Serving Lawrence
Groundwater & Basement Water Intrusion in Lawrence, MA
Basement seepage, failed sumps, and hydrostatic pressure against the foundation are extracted and dried, and the path from the ground is identified so the loss does not repeat. Groundwater and basement seepage are extracted and dried only after the path from the soil is identified — a wall, a slab, a drain, or a failed sump. Drying the interior without stopping that path returns the same water to the same floor.
Frequently asked questions
A pipe broke on the third floor. Why is the first floor tenant the one calling?
Because water moves down through the stack faster than it spreads across a floor. In a triple-decker the plumbing, the wall cavities, and the floor framing all run vertically through the building, so a supply break on the top floor is often noticed first as a ceiling stain two floors below. Drying has to cover every level the water passed through, not only the two where it is visible, and access to all three units is the first practical hurdle.
Is a December rainstorm really worse than a summer one here?
For foundations, frequently yes. In December the ground is cold and beginning to freeze, so infiltration drops close to zero and nearly all of the rain becomes surface flow. In July the same inch soaks in and evaporates within a day. The wettest month falling at the start of the freezing season is a genuine local feature and it is why cellar problems here cluster in late autumn rather than spring.
Our building is brick. Does that change the drying?
It slows it and it changes what the meter readings mean. Solid masonry absorbs a great deal of water and releases it slowly, so a wall can read wet for days after the framing next to it is dry. Pulling the equipment when the wood is done leaves the masonry to re-wet the finishes. In this stock a drying plan should include readings taken in the brick itself, and it should expect a longer schedule than a frame building.
The Lawrence overview carries this FAQ with the city research.