At Western Construction Systems, we are experts at basement waterproofing in homes built prior to the 1940’s. We have the proven methods to confidently solve any basement waterproofing project and our proprietary applications are for exterior and interior solutions, thereby eliminating the need to excavate in most cases.
When we’re dealing with water intrusion, especially in the Pacific Northwest, there are many different reasons why basements leak.
For example, fractures could form in the concrete, we could deal with hydrostatic pressure, or we might find pockets of unconsolidated rock that can allow water to migrate through the wall. Another cause, in this area especially, is a high water table. A high water table means that natural springs in the ground could potentially rise high enough to meet the foundation, which can then hydrostatically force water up through the floor and the floor wall joint around the perimeter.
Most of the applications we have developed allow us to complete our repairs by working from the inside, which usually eliminates the need to excavate on the outside and do membrane water proofing.
When focusing on crack repair, we typically use a method called crack injection. The crack injection procedure entails drilling some holes at an angle into the foundation, intersecting the crack inside the wall. When we drill these holes, we install an injection port in the hole and then pressure-inject the material through the port into the crack. That material reacts with moisture, expands, and creates a permanent seal which is still flexible but eliminates the possibility for water to migrate through that crack and into your basement. It allows us to actually seal the entire span of the crack by working from the inside.
Again, crack repair is only one of the many ways that water can get into a basement. We have methods to address every one of them.
