Accumulated Water - Deep Water on Basement Floor
Water Coming up through Floor Cracks

Possible Causes
Failed Footer Drains or Blocked French Drains
Hydrostatic Pressure
High Water Table

When water leakage gets deep in a basement, there is a good likelihood that there is a high water table, either temporarily or permanently. The water table is the level at which standing water is constant underground. Rainfall and snow melt will make the water table rise higher at times. Drought and lack of rainfall will allow the water table drop to a lower level underground.

Builders generally install drain tile, footer drains or even french drains to help prevent the water table from rising higher than footer level underneath the foundation and for relief of hydrostatic pressure. If the water table can be controlled, there is a good chance you can prevent water from leaking into the basement.

The inherent problem that these type of drainage systems face, is that they are susceptible to clogging by sediment. Because they are buried beneath the ground at footer level, water has to pass through a lot of soil to reach these systems. Ground water picks up soil, sediment, sand and mud as it travels down through the soil. Over time, accumulations of sediment can block the drain pipes. Once the drainage pipes are blocked, the water table can rise and create hydrostatic pressure underneath the basement floor and along the walls.

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