I have received quite a few calls recently about wet basements after a snow melt. Many people say, "I never had a leak before now, why is is it leaking now?" Honestly each situation needs specific assessment to determine the source of the basement leak, there are a few common causes.
When the snow really piles up like it did recently, it has a lot of potential to saturate the ground around your home. When there is a fast snow melt, the original waterproofing system can get overwhelmed and the water simply has nowhere to go. This creates a water table around your foundation that can create a lot of "hydrostatic pressure". Water simply pushes all around your basement walls and floor, like trying to push a bowl down into a sink of water, you can feel the water pressure push on the bowl and if you let go, the bowl will pop out of the water. Obviously your basement is not going to pop out of the ground. So water forces its way into paths of least resistance, usually the seam where the wall meets the floor and then you get a wet basement.
It simply could be bad timing. At some point, all basements are going to leak. Your waterproofing system will most likely fail eventually because it is out in the elements. It could be that the heavy snow melt was the final 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
The Basement Guy Blog RSS