Hydrostatic Pressure - The Who, What, When, Where and Why of it All!
Hydrostatic pressure. Big words that REALLY matter. Here's how:
Who
It matters to you if you own a home, live in a home or care about anyone who DOES live in/own a home. In other words, keep reading this info is vital for you!
What
Hydrostatic pressure is literally, the pressure that builds up when water (hydro) in the ground has no where to go (static). Ground that becomes saturated with water is heavy and powerful and exerts a great deal of pressure on everything that it comes into contact with.
When
Hydrostatic pressure occurs when the water table is high. This can be the result of poor opportunities for drainage and most commonly during times when there has been higher than normal rain amounts, particularly over a lengthy period of time.
Where
Remember in the what section when we talked about the powerful exertion that hydrostatic pressure has on everything that it comes into contact with, that can be particularly detrrimental when that something is your home. This is because homes are designed to hold up the weight built UPON them. They are not well designed for holding against pressure pushing INTO them, which is exactly what hydrostatic pressure does. Pressure is a continuous force and when water is continuously pressing against the walls of a home, it will find a place to go and flow. Hydrostatic pressure is a major cause of basement water problems.
Why
Why this matters is that over time, you can not only get leaks in your home, but this can cause MAJOR foundation issues, from wide cracks and bowing walls to complete collapse of basement and foundation walls.
This has all been very scary to hear, let's work our way back to the top to find our way out of this mess!
Where
Look in your basement and crawl space, is there water? What about your yard, is there standing water in your yard or surrounding your home?
When
Do you notice more water in your home or crawl space during times of heavy rains or storms? If so, your home may be suffering the ill effects of hydrostatic pressure.
What
What can be done to protect your home from hydrostatic pressure? The water is going somewhere, instead of letting the water to choose where to infiltrate your home, contact a team of waterproofing professionals that design relief for the hydrostatic pressure while not letting it build up and negatively impact your foundation. Controlling the water during hydrostatic build up is essential to its relief.
Who
Who should do this work for you? The professionals at DryZone have spent years studying the best methods of waterproofing for your basement and home that will enhance your home's stability. Protect your investment and your family with the skilled professionals a DryZone. Contact DryZone at 1-302-684-5034 today for a free, no obligation of your home to see if it is ready to stand up against hydrostatic pressure.