Basement Walls that Leak in Eastern PA & Western NJ

Damp, humid, or wet are a few signs of leaky basement walls or a flooded basement. Thankfully there's an easy way to return the space to dry, usable conditions.

The process is fast, effective, and cost-efficient, and once installed in your home, leads to lower energy bills and a basement that's warranted to be dry.

For an estimate on waterproofing your concrete basement wall, call or e-mail us today! We serve Philadelphia, Trenton, Norristown, Bensalem, Levittown, Lansdale, Morrisville, Pottstown, Southampton, Doylestown and surrounding areas.

Leaking and Wet Basement Walls

Once concrete cures it will shrink, which can take from six months up to ten years (in the most extreme cases) to properly cure after the home has been built.

Concrete block basement walls hold large open cavities inside that can run up and down the walls.

Several small cracks forming in any type of basement wall is not uncommon--even in new homes--but water will have an easier way through these cracks to create mositure problems in these basements.

Block wall cavities can fill with water, soaking the concrete and seeping through to the home, and water can push its way through the basement wall floor joint and flood the basement. As water passes through the concrete, it can reach the large hollow gaps in block walls or force its way through basement wall cracks.

A porous material, concrete walls will easily allow water vapor to soak through and seep into the basement. You know what we're talking about if you ever had a flooded basement, leaky basement walls or have watched concrete dry.  

At B.Q. Basement Systems, we've seen this problem throughout the region. For a free estimate on a basement waterproofing, call or contact us online today!

Stop and Repair Leaky and Flooding Basements

B.Q. Basement Systems, every day have basement contractors repair wet concrete block walls is part of what the basement. In a single day the basement waterproofing process can be completed, sometimes two. This involves a sump pump, perimeter drainage system, a vapor barrier, and, in the case of block walls, weeping holes drilled in the block walls. 

We recommend working with an expert basement contractor, because it can be very damaging to personal items stored in your basement, and repairing the leak can require heavy equipment like a jackhammer.

Waterproofing Concrete Block Walls Step by Step:

1. Install a Basement Sump Pump and Battery Backup

A reliable liner should come with your sump pump when having it installed in your basement. The sump pump liner should be large enough to allow enough water into the basin that the pump can run a full cycle without turning on and off constantly (called "short-cycling"), which burns out the pump prematurely.

A battery backup sump pump should also be included to ensure that your sump pump can run during power outages or a blown fuse. A battery backup sump pump can also offer you protection if your primary sump pump fails for any reason. Click to learn more about sump pumps in Eastern PA & Western NJ.

2. Drilling Weep Holes and Digging a Perimeter Trench

Leading to the sump pump, a trench should be created around the basement floor. If you have concrete block walls, weep holes should be drilled into each block cavity at the base. This relieves the pressure within the walls and prevents the blocks from filling with water in the future.

3. Install a Perimeter Drainage System

Sometimes waterproofers will miss an important basement waterproofing step when repairing a leaky basement. The innovative French Drain System provided by B.Q. Basement Systems, a PVC drain, can effectively direct flooding basement water to the sump pump while resisting clogging. A wall flange is included in the drain's design that reaches up the basement wall to gather leaks coming from the wall. Laid in a bed of clean crushed stone, the drain has cement laid over the top of it, making for a nearly invisible installation in your home that's warranted to stop water for the life of the structure (see warranty for details).

4. A Vapor Barrier to Cover the Block Walls

Once water has been kept out of the basement and removed from the walls, there will be no more worries of a water issue in your house. However, concrete is still absorbing water vapor and this will be pass into your home, and you will have a damp basement! How can this be addressed?

Install a waterproof vapor barrier on the walls is one effective and cost-efficient way to prevent wet concrete walls from leading to a damp space. These vapor barriers can be combined with our perimeter drainage system, tucking into the wall flange to direct any water entering from the basement walls into the drainage system.

Contractors Specializing in Flooded Basements In Pennsylvania & New Jersey

If you live in the Pottstown, Norristown, Bensalem, or Trenton, NJ area and would like a FREE, no-obligation basement concrete block wall waterproofing estimate, call or contact us today! B.Q. Basement Systems specializes in leaky basement waterproofing -- we have the experience, equipment, you need to keep your basement dry all the time!