Water damage represents one of the worst threats to the integrity of a basement or foundation. Since the base of your home is what the rest sits on, being aware of these problems can help you avoid problems down the road:
- Saturated soil around the foundation walls of your home can leak into basement walls. When the hole for basements is excavated and the walls poured, the builder will push back the soil to fill the cavity on the outside walls. This soil never gets as compacted as the adjacent, undisturbed soil, and it soaks up water like a sponge. A gallon of water weighs 8.345 pounds, and after heavy rainfall, the water pressure can push the foundation walls inward and even cause them to leak or crack.
- Water can wash away the soil around the foundation or beneath the foundation. Many garages and some entire homes are built on concrete slabs, and if you plant too close or don't form a slope that drains rainwater away from the foundation, eventually, the soil will wash away. Water will continue to erode the soil beneath the foundation, eventually causing it to crack and potentially sink.
- Water damage to the foundation is a real problem for basements built in areas where clay in the soil is high. Clay holds onto water like no other soil type. It expands when it absorbs moisture and contracts when it eventually dries out, resulting in pressure changes that undermine the structural stability of a foundation wall.
- Water vapor close to wood used near the foundation attracts termites, carpenter ants, and mold growth, inviting wood rot. It's a more common problem for homes with crawl spaces.
For more information on how to deal with water damage to the foundation of your home or commercial building, contact Rytech Restoration today.

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