Basement Waterproofing Myths Versus Reality!
Fact #1, It is impossible to waterproof a basement from the outside!
The problem is that we, the general public, have been bombarded with misinformation by the so called waterproofing experts. Some professional waterproofing "experts" claim in their sales literature that it is critical to eliminate ground water forces from the exterior of the home by allowing water to freely flow into your basement. They claim that by allowing water to freely enter your basement you can prevent potentially buckling walls, water damage to concrete, as well as freeze/ thaw heaving of surrounding soil. Buckling block walls can not be prevented by "diverting water". This problem is caused by poor original construction and improper design, not ground water or freezing.
The fact is that the greatest possible ground water pressure on your basement walls center, is less than 1 lb per sq. in! This is hardly enough pressure to cause "potentially buckling walls" as some professional waterproofing experts will have you believe. The weight of the earthen back-fill alone exerts greater pressure on a block wall than ground water itself. Although the ground water pressure is slight, this small amount of constant hydrostatic pressure is more than enough to eventually push other types of paints and coatings from the interior of basement walls, but not SANI-TRED!
It's doubtful that anyone could possibly believe that they can dry or desiccate the exterior soil from around the exterior perimeter of their basement! If they did they would be fooling themselves! No matter how much water is allowed to enter a basement through out-of-date systems such as "French Drains", or other water divergent systems, this will in no way affect the surrounding ground moisture content, nor will it reduce or eliminate ground water content or freeze-thaw cycles.
Profit for providing high cost "professional services" such as digging, foundation spraying, epoxy injection, saw cutting and jack hammering is and/or has been the guiding factor for the experts to continue to endorse exterior foundation wall coatings and "redirection" of incoming water as viable methods of dealing with leaking basements. Let’s face facts, it is impossible to control humidity, mold and fungus when you allow water in a basement.
The best solution in basement waterproofing is to eliminate all traces of water and moisture from entering the basement so as to provide a dry living space free from dampness and humidity. Allowing flowing water to enter the basement causes excess humidity, fungus, mold, musty smell, cracking and settling in the foundation walls!
Until you redirect your thinking away from "ground water redirection" , you must resign yourself to having a wet, musty, damp basement with cracking and settling foundation walls! The SANI-TRED system seals out all exterior ground water from the inside permanently! You should not expect or accept less than total dryness from any basement waterproofing system! If you feel that your basement is beyond hope, call or e-mail and we will provide specialized information to solve virtually any basement water problem.
How and where ground water enters a basement
After Sani-Tred Basement Waterproofing System has been Installed
When you direct flowing ground water in your basement from the outside you are allowing water to wash away vital compacted soil from under your foundation footing!
Water enters the basement under the footing or through cold joints, cracks or other imperfections in the concrete walls and footing. If you stop all lateral migration of water into the basement, you have succeeded in water proofing the home.
Normally the wall-to-floor junction is the main entry point for ground water as well as washed away eroded earth which is the main path of entry that all leaking basements have in common. In homes with a leaking basement you will notice small piles of dirt deposited at the wall-to-floor junction. These residual traces of washed out earthen deposits are tell-tale signs that vital compacted soil is being washed out from under the footing and floor slab, and are being flushed out through the sump pump.
Common sense dictates that no amount of water should be allowed to freely flow into any basement and to then be pumped out! Constant erosion or flushing away of vital compacted soils from under footings and slabs cause foundation settling, cracking and eventual failure of the entire foundation!
Fact #2, Basement Water Redirection is a Major Cause of Water Pollution
Basement "clear ground water" is often wastefully sump pumped and plumbed improperly to the city sewage gray water systems, instead of the storm drain system, and eventually ends up at the local municipal waste water treatment plant. This becomes a major source of water pollution when excess sewer line loads causing release of over flowing raw sewage into rivers and streams during and after heavy rains. This is one reason that our nation’s municipal waste water treatment plants are our nation's largest source of water pollution, far greater than manufacturing or chemical treatment plants! Another factor that causes over burden of city sewage systems is ground water infiltration into sanitary manholes and broken sewer mains.
Municipal waste water treatment plants often must handle as much as over 100 times more water than they would if all obsolete basement and manhole systems were upgraded with SANI-TRED sealing systems!
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