Tips to Waterproof Your Basement Like a Pro

Written by Posted On Sunday, 17 June 2018 13:07

A basement should not be the dark and cold place of your house. It is an important part of your home that you can use for any purpose even your bedroom. Yes, you can decide to make it your place of rest. While most people consider it as a store or form of garage, it does not make it the standard. Check on it, light it up, clean it regularly. Don’t consider it as an extension of the house but part of the house.

One of the problems that you likely encounter in your basement is seepage. During heavy or regular down pours, it is common to notice pounds of water in this part of the house. It can be from the walls, or infiltration from the foundation.

It is no rocket science and you can easily tell if your basement allows water. Efflorescence is the most common sign of water in the basement. This is a whitish powdery substance on the walls. It is easy to mistake this for molds; it is not. The powder forms as a result of moisture pushing salt through the foundation. Efflorescence may not be necessarily visible. Sometimes it is a musty smell, which indicates water is infiltrating to your basement. Basically, any sign of moisture through the walls or roof is a sign enough to need basement waterproofing. Here are easy ways of how to protect your basement from water damage and strange smell:

Dig Around

The common source of moisture and water is the foundation. There is high unlikelihood of water dropping from your ceiling or upper floor. The first thing you should consider when need for water proofing arises is digging around the whole perimeter of the house and create a significant space between the soil and walls of the house. This space can be filled with different types of material that can help in absorbing and redirecting the water to other parts of your compound; away from the house. Crushed stone drains, drainage tiles, perforated pipes, and gravel are simple products that you can consider to fill up the space. Proper choice of these products is crucial to effectively waterproofing your basement. Be sure to consult experts to advice basing on the nature of soil and source of moisture.

Hydraulic cement

This is a do-it-yourself technique. After removing soil around the perimeter, check for cracks all around the house. Not necessarily where the basement is located, but all round. Cracks can connect to inner spaces on a wall depending on the width of your wall. Most likely you will come across one several cracks if not a large one as the moisture channel. Certainly, this is the cause of musty smell and mold like substances in your basement. Buy hydraulic cement and apply a heavy coat on this area. Hydraulic cement has special chemical components that will infiltrate to the cracks and stick. The primary characteristic of this type of cement is expansion. It will fill up and create a compact surface which keeps away moisture.

Gutters

The primary cause of accumulation of water at the foundation is a poor drainage system. Gutters are crucial components in building a proper drainage system. Check on the connections from the roof and how the water flows to your storage tank or draining out of the compound. Any leaks on the gutters or spaces on the roof that let water down should be covered. Water cannot be stationery; if you don’t direct it, it will find its way. Accumulation of water at the foundation leads to weakening of the foundation hence cracks and passage of moisture.

Interior Waterproofing

The cause of seepage and leaking in your basement may be small and easy to manage. Buy conventional sealers and little cement and apply on the inner side of your basement. Be sure to uniformly brush all parts of the foundation on the inside with paint. This can solve all your problems. However, it is up to you to gauge the rate of infiltration and magnitude of damage to your basement. If the efflorescence is evident everywhere, you might want to consider a serious solution. Typically, external techniques are considered to be more effective and long lasting. There are numerous basement waterproofing companies which can efficiently do this job for you.

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