Waterproofing in Basement Areas

You may not have thought about it, but waterproofing in basement areas is essential to having a secure and waterproof home. If your home is on a slab, there's not much you can do unless your change the flooring. If your home is on a foundation, then there is something you can do. It may seem that waterproofing wouldn't be a necessary thing, but if you don't the damage can be very extensive.

The foundation is literally the sole support for your entire home. What would happen if this support was compromised? The foundation walls and floor can be damaged but it won't happen overnight. It does take time unless special circumstances speed up the deterioration process. Over time, chips, hairline cracks and holes in the walls escalate this process. The water must not be allowed to enter into your home.

Before beginning any waterproofing basement project, check out the area around the outside of your home for possible causes as to how or why water could get into your home. Don't just look directly next to the foundation, take a look around further away from your home. Remember, water travels if it is allowed to. Look for a slope in the land; if there is one (and there should be a slight one; typically 2inches) it should be going down and away from your home.

Inspect your rain gutters and downspouts. Is every piece securely attached and in good working order? Downspout discharges should be a minimum of 5 feet away from your home or dumping into a drain that immediate takes the water away from the foundation. Large bushes/shrubs and trees can do a number to foundations as we can see the damage they can do with sidewalks.

Next, it's time to inspect the inside of your basement. Check for chips, cracks or holes and if you find any they need to be repaired. As a home improvement project, waterproofing the basement interior side of the walls (even in crawl spaces) with products like Drylok and Zypex for minor issues is helpful. Drylok is considered a water "proofer" not a water "sealer". It will become part of the wall once dry. Xypex will bond to the wall and acts as a shield to any incoming water.

For cracks or smaller areas that will not be affected by structural movement or thermal issues, a good product to use is Drylok Fast Plug. You could also use a construction-grade epoxy which can penetrate cracks from the inside all the way to the exterior side of the wall. This is simple fix for small issues only. Waterproofing the basement due to larger water issues, you may want to consider a French drain. This is a unique system which is a continuous pipe that is below the floor's surface and runs the complete interior perimeter of the basement. Any water that is collected is drained outside.

If you aren't much of a do-it-yourselfer, call in a specialist. They may inject a product called Hydroclay, a version of bentonite clay, into the ground around the outside of the foundation. This product is very ingenious as it acts like a sponge and absorbs water.

Your home is your castle so why not protect it? Waterproofing in basement areas is a must so don't put the project off too long especially if you live in areas that has receives a lot of moisture or a high water table.