Causes of Hydrostatic Pressure

Wet Basement is one of the common battles that many homeowners face. Although there are many causes of basement leaking, hydrostatic pressure is among the major causes of basement flooding. One of the common that homeowner as is what is Hydrostatic Pressure and mean to my house? Before discussing the methods to relieve hydrostatic pressure, it is good to understand what hydrostatic pressure is and the effects it has on your building.

What is hydrostatic pressure?

Hydrostatic pressure is the water pressure that builds up around the basement causing flooding of the basement. The high water table exerts pressure on the building foundation causing dampness. Although it is a common issue, the problem can be very serious if the basement is not properly waterproofed. If the problem is not addressed in time, a backlog of water begins to build and can cause the walls to collapse.

Hydrostatic pressure is prevalent in areas with high water table or when the building is built on the slope. Snow and rainfall can raise water table making the situation worse.
Contractors install external drainage system such as footer drains, drain tiles or French drain to prevent water table from rising. However, these systems are susceptible to clogging by the sediments. Because these systems are constructed at a footer level, the water contains a lot of sediments that cause clogging. Continuous accumulation of the sediments blocks the system causing the water table to rise, increasing hydrostatic pressure along the wall and below the basement.

Effects of increased hydrostatic pressure on the basement

Hydrostatic is a natural phenomenon that occurs in different parts of the world. However, if it the problems is not addressed in time, you are likely to lose your building. Many homeowners who have failed to resolve this problem on time have ended up incurring a heavy cost of renovating the basement, foundation and the wall. The pressure causes buckling and cracking of the walls and foundation. The condition is not only dangerous to the building, but there are also healthy issues associated with hydrostatic pressure. Thus, it is very important to look for a professional contract soonest possible.

Remedies

Unfortunately, most of the systems that are used to relieve hydrostatic pressure may end up causing more issues. For example, French drain and tile drains get clogged easily raising the water table that consequently increases hydrostatic pressure. However, there are advanced methods to control hydrostatic pressure. Internal drainage is the advanced method that is used to control hydrostatic pressure. Although the installation of external drainage systems is cheap, the interior drainage system is the most ideal if flooding is very serious. As stated earlier, external drainages are only short term solution to hydrostatic pressure because they tend to clog easily.

The internal drainage system is the permanent solution to hydrostatic pressure. They are installed right on the top of the footing and do not clog. They go around the entire foundation preventing water from coming up and pressuring the walls. The internal drainage collects water and directs it to the sump pump. The sump pump then pumps water out of the building. Basement waterproofing experts have the skills and experience to determine the drainage system that will solve basement hydrostatic pressure once and for all.