuse blows in your home, that the sump pump will be able to function with the battery. Learn more about our sump pumps in Greater Philadelphia, New Jersey & Delaware.
2. Weeping Holes and Digging a Trench around the Perimeter
A drainage system is a trench or channel that is dug around the entire perimeter of the basement. The trench takes water and sends it to the sump pump in the basement floor. In the case of block wall concrete, holes, often called weep holes, need to be drilled into each block to relieve the water pressure.
3. Perimeter Drainage System Installation
Sometimes waterproofers will miss an important basement waterproofing step when repairing a leaky basement. The innovative AquaStop BasementGutter™ French Drain System provided by BQ Basements & Concrete can effectively direct flooding basement water to the sump pump while resisting clogging. A wall flange is included in the drain’s design that reaches up the basement wall to gather leaks coming from the wall. Laid in a bed of clean crushed stone, the drain has cement laid over the top of it, making for a nearly invisible installation in your home that’s warrantied to stop water for the life of the structure.
Waterproof Your Leaky Basement in PA, NJ & DE
Schedule a free basement inspection with one of our trained experts at BQ Basements & Concrete. Our specialists have been helping Philadelphia, New Jersey & Delaware homeowners for nearly 20 years and will provide a thorough assessment of your home to determine a customized solution for your situation.
We offer a wide range of basement waterproofing services to parts of PA, NJ & DE including the Greater Philadelphia area, Camden, Cape May, Trenton, Atlantic City, Wilmington, Dover and surrounding areas.
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