call us (800) 656-4604
Serving NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
MARYLAND, D.C. Metro area
They finished the job and had the job site cleaned up in less than a day. My wife and I were amazed!
Understanding the Problem
Water, acid, drainage, soil, cement, concrete, concrete block, stone, brick, mortar - these are the elements in and around your home and foundation which contribute to wet basement and structural problems: the concrete wall cracks, the humidity, dampness, and water; the white powder and flaking paint; the structural issues, the mold, mildew, insect infestation; the subsequent pain, misery, and the associated costs to resolve these problems.
The most dangerous element isn't necessarily the water. The water tends to be the catalyst of a multitude of activities or mechanisms, which contribute to the overall problems you may be experiencing. In that water, and in the soil surrounding your house, is acid, or more specifically, sulfates which contributes to the slow but steady destruction of your foundation.
The soil has a high degree of sulfates and so does the rainwater, commonly referred to as "acid rain" - acid being below 7 on the pH Scale. The concrete, concrete block, stone, brick, and mortar are materials that receive their strength, their structural integrity from mixtures of lime and calcium, which are alkaline. Acid and Alkaline - natural enemies which neutralize each other. Neutralize the cement, concrete, concrete blocks, and the mortar, and you are weakening the components of your foundation. The end result will be structural - it is only a matter of time, unless these issues are corrected... Properly!
Sulphates (acid)
Columbia Encyclopedia: Acid Rain or Acid Deposition: form of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, or hail) containing high levels of sulfuric or nitric acids (pH below 5.5 - in our D.C. Metro area, much lower). Produced when sulfur dioxide and various nitrogen oxides combine with atmospheric moisture, acid rain can contaminate drinking water, damage vegetation and aquatic life, and erode buildings and monuments.
Wikipedia: Acid Rain: rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic. It has harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and infrastructure. Other adverse effects - Acid rain can also cause damage to certain building materials and historical monuments. This results when the sulfuric acid in the rain chemically reacts with the calcium compounds in the concrete, concrete block, mortar, stones (limestone, sandstone, marble, and granite) to create gypsum, which then flakes off. This is referred to as efflorescence.
Wikipedia: Sulphates (acid) in solution (water) in contact with concrete can cause chemical changes to the cement, which can cause significant micro structural effects leading to the weakening of the cement binder.
In other words, the sulfates are corrosive to all cement products - concrete, mortar, concrete block, mortar seams between the blocks, stone, or between the bricks.
And then we have clay surrounding your home, sometimes referred to as shrink / swell, or expansive, sometimes classified as marine clay. Marine clays are soils that were deposited by rivers flowing into the Atlantic Ocean millions of years ago and can be found in widespread areas surrounding Interstate 95.
Call or email now! We're always available for a
free foundation consultation! (800) 656-4604.
Northern Virginia Basement Waterproofing
Areas that we serve in Northern Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia - Annandale, Virginia - Annapolis, MD - Arlington, Virginia - Haymarket, Virginia - Herndon, Virginia - Leesburg, Virginia - Manassas, Virginia - McLean, Virginia - Middleburg, Virginia - Oakton, Virginia - Centreville, Virginia - Chantilly, Virginia - Dumfries, Virginia - Fairfax, Virginia - Falls Church, Virginia - Fredericksburg, Virginia - Gainesville, Virginia - Haymarket, Virginia - Herndon, Virginia - Leesburg, Virginia - Manassas, Virginia - McLean, Virginia - Middleburg, Virginia - Oakton, Virginia - Reston, Virginia Spotsylvania, Virginia - Springfield, Virginia - Sterling, Virginia - Vienna, Virginia - Warrenton, Virginia - Woodbridge, Virginia
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