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Interior Drain Tile – One of the most common causes of basement seepage is when hydrostatic pressure  under the foundation forces water in through cracks in the floor or the cove joint.  This can be permanently remedied by installing interior drain tile, perforated pipe buried in a bed of washed gravel under the basement floor.  The drain tile relieves the pressure and carries the water to a sump pump for discharge.  When installed properly, interior drain tile requires no maintenance.

Crack Repair – When non-structural cracks occur in a poured concrete foundation, water finds its way in.  The best way to repair these cracks is to inject them with expanding polyurethane from inside the basement.  The polyurethane fills and seals the crack all the way to the outside soil and remains flexible once it has cured to prevent the crack from re-opening due to minor foundation movement.

Exterior Waterproofing – Poured concrete foundations can admit water through porous patches or over the top of the wall; masonry foundations through mortar joints or porous masonry units such as concrete block or brick.  This seepage can be prevented by installing an exterior waterproofing membrane, a thick coating of asphalt-modified polyurethane that is applied with a trowel on the exterior of the wall to form an impermeable water barrier.

If a large amount of ground water is present, exterior drain tile and drainage board can be added to protect the membrane and better manage the water.

Regardless of the best method for a particular home, the Long Island homeowner needs the services of a basement waterproofing contractor that knows the homes in his or her neighborhood.