Is Hydrostatic Pressure Inevitable?

Some homeowners may assume that hydrostatic pressure is simply inevitable. They might assume it’s impossible to avoid. Although there is some truth to the fact that you’re likely to have hydrostatic pressure problems, you can still alleviate them for the most part. 

• Truly Inevitable Pressure 

There is an element of inevitable hydrostatic pressure that you’ll experience in your home. This is especially true if you have a basement, as the basement walls reach down far enough that it’s almost certain you’ll have water pressing on the walls. There’s no way to avoid that pressure entirely because water is a natural part of the soil. 

However, it is important to remember that properties are designed to cope with this. This is especially the case if your property has a basement; the pressure of the soil, as well as the water it holds, will have been accounted for during design and construction. As such, all you have to do to protect your home in most cases is invest in drainage systems. 

• Pressure You Can Avoid 

Of course, there is also a path to avoiding some of this hydrostatic pressure; extreme soil saturation causes a spike in hydrostatic pressure and is avoidable. If you’re able to take a few steps toward reducing hydrostatic pressure, you’ll be able to avoid many of the problems that homeowners tend to think of as being “inevitable,” including problems like bowing basement walls. 

Robust gutters and downspouts, for example, are a good way to manage soil saturation directly around your property’s perimeter. Likewise, proper yard grading will direct water away from the looser backfill soil which is directly adjacent to your property. Finally, if you plant the right mix of flora, the complex root systems will help to stabilize moisture levels in the soil around your home.