HOW PROLONGED RAIN CAN AFFECT YOUR

BUILDING
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WATER INTRUSION WHEN IT RAINS

Many properties are feeling the effects of the persisting heavy rainfall we recently have had

on the South East Coast. Prolonged rainstorms cause many buildings to leak and we see

many kinds of situations from minor seepage issues to more distressing situations where

below-ground living areas are several centimetres deep in water. A large number of

multilevel buildings have overflowing lift pits, wet basements, car parks, and leaking roofs

and balconies.

Does Insurance Cover Water Intrusion?

Based on conversations with some of our clients about whether a water intrusion damage is

covered by insurance or not, highlights that there seems to be a grey area to navigate.

Generally, insurance policies are designed to cover sudden and accidental damage, so they

may only cover damage that has been caused by a sudden and unforeseeable weather

event as a direct effect of wind, hail, storm and flash flood. (If you live in a flood-prone area,

it is best to check with your insurance provider to find out if your property is covered.)

This means that many insurance policies may not cover water damage as a result of

water penetration by failing waterproofing that is caused over time due to normal rainfall

because the damage should not be a result of a damage developed over time due to for

example:
 Building deterioration
 Damage caused by seepage coming through cracks in the foundation or at the
exterior of the building
 Poor repairs or evidence of lack of repairs to the building in general in addition to
pipes, taps, roof, roof parts and electrical wiring.

HOW PROLONGED RAIN CAN AFFECT YOUR BUILDING

Water leaking into the basement after heavy rain is a common occurrence. Water always

finds a way, so basement waterproofing and adequate drainage are especially needed in

cases where groundwater is likely to build up in the soil and cause a rise in the water table

closer to the surface.

Underground car parks, basements, lift pits and even buildings that are cut into a hillside

(making them partially subterranean) are often subject to increased hydrostatic pressure

during a heavy or prolonged rainstorm. The hydrostatic pressure from the rising water table

and the lateral pressure from saturated soil are pushing the excess water into basements

slabs, foundation and retaining walls making them susceptible to water ingress through

cracks, porous building materials, holes, joints and/or inadequate waterproof system.

An important note is that even if the waterproofing system is in perfect condition, water can

still enter the property through the cold joints around the perimeter of the slab due to the

increased hydrostatic pressure. Water ingress in the floor to wall joint is commonly

experienced during heavy rain due to the rising water table bringing the groundwater closer

to the surface. This increases the hydrostatic pressure on the slab of your building and it

can force water to pass through the construction joint between the floor and the wall so

that this joint effectively begins working as a highway passage for water.

We often see in Brisbane and Sydney areas that buildings that are cut into a hillside stand a

greater risk of having the “hillside side” affected by hydrostatic and lateral pressure if

adequate steps to redirect the water are not taken. Poor drainage may cause water to

collect against a concrete foundation and retaining walls during heavy and persistent rain

events and may build up the volume to cause problems attributable to lateral and

hydrostatic pressure. Steps taken to direct water flow away from basements/foundations

and eliminate pooling will reduce the chances of water build up around the building.

TIPS ON HOW TO KEEP WATER AWAY FROM THE BASEMENT

STRUCTURE:
  Inspect the walls and floors. If cracks appear, repair or seal them immediately. Water
has a way of finding a small entryway and then making it bigger over time.
 Install gutters and downspouts away from the foundation.
 Ensure that the ground has a graded fall that guides water away from the
foundation.
 A drainage layer of gravel eliminates trapping water-laden soil against foundation
walls.
 Ensure that the drains below the slab direct water effectively to a stormwater
system.
 Ensure that the interior basement waterproofing is intact to prevent water ingress.
Wall to floor joints in infill slabs and retaining walls often act at basement leakage
points. This can cost-effectively be remediated with a targeted high-pressure
injection of resin into cracks and joints to create a deep waterproof seal, membrane
repair/refurbishment or protective coating application.

AT WATERSTOP SOLUTIONS, WE SPECIALISE IN INTERIOR

BASEMENT WATERPROOFING SYSTEMS
A wet basement can be treated by targeted high-pressure injection into the wall-floor joint

and/or into vertical joints, such as between contiguous piles. The injected hydrophilic

polyurethane liquid chases the water deep into cracks and forms a flexible watertight seal.

This remedial waterproofing treatment can be followed by the application of an epoxy

coating or a negative side membrane.

The waterproofing membrane systems we use create an effective barrier against

waterborne salts. They are also resistant to atmospheric gases and comply with potable

water safety standards.

The systems are supported by the manufacturer’s warranty for 10 years, which is

extendable to a further 10 years with a maintenance application.

Our highly-skilled technicians frequently perform remedial high-pressure leak-sealing

injections to stop water from seeping into building structures. Whilst other remedial

companies may average once a year (or at most once a month), our technicians perform

quality high-pressure leak-sealing injection work several times per week.

Leaking Basements (Assessment &
Solutions)
A leaky basement can be a common problem for structures close to a body of water where the
water table is typically high (sea, lake, underground reservoir). The long term damages can
affect the integrity of your structure and ultimately result in costly repairs. We will explain
what are the main causes of water-related problems in basements, how to properly inspect,
assess the damages, and provide some effectively repair methods.

CAUSES OF LEAKS
Water in the basement can come from the inside of the structure, as in a broken plumbing or
condensation; however the most common source of seeped water comes from the external
perimeter of the foundations, due to rainfall and ground water. This manifests in four
different ways:
 Hydro-static Pressure – when the water table rises under a foundation it
creates hydro-static pressure against the foundation from below that can force
water into the basement.
 Lateral Pressure – when soil around the foundation expands, it creates lateral,
or sideways, pressure against the walls that can cause foundation damages and
create leaks in the basement.
 Differential Settlement – when the foundation settles unevenly due to different
subsoil properties, it will create diagonal cracks on the walls and joints where
water can leak from.
 Capillary Absorption – when porous concrete is used for the foundation,
ground water can penetrate the concrete walls and travel all the way to the
interior through capillary action.
 Failure in waterproofing system - when installed waterproofing membranes
are improperly placed, mishandled, or punctured. Or even when the whole
waterproofing system design and detailing is primitive and inappropriate. This
will ultimately lead to the ingress of water underneath the membrane after
water table rises. However, water tightness is not only related to the
waterproofing system installed but also to the overall concrete quality:
more specifically the concrete itself and joint preparations. Thus, an
excellent waterproofing system at place would be ineffective if concrete
quality is compromised. Consequently concrete mix design and w/c ratio,
concrete handling/placement/curing methods are extremely important in
achieving water tight concrete.
INSPECTION & ASSESSMENT
Identifying basement leaks in a timely and professional manner will be crucial in order to
prevent further damages to the structure, and to recommend the optimal remedial works. The
main objective should be to determine the source of the water, stopping it and assess the
extent of damage on the concrete (short and long term). Starting with a thorough revision of
documents, drawings and records related to concrete quality/design, layouts and details of
construction and expansion joints as well as records of the installed waterproofing system.
This usually helps in providing a better understanding about the case at hand and pin point on
specific faults at the design stage.

A second step would be conducting a visual inspection, to look for signs that indicate
leakages:
 Dampness or brown stains on walls
 Mold and mildew
 Efflorescence
 Rust stains
 Cracks
 Chipped and delaminate concrete
 Water
Next we use a series of non-destructive tests to optimize the visual inspection, and to assess
more profoundly the damages that might have occurred to the reinforced concrete due to the
leaking:
 Thermal Imaging – to locate on a large scale damped walls and moist areas.
Can be very advantageous in dark/low light areas.
  Ultrasonic NDT using either UPV, Impact Echo or Impulse Response – to
determine locations and extent of delamination, voids, and cracks as well as
locating any lower quality or porous concrete spots in the foundation that may
be the cause of leaking.
 Half-cell Potential and Corrosion Rate Measurement – since steel corrodes in
presence of water and oxygen, it is important to evaluate the rebars and
determine the rate of corrosion as well as measure the resistivity of concrete
for potential corrosion.
Lastly we will extract concrete core samples to determine important physical properties, and
to verify and confirm non-destructive findings. The following are some the recommended
tests:
 Density, absorption, and voids in hardened concrete (ASTM C642)
 Depth of penetration of water under pressure (BS EN 12390-8)
 Water absorption (BS 1881 - Part 122)
REPAIR METHODS
When the source of the leak has been identified, and the damages were evaluated, then the
repair methods can be recommended accordingly. Note that each case is unique, and not all
repair solutions will deliver the same results. Nevertheless, here are some common repair
practices:

For floor cracks and cove seepage, the secret is first to alleviate the hydrostatic pressure by
giving ground water somewhere else to go. This is accomplished by installing an internal
drainage system that directs the water away from the foundation. Next, floor cracks needs to
be sealed and that is done by injecting high pressure epoxy to fill the gaps.

For a wall crack, the most common way of repair is to inject it from the interior or exterior
with expanding polyurethane. The polyurethane fills and seals the crack out to the soil and
stays flexible when cured to prevent minor foundation movement from re-opening the crack.

For concrete deterioration or initiation of corrosion at the rebars, the concrete and the
reinforcing steel need to be treated and repaired. This can include removing of concrete
cover, wire brush all the corroded rebars, apply anti-corrosion coating, and recast using a
special mortar.

The way to repair seepage permanently from mortar joints, porous walls or over the top of a
wall is to install an exterior waterproofing membrane. But this is a costly method because the
perimeter of the exterior needs to be exposed, thus the need remove all the soil around the
foundation.
References
 Wise Cracks. “5 Causes of Leaks in Your Basement & How to Find
Them”.http://www.wisecracks.com/5-causes-leaks-basement-find/[viewed on
November 15, 2018].
 U.S. Waterproofing. “Why a Basement Leaks and How to Fix it
Permanently”. https://www.uswaterproofing.com/learning-center/why-a-
 basement-leaks-and-how-to-fix-it-permanently [viewed on November 15,
2018].
 Images Credits:
 https://www.indianawaterproofing.com/problems-we-fix/
 http://www.basementsystems.ca/basement/waterproofing/problems/wall-
leak.html [viewed on November 16, 2018].

 Why a Basement Leaks and How to Fix

it Permanently

 A leaking basement is a very common occurrence in many homes. When a basement
leaks it does not imply that the home was not built well or that some extraordinary
catastrophe has taken place; most likely it’s just a combination of time and the forces
of nature, although there are some man-made factors that can cause or worsen a leak-
ing basement.
 Any type of foundation can spring a leak and those built of poured concrete are no
less vulnerable than one made of masonry – they just leak differently. Of course, any-
thing that can be said about leaks in a basement can also apply to a crawl space which,
after all, is nothing more than a short basement albeit one that is likely to have a dirt
floor.
 In examining why a basement leaks, it’s important to know that there are causes of
leaks and there are sources of leaks. The first are usually natural occurrences that take
place outside the basement and the second are generally flaws or disruptions in the
foundation’s structure. The two must combine to make the basement leak and any
approach to repairing the leak must take both into account.

 Causes of Basement Leaks

 By far the most common cause of basement leaks is pressure created by water in the
soil surrounding the foundation that occurs in two forms.
 Hydrostatic Pressure – Although it might not always seem like it, there is water in
the ground everywhere. Even in dry areas like the American Southwest water can still
be found underground although at a much lower level than elsewhere. The level at
which this ground water exists is called the “water table” and its location varies wide-
ly. One factor that influences the height of the water table is proximity to bodies of
water so that areas around the Great Lakes, for example, will have higher water tables
than Kansas or South Dakota.
 When heavy or persistent rain or snowmelt occurs, water is absorbed by soil closer to
the surface and, when the surface soil becomes saturated, the storm water that isn’t
absorbed causes the water table to rise. When the water table rises under a foundation
it creates hydrostatic pressure against the foundation from below that can force water
into the basement and create leaks opportunistically.
 Lateral Pressure – The soil that surrounds a foundation between the footings and the
surface can also absorb water although under normal weather conditions this soil
should drain. Certain types of soils, such as sand and loam, drain fairly quickly and
don’t absorb as much water. Clay soil, such as is common in the Chicago area,
doesn’t drain as well and tends to absorb water and expand.
 his situation is worsened by the fact that a 10-foot wide area around the perimeter of
the house is less compacted than other soil because it was the site of the original foun-
 dation excavation that was later backfilled. This looser soil tends to be more absorbent
and expansive.
 Also, this area around the home is often inundated with rain water when the home’s
gutters are clogged or blocked or when downspouts are not extended and are dis-
charging large volumes of water right next to the foundation.
 When this soil expands, it creates lateral, or sideways, pressure against the foundation
that can cause foundation damage and create leaks in the basement.
 Window Wells – Window wells can be another cause of seepage that has nothing to
do with ground water pressure. Window wells allow light and air to enter the base-
ment through the window but can accumulate water during a heavy rain if the drain is
either clogged or missing. When the window well fills with water, from either
a clogged or missing drain or separated window well liner, the water can seep in
around a poorly installed window or even create enough pressure to push the win-
dow in.
 Those are the causes of basement leaks but what are the sources and how do you fix
them permanently?

 Sources of Basement Leaks and Fix-

ing Them Permanently
 There are several sources of basement leaks, most of which are minute openings in
basement walls or floor.
 Floor Cracks – Basement floors are thin layers of poured concrete, typical-
ly 2 – 4 inches in depth, that have no structural role in the home’s foundation. They
are there to provide a clean, solid base.
The same hydrostatic pressure that forces water into the basement also presses upward
on the basement floor and can cause it to crack. These cracks will allow water to seep
into the basement when the water table rises.
 Cove Joint — When a foundation is built the first thing to be constructed is a system
of footings, a wide slab of concrete that describes the perimeter of the foundation. The
foundation wall is either poured or built with masonry on top of the footings. In either
case, there is a minute opening where the wall meets the footing. The same is true of
where the poured concrete floor meets the wall. This opening, called the cove joint,
allows water to be forced into the basement by hydrostatic pressure.
 To repair both floor cracks and cove seepage, the secret is to alleviate the hydrostatic
pressure by giving ground water somewhere else to go. This is accomplished by
installing interior drain tile, a system of perforated pipe installed under the base-
ment floor.
 Interior drain tile is embedded in washed gravel to create better drainage and is
wrapped in a “sock” of filtration fabric to keep it clean and flowing. It takes in ground
water through its perforations and carries it to a sump basin where the sump pump
discharges it from the basement. When installed properly, interior drain tile requires
no maintenance.
 Poured Concrete Wall Cracks – The most common source of a basement leak is
a non-structural crack in a poured concrete basement wall. These cracks can be caused
by either the lateral pressure described earlier or by minor settling or dropping of
the foundation.
 The best way to repair a wall crack permanently is to inject it from the interior with
expanding polyurethane. The polyurethane fills and seals the crack out to the soil and
 stays flexible when cured to prevent minor foundation movement from re-opening
the crack.
 If the crack is inaccessible from the interior it can be repaired outside by filling a hole
at the site of the crack with sodium bentonite clay. The clay forms a pliable yet per-
manent barrier on the “positive side” of the foundation and keeps water out of
the basement.
 Mortar Joints – Masonry foundation walls are strong and capable of supporting even
large structures but their weak point for seepage is the many feet of mortar joints that
hold the concrete blocks, stone or brick together. Even minor foundation wall move-
ment can cause cracks in mortar joints and these cracks are often a source of seepage.
 Porous concrete or masonry – Poured concrete is usually not porous enough to
admit water but minor flaws in the pouring process, such as insufficient mixing, can
create porous spots. These spots will, over time, allow seepage through the wall.
 Certain masonry materials, especially concrete block or bricks, are porous by nature
and can allow seepage through the wall. In the case of concrete block, the presence of
large cavities that hold water can exacerbate the seepage.
 Seepage over the top of foundation walls – There is often a small gap between the
top of a foundation wall and the sill plate of the aboveground structure. When “nega-
tive” grading or improperly sloped structures such as decks and patios cause rain
water to run toward the house, it can enter the basement through this opening.
 The way to repair seepage permanently from mortar joints, porous walls or over the
top of a wall is to install an exterior waterproofing membrane. The affected wall is
excavated and cleaned before a technician applies a thick coating of asphalt-modified
polyurethane to the wall with a trowel. The material cures to form a waterproof barri-
er and can be covered with insulating material and/or heavy-duty drainage board to
channel water down the wall.
 Exterior waterproofing membranes are often augmented by installing exterior drain
tile to carry large amounts of ground water away from the foundation to a sump
pump.
 Repairing window wells – If a window well does not have a drain the simple solu-
tion is to install one that leads to drain tile, a dry well or out to daylight. If an existing
drain is clogged it can be cleaned out or replaced if necessary. In either event, a fit-
ted window well cover should be installed, not so much to keep out rain but to
exclude lawn clippings, leaves and other debris that can cause the drain to clog.
 If the window well liner has separated from the foundation wall, it can be reattached
in some cases but will likely need to be replaced in order to keep soil and ground
water from entering the well.
 There are numerous causes and sources of basement seepage and a number of ways to
repair them permanently. One thing they have in common is that it takes a trained and
experienced basement waterproofing contractor to diagnose and fix them. At U.S.
Waterproofing, we have been finding and fixing basement seepage problems for more
than 57 years and we have more than 300,000 satisfied customers to show for it. Why
not ask for our free advice when your basement leaks?