Hydrostatic Pressure: The Hidden Force Destroying Your Foundation

Your home might look solid from the outside, but pressure is building beneath it — and you won’t know it until cracks, leaks, or foundation failure show up.

It’s called hydrostatic pressure, and it’s one of the most common — and misunderstood — causes of foundation damage in Arkansas homes.

At PierPoint Foundation Solutions, we deal with this silent force every week. Here’s what it is, why it’s dangerous, and how to stop it before it destroys your crawl space or slab.

💧 What Is Hydrostatic Pressure?

Hydrostatic pressure is the force of water pushing against your home’s foundation.

When the soil around your home becomes saturated — from rain, rising groundwater, or flooded farmland — water begins to push inward on your crawl space walls or slab. Since water has weight and pressure, it can exert hundreds of pounds of force per square foot.

Over time, that pressure builds up — and something has to give.

🧱 What It Does to Your Home

Unchecked hydrostatic pressure can cause:

🔸 Foundation Wall Cracks

Especially in block or poured concrete walls, horizontal or stair-step cracks are common signs of lateral pressure.

🔸 Water Intrusion

When pressure forces water through foundation joints or porous concrete, you get leaks, puddles, and standing water in your crawl.

🔸 Floor Joist Separation

As water pushes against the wall, it can slightly shift the perimeter, pulling floor systems out of alignment and creating sagging or sloping floors.

🔸 Mold & Rot

Moisture entering from pressure doesn’t just wet the ground — it travels upward, leading to mold, mildew, and rot in wood members.

🔸 Structural Settlement

If water washes away the soil beneath or around your piers, it creates air pockets, weakening the entire foundation’s support.

🌾 Why It’s a Big Deal in Arkansas

Many areas in Arkansas — especially rural or farmland-adjacent properties — experience high water tables or low-lying lots that trap groundwater after storms.

If your property doesn’t have proper grading, perimeter drains, or a sealed crawl space, you’re already at risk.

🛠️ How We Relieve Hydrostatic Pressure

PierPoint specializes in reducing pressure before it causes damage. Our crawl space systems include:

• EZ-Flow Drainage Systems to redirect water away from foundation walls

• Sump Pump Installation to actively remove standing groundwater

• Vapor Barriers & Wall Liners to seal out rising moisture

• Grading and Soil Evaluation to prevent future saturation

• Optional Foam Insulation to further isolate humidity and prevent air exchange

In extreme cases, we recommend helical or push piers to stabilize foundations affected by pressure-based soil movement (coming soon to PierPoint).

🛠️ Think Pressure Might Be Pushing In?

We’ll inspect your crawl space and foundation for signs of pressure damage — and give you a no-obligation breakdown of what we find.

👷 Need a Solution That Holds Up?

At PierPoint Foundation Solutions, we offer free crawl space inspections and long-term drainage solutions built to stop the pressure at the source.

📍 Serving all of Arkansas

📅 To schedule an inspection, contact Dakota Treece:

📞 (501) 284-9330

📘 Message us on Facebook @PierPointFoundationSolutions

🔗 Schedule Your Free Inspection

Pressure builds. Damage spreads. Let’s stop it at the source.