Liquid water flow Liquid water can enter from windows, doors, foundation walls, and outside flashing details. Once the source is identified, caulking, redoing flashing, or landscaping may eliminate these forms of water entry. Soils, landscaping and waterproofing all play key roles in foundation leakage issues. The flow of liquid within small pore passages in a material. This water transport mechanism is what allows a sponge to soak up water.
Capillary action is more difficult to resolve.
This can be water wicking up through your slab, or up your foundation walls from damp or wet footings. Can be helpful to direct water away from foundation. The movement of water vapor between two areas of different vapor pressure. Vapor diffusion is a function of both the components it is diffusing through and the amount of moisture available for this process. Typically in cooling only climates the vapor retarder is on the outside of basement walls.