GRADING PROBLEMS

When your home Abeing built, the foundation was specially-designed and poured to extend a couple of inches over ground level. However, since this time, homeowners have added in other types of surfaces, including retaining walls, bushes, landscaping rocks, patios, sidewalks, porches, and so on. This will make it difficult for water to be properly drained away from the foundation. Instead, it will build up and eventually, the moisture will pool over the sides and down your basement walls inside of the home. This is a common problem, and is especially noticeable during times of heavy rain, or when there is melting snow on the lawn.

Water always finds the path of least resistance, and when your lawn is not properly graded for the addition of these new surfaces, what doesn’t go over the top of the foundation wall will seep into the soil. Eventually, it will make its way into the basement via cracks in the walls or floors, or through the cove joint.

Additionally, all of this moisture in the soil can lead to problems with hydrostatic pressure. This puts a lot of force on your basement walls, and it may eventually cause them to lean into the home – this is known as a bowing wall. To take care of the problem, wall anchors from SafeBasements™ can be installed.