You’re not a contractor, so when you find water in your basement, all you know is you need it fixed, and you need it fixed now. You want contractors in your house as soon as possible getting rid of the moisture and waterproofing the basement to make sure this never happens again. Sure, you can coast through this process without ever learning a thing. But, think of the advantages of familiarizing yourself with a thing or two. Charles Pellaton and his company, Quality Dry Basements, shared some terms that you should know before a waterproofing specialist comes over:
- Basement Floor Slab: This is the actual layer of concrete that forms the basement floor.
- Cinder Block: Your basement’s foundation walls and retaining walls are made of this concrete and cinders mix.
- Cold Joint: The point where the end of one concrete pour meets the beginning of another. This is supposed to be avoided by trying to accomplish the pour in one shot, as this joint is a weakness that allows moisture into the pour.
- Drain Tile: The corrugated plastic pipe laid at the bottom of the foundation wall used to drain water out of the foundation and keep groundwater away.
- Efflorescence: This is a white powdery substance that is a deposit caused by water seeping through concrete, brick, tile, or other substances, showing up on the walls or floors affected.
- Dry Well: This is a hole dug into the ground and then filled with gravel. This takes in drainage water and allows it to percolate away.
- Footing: The concrete that is poured for foundation walls to be built upon, and often also has steel bars for reinforcement.
- Foundation: The lowest and supporting part of the wall, the support of the home’s structure.
- Groundwater: This is water that has drained through the surface of soil and rock until it reaches a layer it cannot pass. It will then begin to accumulate, and can be a common source of leaking in your basement.
- Hydrostatic Pressure: You’ll hear this term a lot, as a major component of waterproofing is drilling holes in the walls to relieve it. This refers to the pressure that results from a fluid being confined in a confined space. In other words, when your basement walls and floor have water trapped inside, pressure is being exerted inside that has to be relieved to avoid structural damage.
- Sump Pump: Pump used to drain excess water that has collected in the basement out to a main drain line.
- Water Table: This is the level right below the point where the ground is totally saturated with water. You’ll hear this one a lot as the basement contractor’s mission is to drive this down to a point of extinction in your basement.
Remember these terms when you work with your estimator and your contractors, and you’ll feel secure in the job as you’re able to follow along and track the progress. You’ll also fully understand each and every cost, and have a general understanding of what you’re really paying for.
