How to Fix a Wet Basement in Bernards Township
Bernards Township is located in Somerset County, NJ. Over 26,000 people call the Township home and it is spread over 24.06 square miles (U.S. Census 2010).
The Township was Chartered in 1760. King James III of England had the land purchased in 1717 from the Lenape Indians.
Many Revolutionary War historic site locations are throughout Bernards Township. Over 100 residents from this area have been documented as soldiers for the American Revolution.
The Township is comprised of several well known, but not formally incorporated communities. They include: Basking Ridge, Lyons, Liberty Corners (formerly Annin Corners), and parts of West Millington.
In 2010, the Township celebrated its 250th Charter Anniversary.
Most homes have in Bernards Township have a wet basement that is made of concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material composed primarily of aggregate, cement, and water. Concrete is porous. Water is a primary ingredient of concrete from the beginning. As the concrete cures the evaporable water, water that can evaporate away, does so and is lost. As the water evaporates it leaves the pores in the concrete that were saturated with water empty. These empty pores make the concrete porous.
The Wet Basement is Below the Frost Line
Snow melts, rain falls. The frost line is the depth in the ground in which the water NEVER freezes. Abuilding’s construction because if a footing and foundation wall are built above the frost line, the chances of that basement heaving will occur go up. Heaving occurs when the soil expands and contracts due to freezing and thawing. When the soil expands and contracts it can cause damage to a building’s foundation. This is why a footing for a basement is placed below the frost line.
Because this seepage is constantly moving beneath the frost line, you should expect water related problems year round. Times of extreme seepage occur usually in early spring and late fall. Of course a catastrophic event like a Nor’easter or a Hurricane can happen at any time.