Elevator Waterproofing – Fixing Leaks in Elevator Pits – Bergen County, NJ

Elevator Waterproofing | New Brunswick, NJ | Select Basement Waterproofing

Elevator pits are sensitive areas. However, they are often forgotten. These pits are often below the ground floor of the building. Modern elevators are constructed in the foundation and have concrete poured around them.

Leaks often occur in elevator pits that are found below the water table. The water table rises and falls as a result of changes in seasons. This results in movements in the soil surrounding the foundation and the elevator pit. The elevator pit develops structural problems that result in leaks.

Faulty elevator waterproofing:

If you ensured that elevator waterproofing was installed in the construction phase of the building, you probably think that you won’t have any seepage problems in your elevator pit ever again. The truth is that the installation of these systems is often faulty. This is especially true when the contractor carrying out the installation is not a professional waterproofing contractor.

In other cases, the leaking may occur simply as a result of the wear and tear of time. As the elevator pit succumbs to age, the waterproofing system will also begin to fail. The membranes used to keep water out of the elevator pit begin to disintegrate and this affects the performance of the system.

Take action:

The solution you apply to solve the elevator pit leaks will depend on the cause of the leaks. It is best to deal with the root cause of the problem before you deal with the cracks that are letting water into the pit.

The solutions you choose for sealing leaking cracks in elevator pits will depend on the construction of the elevator pit.

  1. Sealing leaks in poured concrete walls:

If the elevator pit has poured concrete walls, you can seal the cracks using a crack injection. It is important to choose a crack injection that you can use in both wet and dry conditions. It should not react with water and should form a tight seal within a short time.

     2. Sealing brick and block walls:

If the elevator pit is constructed from block or brick, the water is most likely seeping through the joints between the individual blocks. These joints are points of weakness in the wall. Sealing leaks in this case would require the use of grout to seal the joints.

Talk to an elevator waterproofing contractor to determine your options. They will guide you on the best solution for waterproofing your elevator pit.