Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure that water exerts on a surface when it's standing still. In the case of basements, when soil around the foundation becomes saturated with water, hydrostatic pressure builds up against the foundation walls. This can cause cracks, bowing, and other damage to walls over time. It will also force water through existing cracks in the foundation. 

A French Drain is a trench filled with gravel or rock, or both, with or without a perforated pipe that redirects surface water and groundwater away from an area.

A Dry Well is an underground drainage system composed of perforated pipe and clean gravel that disposes of excess water runoff, by dissipating into the ground.

Yes, excess water in the soil around a foundation will cause hydrostatic pressure to buildup and push against foundation walls, forcing water through the tiniest cracks. Water in the soil around and under the foundation need a way to drain off so hydrostatic pressure can't develop. Also wet soil will freeze and expand during winter months and can possibly cause damage to foundation walls.

After we repair the cracks, a bitumen sealant is applied. Once that dries, we install an Air Gap Water Barrier Membrane using concrete fasteners to the foundation walls, then new perforated pipe (Big O) and ample amounts of clean gravel are installed (creating a drywell) and covered with a geotextile fabric before backfilling. Everything is done at the exterior. The air gap membrane allows for drainage and air flow at the walls exterior. We believe this to be superior then anything else on the market to date.

Yes, we provide a Lifetime Transferable Warranty on every waterproofing project we complete. Our warranty is good for 25 years and is fully transferable, with no tricky fine print. We believe it to be the best possible warranty that a waterproofing company can provide. Don't be fooled by companies claiming to offer a lifetime transferable warranty, by reading their fine print first! 

While grading away from the house will aid in keeping most surface water from flowing towards the foundation. It will do little to stop ground water infiltration when the soil gets saturated from heavy rains or snow melt. There are some buildings where the grading cannot be raised any further, either because is already at the top of foundation or being at a lower elevation then neighbouring  properties. Also excess weight against the foundation wall should be considered, as this can contribute to cracks and bowing in of the foundation.
In short; if you have had a basement leak in the past, then it will require excavation to the base of footing and repaired properly to guarantee it will not reoccur again.

No, you cannot adequately waterproof and seal from the inside. At best, the water can be collected and pumped back outside after it has infiltrated through the wall. We do not provide interior waterproofing service.

It depends on whether or not you have a high ground water table under your homes foundation. This would be evident by water coming up through the basement floor, if there were not a sump pump previously installed. There are a lot of existing homes that do not have sump pumps and do not require them for exterior water management. Also the majority of water infiltration leaks that we encounter, come from water that has entered through the foundation wall before getting to the weeping tile to dissipate. 

Mold growth on basement walls is caused by excess moisture infiltration through the exterior wall. Once the water has entered inside, it can become trapped between the walls for an indefinite amount of time (unable to drain or evaporate) and thereby creating the perfect conditions for mold growth. We can stop mold by waterproofing with adequate drainage and separating the wet damp damp soil from the foundation wall. 

No, we rarely need to excavate the entire foundation perimeter. We often just deal with the area of leakage. This is usually a corner or specific wall sections.

Yes, we are fully insured with Intact insurance as well as being WSIB compliant.

Weeping tile refers to the drainage pipe that is at the base of footing. Originally they were made of short sections of clay pipe called tiles, laid end to end around the foundation perimeter and covered with gravel to allow for drainage of accumulated water at the footing. Today we use a perforated plastic pipe that is flexible and comes in long rolls, which also relies on being covered with ample amounts of clean gravel to allow for maximum drainage at the foundation wall exterior.