Monday, February 23, 2009

Wet Basement After A Snow Melt

I have received quite a few calls recently about wet basements after the recent snow melt. Many people say, "I never had a leak before now, why is that?" Honestly each situation needs specific assessment to determine the source of the basement leak however there are a few basic causes.

When the snow really piles up like it did recently, it has a lot of potential to saturate the ground. When there is a fast melt, the original foundation drainage can get overwhelmed and the water simply has nowhere to go. This creates ground water build up, a water table around your foundation, that can create a lot of "hydrostatic pressure". Water simply pushes all around your basement, like trying to push a bowl down into a sink of water, you feel the water pressure push and if you let go the bowl will pop out of the water. Obviously your basement is no going to pop out of the ground. So water forces its way into weak points, usually the seam where the wall meets the floor and you get a wet basement.

It simply could be bad timing. At some point, all basements are going to leak. Your waterproofing system will fail eventually because it is out in the elements. It could be that the snow melt was the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back in your case.

I would be happy to visit your home for a no obligation free evaluation. I will prepare a free estimate if you need repairs. Call me at 1-877-321-4889 or visit us online at www.pioneerbasementsolutions.com