What is hydrostatic pressure?

Basement Fact: Four feet of water exerts nearly 300 pounds of pressure per square foot of wall.

That’s a lot of pressure! Did you know a basement footing with ten feet of saturated soil above it must withstand 600 pounds per square foot? The pressure is due to the dense substance of water that weighs 60 pounds per cubic foot of volume. When prevented from flowing downhill, water produced an immense amount of hydrostatic pressure that when pushed again structures, such basement and crawlspace foundations causes the integrity of these structures to fail making way for cracks, leaks, water damage, mold and more. So what is hydrostatic pressure?

Hydrostatic pressure is the downward and outward pressure caused by standing water pushing against any surface or object that blocks it. When the natural movement of groundwater is prevented by these object during times of heavy run off, the soil becomes over saturated, as well as foundation slabs, basement walls and crawlspaces. Under the pressure of its own weight, water will penetrate your foundation slab, basement walls and/or crawlspace through pores and cracks in the concrete. Hydrostatic pressure is a main cause of wet and damp basements in addition to others, such as poor drainage. The solution is to relieve the pressure and remediate the water movement restrictions by removing the water with a complete waterproofing system with components including: a sump pump, perforated pipe, diverters, moisture barriers and more.

Don’t put added pressure on yourself or your home by attempting your own DIY waterproofing project, leave your leaky, wet basement or crawlspace to the experts at Carolina Foundation Solutions. Call our experts at (877) 770-7050 or visit us or fill out this form to schedule a FREE assessment of your home!