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Water can enter your basement in many ways, and cause damage to your property and belongings. It is wise to keep your eye out for signs of a leaky basement, in order to seek advice and help sooner rather than later. One of the common points of entry for water, is through the cove joint.
The cove joint is the joint which connects your foundation walls to your basement floor. The concrete for foundations is often poured in separate sections, leaving a gap between the bottom of the wall and the floor where water can find its way in.
The signs of cove seepage are fairly obvious if you examine the space where the foundations meet the floor in your basement. If there is water coming through the gap, then the cove joint is your point of access.
This could be extreme, to the point where water is pooling on your basement floor, or it could be minor signs of damp, or leaks that only appear after heavy rainfall. In any case, cove joint leaks can be solved with the help of experts.
Cove joint seepage usually occurs due to hydrostatic pressure. This is where ground water along your foundation walls and underneath your floor rises, and seeps upwards. Water takes the path of least resistance, and so if it comes into contact with your floors and foundations it will look for a way in.
The cove joint provides a point of entry for the water, as it is easier than moving through the solid concrete. This is why you might find that large amounts of water come through, especially after heavy rainfall or floods.
Usually, inadequate drainage is the main reason why you are experiencing this problem.
The main solution for a cove joint seepage, is to provide a proper drain tile system that will prevent the build up of hydrostatic pressure.
There are DIY solutions available, such as using a sealant to block the water that is seeping through. These solutions only provide temporary relief, as the water will simply find another path. To truly prevent the problem, it is important to have a permanent solution in place that prevents any leak.
Exterior and interior drainage systems both do the trick. The interior drains move water away from your basement, often aided by a sump pump.
A delta membrane will help to channel the water from the cove joint to the drains, relieving pressure, while still giving an aesthetically pleasing finish. A sump pump may be used to enhance the setup.
Exterior drainage aims to channel water away from your home from the outside, and can be incredibly effective for negating pressure, and stopping water from even reaching your drains and floors. It requires excavation, and is therefore more expensive, but exterior waterproofing is the ultimate solution.
We also take care to repair any cracks or foundation damage that might have resulted from the wall and floor joints leaking.
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