Hydrostatic Pressure in an Iowa Basement

At first glance, this might look like your everyday basement. But if you take a closer look, you can see cracks in between the cement blocks and a white, chalky substance known as efflorescence, AKA a clear indication there has been water in your basement. After inspection, we realized hydrostatic pressure was the culprit. To waterproof, we installed a vapor barrier, an interior drainage system, and a sump pump to keep water out!