Last week, we met "Drip," the problem child of our life at this time, as we talk about waterproofing. Now if you did not read last week's article (don't just stand there, get one!), we talked about how Drip is basically lazy, and always seeks the path of least resistance, and we use this knowledge in locating how water flows. Granted, these are only rules of thumb, but they have helped me for many years, so again, please get last week's article.
Drip doesn't always let gravity hold him down, but he will travel through concrete and masonry walls and wood by means of capillary action. Concrete and masonry both use water when they are first shaped and poured. Next this water evaporates during the curing and drying cycles and leaves small voids in the concrete. Now stop for a minute and do me a favor. Get a piece of paper towel and put it on the counter top, and lay it down flat. Next, place another piece on top, and yet another and another, until you have at least four pieces stacked on top of each other. Now get some water and pour a little bit of water on the center section of the paper towel, just enough to cover a 4-inch square section. See what happens? The water is being absorbed by the paper towel. Now watch closely, and see that it is actually moving by absorption throughout the paper towel. (At least it had better be doing it; if it's not, then get a different brand of paper towel!) This movement is called wicking and if the paper towel was actually concrete, then you would be watching capillary action at work. Now strange as this may seem to you, sometimes Drip will wick upwards in a wall through capillary action, and this is an important factor to always remember. Now, I've asked Drip to tell you in his own words how he gets into your home. "Drip, it's all yours; but you only have 348 words or so left, so make it short and sweet!"
"Thanks, Dan, and thanks to you, the reader, for taking the time to get to know me. Like Dan said, I travel the easiest road possible when I want to get into your home, so as I'm traveling down the hillside on the surface, I see your home, and I'm going to look for:
1) A concrete or masonary wall that is not sealed, or sealed slightly below or slightly above ground level. If you have sealed your home but didn't bring it high enough, then I can go over the top of your sealant and get into your home.
2) Cracks where your sidewalk and house meet. These are so easy to get into because the drainage is generally very slight so I have all the time in the world to find a crack, and this means that I can get easily into your wall gain.
3) I know a group of guys who are always hanging around the gutter-you know who I mean. They really enjoy trying to plug it up, and when they do, then those mischief makers can get into a wall just about anywhere; they're not choosy at all about where they like to go.
4) What I really find funny are homes that have a "waterproof coating" on the wall, and it's really nothing but a paint, or even a liquid water repellent. Man, those are a breeze to get through!
5) I like sump pump areas in basements that are used for storage. I hang out with a group of other Drip-heads like me, find out where the pump is, and then look to find that they never put a bottom cap on the pump well, just gravel. Go figure!
Now if I'm traveling underground, then I look for a whole new set of things in order to break and enter into your home. Now these are harder to find, but with some time and a few things, you can figure it out. Back to you, Dan!
Thanks; Drip. Well, the little guy took all my space, so next week we'll look at the underground situation. Until then, see ya'!
Originally published in the Daily Courier October 28, 1999