Whenever we get a call about a basement water problem, there is a little bit of sleuthing that goes inot figure out where the water is coming from. That is where our knowledge comes from.
I have been getting quite a few calls in Easter Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire recently where property managers and home owners are calling me about foundation leaks. And, the first thing is ask: “is there a sidewalk or driveway against that foundation wall?” If there is, I ask them to take a look at that seam where the driveway or walkway meets that foundation wall. Ninety-eight percent of the time there is a gap. The gap is there because asphalt and concrete expand and contract. They expand and contract at different intervals so you are going to get a gap. When you pour concrete, there is water in it, and the water evaporates and that is what causes the gap.
Even if you have gutters that are working perfectly, you can still have problems. Water doesn’t fall down in a straight line. When it hits the house it falls down and goes into that gap. Water can then find a way into the house. You can’t just caulk these gaps, because you need elasticity as well as a material that is going to bond to both the foundation wall and the concrete. That is the key to doing it right. Usually we put a skirt, an angle of concrete or asphalt based material. So when the rain comes, hits the house, water wants to go down there, we have already put a material in there to stop it, then there is the little ramp to help water flow away.
For more information on basement water leaks, contact A1 Foundation Crack Repair.