Why That Expanding Foam Crack Repair Kit Won't Save Your Damp Basement - But We Can
You've spotted a seeping crack in your basement wall. Your basement is already damp, so you have to act... What do you do?
If you're like most people, you might run to the hardware store and grab a $30 DIY expanding foam or epoxy injection kit. You'll fill the crack and feel like a hero, right up until the next heavy rain hits.
Suddenly, your basement is flooded.
What happened? You thought you'd solved the problem. But, unfortunately, these kits don't address the root cause of a seeping basement: hydrostatic pressure.
A 'Seal' Isn't Sealed for Long
Visually, a DIY kit will fill the crack with foam or epoxy, and it will make you think that the wall is fully sealed again. However, it fails because it doesn't fix the real problem that caused the crack in the first place.
Water pressure is constantly being exerted on your basement walls. Especially after heavy rain, the fill soil outside your basement can become heavily saturated with water, moreso than compacted virgin soil. This water is trying to get into your basement because it's basically a 'hole' in the dirt that water is trying to fill.
When it comes to your filled wall crack vs water pressure, eventually... with enough time... the water will win.
It may break through the once-sealed crack, or it might even create a new crack. But it will break through.
The Permanent Solution — A Professional Interior Waterproofing System
To address the water, you have to give it someplace to go. With an interior waterproofing system, you can capture it before it can do any damage, and send it away from your foundation.
Think of it like this: Even with an exterior waterproofing system, some water will still make it into the basement because that's where water wants to go, and it will still be exerting pressure onto your basement regardless. However, if we capture it where it wants to go, we can capture more water at greater volumes, and prevent it from doing real damage. Plus, you won't have to excavate the entire exterior of your home, including patios, gardens, trees, etc.
Best of all, there are solutions out there that address seeping wall cracks with three layers of protection, such as our FlexiSpan system. It even drains directly into our interior waterproofing system, completely unseen, especially if you have a finished basement.
from the foundation while completely out of sight
Work smarter, not harder, as they say!
We recommend that a professional do this for your home since a basement flood can be costly, and a specialty contractor will know how to prevent it. If you'd like to call us to learn about our options, we do offer free estimates, so don't hesitate to give us a call.
