Common Basement Repair Terms

Backfill: The process and/or material used in filling a trench or hole that has been dug around your basement or foundation

Basement: Lowest level of your home that is either partially or completely underground

Basement floor slab: Concrete slab that is the floor of the basement

Basement waterproofing: The process of using one or more strategies to prevent water from entering the lowest level of your home

Below-grade: An area where the floor itself is below the ground level outside

Bleeder: A pipe that is installed through the drain tile in order to allow the water to bypass the drain tile if it is blocked or slowed at any area

Bowing walls: A below-grade wall that curves in toward the basement or has shifted due to external forces. Bowed walls can lead to cracks and water damage

Check valve: A device that allows a substance, such as water, to only flow one direction. These are commonly found in sump pumps

Cinder block: A lightweight building brick that are created by combining cinders with concrete and are often used to build walls and foundations

Condensation: Water that has collected as drops as humid air hits a cooler surface. Condensation can accumulate in basements on pipes, floors and walls

Cracked Floors/Walls: A common result of external forces such as rain, snow, weather or shifting soil, they can leave your basement more vulnerable to water damage

Crawl space: A small, unfinished area often located under the ground floor of the home used for storage or utility access, they are prone to dampness due to lack of ventilation

Dampness: The state of being slightly wet, which is what basement waterproofing is meant to prevent. Dampness can be caused by many factors, each with their own type of treatment

Dehumidifier: A machine that removes moisture from the air, varying in size depending on the size of the space

Discharge line: Term used most often to describe the pipe that leads away from the home to which the sump pump is connected, and is prone to blockage

Downspout: Pipe connected to the home’s gutter system and moves water away from the foundation of the home

Drain tile: A series of perforated pipes laid against the foundation of a basement which collect water before it can enter the interior of the home, diverting water away from the foundation, often in conjunction with a sump pump

French drain: Water diversion system installed beneath the floor to prevent water accumulation and dampness

Horizontal cracks:  Fissures in the basement wall that are parallel with the floor, often due to bowing of the walls or other movement caused by external forces

Hydrostatic pressure: The Pressure exerted by water outside the walls of your foundation, and increases as the amount of water increases and the depth increases

Humidity: The measure of the amount of water in the air in a given area. The higher the humidity, the more moisture in the air, and the more likely that area will be to be damaged by water

Infiltration: When water or other substance leaks into a structure

Lateral pressure: Pressure on the exterior of the walls pushing inward toward the basement, such as from soil, and can lead to bowing and cracks

Mildew: A fungal growth on organic material due to a build up of moisture

Negative hydrostatic pressure: When water from an area of high pressure is pushed to an area of low pressure, such as water from saturated soil being drawn into a basement

Palmer valve: A check valve used in drain tile systems that does not allow water to re-enter the system once it is diverted away

Poured concrete foundation: The process by which concrete blocks are poured, then tied with metal rods to create a foundation. These types of foundations have higher lateral strength than cinder block foundations.

Pressure relief system: A subfloor system installed to remove water buildup during times of increased hydrostatic pressure

Radon gas: A colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that can build up in improperly ventilated basements and have harmful side effects

Seepage water: Water accumulation on the basement walls and/or floors due to an ineffective drainage system

Stair step cracks or step cracks: Cracks in the cinder block wall that follow the mortar lines in a stair-like pattern caused by movement of the wall, leading to potential water leakage

Vertical cracks: Cracks in the foundation wall running perpendicular to the floor due to outside forces such as soil that can lead to water leakage

Wall Cove: The location where the wall and the floor meet, and is often an area where water can enter a basement

Wall deflection: The degree to which a wall has moved due to external forces

Wall drainage board: A water diversion mechanism in which a board is propped at an angle outside of the home, leading water to drain away from the home

Water table: The depth of the groundwater. When the water table is high, that means more of the soil is saturated and there is a great chance of water damage

If you are in the Indianapolis area and in need of the best basement waterproofing in Indianapolis, call today.  

Glossary sponsored by our friends at Garage Door Repair in Carlsbad.