Advice On How To Do Basement Waterproofing
A house or building with a wet basement may not necessarily be poorly built. There are many houses and buildings that have basement water problems no matter how well they seem to be built. How to do basement waterproofing is essential in addressing problems like these. And one doesn’t have to spend too much money on labor either.
The Cause
Some foundations in some buildings are not reinforced with waterproof materials and this is one of the reasons that basements get wet or damp. Good waterproofing is needed to coat the foundations and the walls inside of a building basement as well as out. Waterproofing methods and materials are not as sophisticated as those found now and perhaps this is one reason that older buildings get wet basements. There are also some houses that are built next to lakes and rivers and so the land is also wet. In this case, it is even more important that waterproofing be done to the basement.
Knowing When To Waterproof
A new house or building should have waterproofed foundations exactly as it is being constructed. Efficient waterproofing will ensure a building basement of being dry for a very long time. Another reason to waterproof a basement and its walls as they are getting built is that one can waterproof the smallest of spaces and corners that are closed off during later construction and pipe installation.
Old Houses And Waterproofing
Anybody who owns a fairly old house will first one to check its basement walls. Drainage pipes and where they run is another thing to check. If walls and the floor need to be waterproofed, one will need to use a multi-layer membrane system which means that one has to cover cracks in the walls and foundations from the inside and the outside if possible. One way to do this is to use tar because it seals up cracks efficiently. If this doesn’t improve the condition of a basement, then the aid of professionals is called for. However, this can be done alone or with the help of friends.
The Outside
Another way on how to do basement waterproofing is to work around the exterior of the walls. Use a system that will intercept water when it collects around your basement area. You can do this by making a channel like system that will redirect water to flow out and farther away from your house and basement. You can also guide the water to a sump that can be pumped up later.
Rebuilding
One can also consider rebuilding the basement of a house or building. It can be done without destroying the foundations. The areas that need the most attention are the walls and floors by adding layers of cement and tar where it is required. The basement will be dry and the foundation will be stronger after this application. Any broken pipes should also be attended to and perhaps replaced.
Products For Waterproofing
Proper waterproofing means using the right products. The traditional way is to use cement for the walls and floors. Likewise, tar can be used to cover cracks and thus disallows water from seeping through those cracks. But there are new products on the market that are quite expensive to use, like epoxy. They have proven not to be more effective than traditional ways but there is promise in the technology to improve in the future. Epoxy can be injected into cracks in the wall and again this can be quite expensive.
A dry basement is important for any house. This is especially true for houses that are more than 20 years old. Remember that a damp basement usually means that there is a leak or damaged foundation somewhere that needs to be repaired. Learning how to do basement waterproofing and knowing when to waterproof will save your basement and perhaps a little money if done alone.
