Waterproofing A Basement

If you in desperate need of waterproofing a basement, but don’t want to spend big dollars or hours to get the job done, here’s a few pointers to help get you going.

Basement waterproofing – how does it work?. To answer that question, let’s first look at historically conventional basement waterproofing and how it is supposed to work.

If you imagine how a basement is first built, when the house it is sited in was first conceived, then basically the following happens. A big hole in the ground is dug, the footer or foundations are laid, the walls of the basement are built and then the rest of the house follows.

From this list the most vital point is the top one – the vast crater dug in the earth

When the walls of the basement are built, there is always a gap left outside the walls which needs to be filled. This void gets filled with loose backfill. No matter how well the backfill is compacted, it is still backfill and water seeks the places of little resistance.

Water will constantly ooze into this area. Typical ways of waterproofing a basement utilize water drainage pipes that often become silted. It’s natural enough, the water is bringing all sorts of suspension with it. Allowing these pipes to fill up, can result in an overload of the system, which can be catastrophic to the basement’s outside walls. So while the walls of the basement may be waterproofed in some way, water, as you probably already know, will usually find a way through the tiniest of gaps.

This kind of situation is persistent because the tubes that should drain the excess water eventually deteriorate.

Many times there is simply no access to these pipes which is a huge oversight. To keep water out of a basement, waterproofing is also applied to the external walls. This is also called a tanked system.

A better basement waterproofing system, such as the drained cavity basement waterproofing, works by getting rid of the water pressure on the walls. Water is controlled, collected and allowed to flow through hidden drainage channels either to natural drainage or to a sump pump where the water is removed away from the property.

Waterproofing a basement is a better system when they are installed internally and have easy access ports for removing the silt etc. It takes minimal disturbance to the original basement where traditional tanking or other methods have failed.

So to summarise, good basement waterproofing will:

• not disturb landscaping, decks, patios, driveways, etc
• usually be an approved waterproofing method for home loans
• often be substantially cheaper than other waterproofing methods
• usually be a permanent or long-term solution
• stop both ways by which water can enter through the walls and up from the floor

You want to be sure to choose a reliable waterproofer for your home, keep in mind that it will greatly increase the value by far more than what you initally paid.

In conclusion, you want a basement waterproofing system that will deliver:

• not disturb the exterior appearance of your home
• an approved method by home loan lenders
• more affordable than other methods
• a permanent or long term fix
• stop water through the floor and walls

Waterproofing your home is an investment in its value.

So, there you have it. Now that you’ve been given at ways to improve your basement waterproofing, the next step is up to you. Take this information and make use of it. It’s easier to do nothing, but in the end you will thank yourself for having taken action.