When water builds up outside your basement and you don't have a proper drainage system to collect it, it can start to push against your walls and underneath your floor. This is called hydrostatic pressure, and it's prevalent in homes built in an area with a high-water table.
Below are the most common ways water seeps into your basement.
Cove joints – A cove joint is the space where your basement wall meets your basement floor. If your walls are experiencing hydrostatic pressure, water will use that space to enter your basement.
Honeycombing – Honeycombing is when parts of your basement walls start to crumble or deteriorate, allowing water to seep through your concrete.
Top Seepage – Top seepage is when water enters your basement through the space between your basement walls and above floor.
Cracks – Hydrostatic pressure can cause your walls to bow, lean, or shear (the top of your basement wall is moving inward while the bottom is staying put). Once your basement wall starts to move, it can begin to crack. Water can then use these cracks to enter your basement.
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