Drainage & Waterproofing

Water Mitigation Solutions

It may come as a surprise to you, given the focus on earthquake damage prevention by many foundation contractors, including us, that more often than not the real threat to your foundation is not the next big earthquake, but is in fact water. This is why any foundation assessment needs to factor in the state of drainage and waterproofing in your foundation system.

Proper drainage helps to mitigate the effects of rain, crawl space plumbing leaks, and even sprinklers that have been setup to water a bit too close to your foundation. Typically, we solve drainage issues by installing mechanical drain systems to carry water away from your foundation, due to the natural composition of the property causing a changing of grade level to be an insufficient solution alone.

Waterproofing helps to ensure that even if some amount of water reaches your foundation that you can rest assured that your foundation will not be slowly crumbling or sinking with each droplet. Waterproofing is accomplished by coating your foundation in a waterproof membrane, as concrete is not waterproof, especially once it has begun to form any amount of cracking. Waterproofing is an action that must be done in a methodical and comprehensive manner as improperly coating even one portion of your foundation can result in foundational failure.

In tandem, drainage and waterproofing are your keys to a watertight and long-lasting foundation. If you have any concerns about water in and around your foundation, give us a call for a free drainage and waterproofing inspection.