Basement Waterproofing « Basement Remodeling

April 26, 2012

Basement Waterproofing and Your Home: What You Need to Know

Filed under: Basement Waterproofing — Basements @ 10:31 am

Have you given much thought to basement waterproofing in your home?

Because water is capable of wreaking so much havoc on your property, you want to make sure you do everything within your power to protect against water damage and keep it from being the kind of headache that thousands of homeowners experience.

But just what can you do in order to protect your home?

Let’s take a look at some of the methods you can practice and you’ll see just how beneficial basement waterproofing is to your home in the long run.

Looking for Problem Areas

A close inspection of your home’s foundation will often expose the faults that can eventually lead to water damage, so you will want to begin your search there.

When looking, you will want to keep an eye out for issues like:

Surface cracks – This telling sign signifies not only a possible problem with water, but a potentially weak structural integrity as well.

Given enough time, cracks grow longer and deeper, making them that much more of an issue. When you notice one, it pays to act on having it fixed as soon as possible.

Leaks – Leaking is another sign that something is wrong. You could notice dripping water, stains, or wet spots, but each of these signifies a leak somewhere.

The problem often becomes apparent during rain storms, but if you notice a leak at times when it isn’t raining, then the problem could be something like a broken pipe.

Musty Odor – Water damage related problems can also lead to mold growth, which makes itself known thanks to its distinct, pungent odor.

While mold can often be easily found, it’s no so easily cleaned up by the average homeowner. Because it presents a health risk and can spread so easily, you may want to turn to professional help to get rid of mold.

What You Can Do to Protect Your Property

When it comes to protection of your home’s foundation and keeping your property safe, there are a number of measures that you can take in the name of basement waterproofing

Have cracks sealed – As stated, cracks are a serious problem, but they can be sealed so that that won’t have the chance to expand and make a bad problem worse.

No matter how minor a crack might seem, have it sealed as early as possible.

Have mold taken care of – Mold can threaten your respiratory health and deteriorate surfaces on which it grows, so you want to make sure it gets remediated before it has a chance to spread throughout your home and create a much longer list of issues.

Protect yourself against excess water build up – Some water damage comes from excessive flooding, but that can remedied with a functioning sump pump in your basement.

Put one in place in your basement and you’ll be well protected against pooled water should the situation arise.

Protecting your home through the above basement waterproofing methods can go a long way toward giving you peace of mind and ensuring that you aren’t caught off guard by anything that might come your way in the future.

Of course, these are just methods that protect your home from the inside.

If you want to protect your exteriors, then that can be done through roofing and siding services as well as window replacement services that can make sure the outside of your home is sealed and the elements aren’t able to get in.

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December 8, 2009

Waterproofing Basement Walls

Waterproofing a basement is important to keep your home dry and mold free especially if you plan on remodeling your basement. There are many different basement waterproofing systems and methods. The requirements on every home vary depending on if you have a wet or dry basement. The moisture issues most commonly found in older homes are on the inside of the foundation walls or floor. Most new construction uses some type of exterior foundation waterproofing that usually keeps the basements fairly dry. If your building a new home I would definitely recommend some type of foundation wall moisture barrier. Before you begin with you interior fix make sure you check that your gutters & downspouts are clear all the way out to the curb. If you downspouts stop at the foundation you’ll need to get an extension to divert the water away from the foundation. Make sure the grade around the foundation slopes away from the house. Check for more tips at The National Association of Waterproofing. When fixing interior walls one cheap and easy solution is a paint product called DRYLOCK made by UGL. You can just use a brush and heavy nap roller to apply the product to the masonry walls. They have many different products available depending on your situation. You can see if this product is right for you by taping a 12inx12in piece of aluminum foil to the suspected wall. leave it for a few days. When you come back if there is moisture on the room side you have a condensation problem. If its wet on the inside that was facing the wall you have a seepage problem. Remember both problems can occur at the same time. If you have a condensation problem a dehumidifier should help. If your basement is fairly dry and you just have a few damp spots or walls you might get by with the latex Drylock masonry waterproofer. You can buy it by the quart or the gallon. This formula is for waterproofing all interior, exterior, above or below grade masonry walls, cinder and concrete blocks, stucco, brick, retaining walls, basements, concrete swimming pools and foundations. No pre-mixing or pre-wetting necessary. You can even tint it to colors if you’d like. If your basement walls are moist or leaky you might want to consider the Drylock Extreme Masonry Paint. This contains synthetic rubber and Portland cement which helps give the walls a much tougher barrier. It is a little more expensive and the fumes are much more intense. You’ll want to wear a respirator when using this stuff. Both products can be applied to damp surfaces. First you want to make sure the walls are clean from rust, dirt, grease, or oil. Then make sure there are no Efflorescence, a (white, powdery, crystal-like deposit on the masonry surface). This must be removed with a wire brush and sometimes an acid wash. You will also need to patch any cracks or holes in the wall joints or floor. For this you can use DRYLOK® FAST PLUG a fast setting hydraulic cement. Make sure you dampen the area before applying the fast plug for a stronger patch. After thats all done your ready to paint. The coverage of the Drylock is about 50-75 sq ft per gallon. Ex. An eight foot tall wall that is 10 ft long is 80sq ft and would likely use more than one gallon. Find all of the tools you’ll need below.

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