DELTA®-FOOTING BARRIER is a 3-ply sheet membrane containing a polyester needle punched fabric, a polyethylene barrier, and an ant-slip surface layer. Its primary purpose is to act as a capillary break between the footing and the foundation wall to prevent the capillary rise of moisture.

Building Code in several jurisdictions across North America have begun to require basements to be insulated to their full height. This is because basements can be identified as one of the major sources of heat loss in a house.

The primary issue is capillary rise of water. Concrete absorbs moisture. Th e moisture continues to move through the concrete’s micro pores and fissures from the wet areas to the dry. This happens without regard to gravity and continues so long as there is a source of moisture. The phenomenon is also known as capillary wicking.

When the footing for a home is poured, it must be poured directly on undisturbed soil. This is a building code requirement. Th e foundation wall is poured onto the footing. The footing begins to absorb water and, because it is always exposed to moisture, keeps absorbing water. Capillary wicking causes the water to rise up through the footing. It continues to rise through the foundation wall that has been poured directly on top of the footing.

In the basement area, the placement of the vapor barrier can create a problem. Without any changes to the system, the capillary wicking mechanism carrying moisture from the ground up into the basement wall is continuous. In a basement with full height insulation and a vapor barrier to the inside, moisture can no longer dry to the inside. Instead, it will continue to move upwards and inwards, just as it did before, where now it will be trapped in the cavity behind the vapor barrier and can wet the insulation and moisture-sensitive wood components of the wall. This can lead to mold, rot, and structural decay.

DELTA®-FOOTING BARRIER is an elegantly simple solution to the capillary wicking problem. It acts as a physical barrier preventing the movement of moisture from the footings into the foundation wall where it can lead to mold growth, deterioration of the structure and an unhealthy basement living environment.

It is very easy to install. Just lay it into the freshly poured concrete footings and form the keyway with the membrane in place.

The specially-designed needle punch fabric forms a strong mechanical bond with the concrete. It resists tearing due to the force from the placement of the drainage gravel. The top polyethylene layer creates a positive barrier and break to prevent the wicking of water from the footings through to the foundation walls.

With a special non-slip surface coating, DELTA®-FOOTING BARRIER helps keep the job-site a safe place to work.

Forms for the foundation walls are placed and the concrete is poured normally.

When used in combination with other DELTA® brand products, DELTA®-FOOTING BARRIER is an important part of the DELTA® Premium Moisture Protection System.