What Is Hydrostatic Pressure?
As water builds up in the ground, it exerts pressure on the soil structures, which in turn push against adjacent objects such as home foundations. This force is known as hydrostatic pressure and it is often problematic for homeowners because if the pressure is strong enough, it can cause foundation walls to crack, bow, or even collapse. Water weighs about 60 pounds per cubic foot, which means that at any given time there could be tens of thousands of pounds of hydrostatic pressure pushing against your home’s foundation walls. With so much pressure, it’s usually only a matter of time until water finds its way inside. Even a well-constructed basement foundation is often no match for hydrostatic pressure, which is why certain measures should be taken to prevent water infiltration.
First and foremost, you should ensure that your gutter system is working properly and channeling rainwater away from the soil that surrounds your home’s foundation. Preventing excess water from saturating this soil will help keep hydrostatic pressure as low as possible. Secondly, you can have a French drain, channel drain, or other basement drainage system installed where the basement floor meets the basement wall. This will help to relieve hydrostatic pressure by collecting water and re-dispersing it throughout the soil. Also, applying a sealant to your basement walls can prevent groundwater from seeping through the pores in the concrete.
A Lifetime of Support
For all your basement waterproofing needs, contact the specialty home improvement pros at Engineered Solutions of Georgia. For more than a decade, we’ve provided reliable, cost-effective, and long-lasting solutions to homeowners in Atlanta and surrounding areas. Our foundation repair specialists bring more than 150 years of combined industry experience to every job we undertake, so when you partner with us you can rest easy knowing you’re in capable hands. What’s more, we back all of our work with a triple warranty that covers materials, labor, and design.
Contact Engineered Solutions of Georgia today. We will be more than happy to help you devise a solution to combat leaky basement issues caused by hydrostatic pressure.
