The Basement Blog
Basement Waterproofing Systems:
Let’s start by explaining how water gets into the basement in the first place. For this we must go back to elementary school science class. The Earth is covered in water. Even the Earth’s crust contains water! This is known as ground water. When building a home, the developer chooses a plot of land, and they perform tests to determine how much water is in the ground at that specific point (water table). That is great! However, it can be tested during a dry season, also the water table changes all the time. If your neighbor cuts down a tree, your water table can change. It is that simple.
Going back to science class again we need to talk about pressure and how it affects water. Usually water flows through the ground with no problem at all, that is until it meets the foundation of your home. When water is met with resistance, pressure will continue to build. Good thing for water is that concrete is porous and some of it will be absorbed. Bad things for basements is that concrete is porous! Now only some of the water will be absorbed, not all of it. The water will continue to build pressure and eventually it breaks through the concrete and into your basement. The Grand Canyon proves how powerful water can be! That is where we come in! Our Interior Drainage Pressure Relief System is the only way to guarantee your basement dry.
The Heart:
The sump pump is the heart of any system however, the sump pump does require electricity. Watchman Waterproofing has been to countless homes that have beautiful finished basements. However, the dry basement guarantee is predicated on one electronic sump pump. If your electricity goes out and you have no back up power supply your sump pump will stop working and your basement may flood.
Power Outages: How to Keep your Basement Dry!
Watchman Waterproofing always recommends a battery backup sump pump which is a second pump, that runs off a deep cycle marine battery. Battery backups have saved many basements, however, battery backups only provide a limited time of protection. In high water times and hurricanes, battery backup systems may only last from 6-10 hours. There have been many times when battery backups have lasted over 40 hours but no one can guarantee that.
Generators are a great savior in the basement waterproofing world. A Whole House Generator is supposed to kick on exactly when the power goes out and will operate a properly functioning pump (but if the pump fails, the Whole House Generator will not be helpful). Manual start generators are a great tool for longer black outs, however, they do require someone to manually start them. In this case, the basement can flood if the generator is not immediately started after a power loss. If you determine a manual start generator is the best way for you to go, it is recommended to still have a battery backup.
Let’s refresh:
-Battery Back Ups are useful for a limited time.
-Manual Start generators are helpful, however, a battery backup is still recommended.
-Whole house generators are the best way to go, however, the basement should have a second primary pump.