When your foundation is built, either through cinder blocks, stones, bricks, or concrete, there are waterproof properties that come with these materials. But after years of moisture sitting against that foundation there is a deterioration that occurs, as the cement that is holding the foundation together begins to crumble. That allows water to seep between the joints that hold it together, or in the case of a poured foundation, cracks start to form which allows water to seep in.
This process is sometimes sped up exponentially when a new home is built with bad materials or poor workmanship, which causes the foundation to crack prematurely. That in turn allows water to seep through.
Houses are sometimes built within a high water table, which means without a proper waterproofing system the water surrounding the basement will enter through the space where the wall meets the floor, and also enter through cracks in the floor. Sometimes there is so much water that it causes pressure to build up under the floor, making the floor heave up, creating large cracks and bumps in the concrete. The technical term for this process is hydrostatic pressure.
Also water may enter through a window, if there is poor drainage inside the window well.
Window wells have a drainage tube, which connects to the existing weeping tile system around the house. Sometimes these window well drains will get clogged with years of debris, and if combined with bad grading around the house (which directs water towards your window), the window well will fill up like a bathtub. Water will enter through the window itself, causing a large amount of damage to the home. It is very important to have your window wells checked by a specialist on a regular basis so that you can protect the home from serious damage.
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