Analyzing Basement Leaks through a Foundation Diagram

pressure. Here's your basement or crawlspace. You'll have your footing in block or concrete for your foundation wall. This here is a keyway. This helps your stem wall from lateral movement. This is also a capillary break. As it rains, water will run down your gutter or get driven towards your house and this water will start to soak your soil. If you have clay, these pressures will be a lot higher than say sand or other types of soil. Once this water makes it to your footing, it'll travel down and hit your drain tile. This drain tile is typically connected to a sump. If this drain tile gets blocked or you have an excessive amount of water, it'll create high pressure in the bottom of your foundation. This pressure causes water to go like this and follow your keyway and go back into your basement or it can cause cracks in your foundation or splits in your block and this can cause your wall to bow. These cracks can also allow water through them. It'll go through and drain down your wall. This is why you want good grade and to extend your gutters out so the water will stay away. Let's demonstrate what happens