Why do basements start leaking

Everything about basement waterproofing

How exactly does water pose a threat to the walls of your basement? Well, During a particularly wet season, the soil retains more water. The less dense the soil, commonly, the more water will accumulate. The area right against foundations and basement walls often build up more water then the surrounding soil.

The result is that water will keep coming up and forcing the standing water in every direction, including directly into your basement. The minerals and alkaline materials in the water press in to the concrete, forcing it to expand slightly and creating weaknesses, and even cracks. The more water that’s forced into the concrete or cement, the wider the microscopic pores. As the pores grow, so does the total amount of water the ground can hold.

These chemicals in the ground that are absorbed in to the water are also what deteriorate water sealing membranes along out the outside of the structure. With barriers gone, the concrete begins to absorb water faster and faster, and with it the damaging chemicals in the soil, eventually leading to leaks and fissures.

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