How to Fix Hydrostatic Pressure In Your Basement
The basement is important in a home for its wide range of functions. However, the functionality of your basement could be at risk if your home suffers from hydrostatic pressure.
This page explores what causes hydrostatic pressure, how it can affect your basement, and what you can do to fix it.
What Causes Hydrostatic Pressure?
Hydrostatic pressure forms as a result of excessive water in the soil around your home. As the soil becomes wet, it expands and presses on your foundation. This force of water is known as hydrostatic pressure.
Three main factors contribute to hydrostatic pressure basement issues:
1. Water
Water plays a major role in hydrostatic pressure. It can come from precipitation, snowmelt, and rising bodies of water like nearby rivers.
If water doesn’t have an outlet, it will saturate the soil, causing it to expand and push against your foundation.
2. Soil
While every part of the U.S. has a different kind of soil, it all contains the same basic ingredients—silt, clay, and sand. Each of these components also has its own unique drainage properties.
Naturally expansive clay-based soils are common, and they are the most problematic for foundations, further aiding in hydrostatic pressure. When clay soil is wet, it swells, and then it shrinks with a lack of moisture. These continuous cycles take their toll on foundation walls, which can only handle so much pressure.
3. The Clay Bowl Effect
The clay bowl effect causes a similar phenomenon.
When your home was built, a sizable hole had to be excavated. Once the foundation walls were built, there was still a space between them and the surrounding ground. The previously removed dirt was restored, or “backfilled” around the walls. Compared to undisturbed soil farther from the home, this soil is fluffier and not as tightly packed.
This results in the creation of a “clay bowl” when water gathers in the soil immediately surrounding your home.
Now that we understand what causes hydrostatic pressure, it’s important to know how to identify if your basement is suffering from it.
Signs of Hydrostatic Pressure
Hydrostatic pressure on your home manifests itself in several ways, including:
1. Cracking and Bowing Walls
As hydrostatic pressure pushes against walls, the walls can begin to crack. This is usually seen in the horizontal mortar joints of block foundation walls.
Along with wall cracks, walls facing so much hydrostatic pressure can start to move or bow inward. This also happens horizontally along mortar joints, usually in the middle of the wall.
2. Water in Your Basement
Water from the saturated soil can also leak inside through the cracks and gaps created, as well as through the concrete itself due to its porous nature.
This could look like efflorescence, water stains, small trickles or puddles of water, or flooding.
3. Wall Collapse
In the worst case, a cracking, bowing wall could collapse completely from the pressure.
Hydrostatic pressure can prove detrimental to your home’s functionality and stability.
If you notice any of the previous problem signs, it’s best to reach out to professionals like Groundworks right away for a free inspection.
How to Fix Hydrostatic Pressure in Basement Areas
At Groundworks, we offer free inspections where we will help you identify the necessary repair solutions to relieve hydrostatic pressure affecting your basement. Depending on the extent of damage, these are some solutions we recommend:
- Ensure your yard has a positive grade (slopes down and away from your home)
- Install and maintain effective exterior drainage, such as gutters and downspouts
- Drill weep holes into the cement blocks of your basement walls to relieve hydrostatic pressure and drain built-up water
- Waterproof your basement with interior drainage and a sump pump
- Reinforce and repair walls with appropriate solutions (carbon fiber straps, wall anchors, wall beams)
These basement waterproofing and foundation repair solutions work together to ensure your basement remains dry and structurally supported.
Contact Groundworks If You Notice Signs of Hydrostatic Pressure!
Dealing with hydrostatic pressure basement issues can be overwhelming for homeowners. That’s why Groundworks is here to guide you in the process of how to fix hydrostatic pressure in basement areas, providing top-tier repair solutions you can trust.
Each home’s foundation is unique, and it deserves repairs tailored to its specific needs. Your local Groundworks company not only provides a variety of repair options, but also outstanding customer care trusted around the country.
Reach out to schedule a free inspection today. Our professionals will recommend solutions that will safeguard your home for the long haul.
Hydrostatic Pressure FAQs
Hydrostatic pressure occurs when water-saturated soil presses against your foundation walls, leading to cracks, leaks, and structural damage over time.
In severe cases, yes. Horizontal cracks caused by hydrostatic pressure or expansive soil can weaken the wall’s stability.
Clay soil expands significantly when it absorbs water and contracts when it dries, which can cause ground movement and impact foundations.
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