Why Ground Water Comes Up Through Basement Floors

3/23/2018 (Permalink)

When you discover water in your basement it is natural to think that you have a basement leak; that water is somehow finding its way through your foundation wall. When your basement is unfinished and there is water on the floor and no evidence of a leaking foundation crack or anything else in the foundation wall, what should you think? It is for this reason that many homeowners wonder: why is water coming up through my basement floor or up through floor cracks?

Ground waterunder your basement floor is oftenunder tremendous pressure caused by a risingwater table, the height of which is affected by several common factors such as:

• How much and how often it has rained;
• The type of soil around the home;
• The hydrological conditions around the property;
• How fast the snow melted; and
• If the downspouts for your eavestroughs are directed into the weeping tile.

All of those factors can cause a rapid local rise in the water table; consequently, a lot of water can enter your basement from beneaththe floor in a very short period of time.

Other causes of a high water table and seepage into thebasement

• Sump Pump Failure– If your sump pump isn't working then you aren't draining water at the base of your foundation as was intended. This situation will cause the water table to rise, sometimes to the point that the basement floods.
• Clogged Weeping / Drain Tile– Depending on the age of the home and other factors, weeping tile can become clogged and non-functional.While complete weeping tile failure is unlikely, poor footing drainage at the base of the foundation wall could result in the pooling of water and a consequential rise in the height of the water table.