Waterproofing Your Basement
October 30th, 2008 Posted in Kitchen DIYIf 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.
What is basement waterproofing and how does it work?
Let’s take a look at the time and tested waterproofing of basement and how it works.
If you can see a home being built the contractor first surveys the lot using the blueprints for the home to be built; then he sights out the lot to find out the best place to start digging and grading the property, then he lays the footer or foundation and begins building the basement walls, lastly the balance of the home follows.
That big hole in the ground, the first on the list above is important to note.
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. The problem here is that water looks for the path of least resistance, and you’ve just given it just that with a huge pile of loose backfill, no matter how well it’s been compacted.
Water will constantly ooze into this area. Sometimes, creating a problem is the drainpipe that gets full of silt contained in many systems when waterproofing a basement. It’s natural enough, the water is bringing all sorts of suspension with it. The system can overload if the pipes get over-filled and then the pressure of the built up water would be concentrated on the outer basement 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 type of problem doesn’t usually go away because the pipes that are supposed to take away the excess water gradually worsen over time.
A huge problem is that often there isn’t access to these pipes. To keep water out of a basement, waterproofing is also applied to the external walls. This is often referred to as a tanked system.
Drained cavity basement waterproofing is a better system that works by getting rid of water pressure in 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
Choose a reputable basement waterproofer when protecting your home, remember it is economically foolish not to waterproof, because the increased value from waterproofing will definitely exceed the cost of the waterproofing.
In conclusion, you want a basement waterproofing system that will deliver:
- an approved method by home loan lenders
- not disturb the exterior appearance of your home
- more affordable than other methods
- stop water through the floor and walls
- a permanent or long term fix
While you are getting the house made you need to realize that waterproofing is more of an investment in the value of your house rather then an expense.
Use these tips to make dealing with basement waterproofing a lot easier. If you follow the basics you will eliminate your problem for a long time.