If basement waterproofing in your home is done incorrectly, you may face a lot of issues in a while. You may believe that everything works properly but, oops!, you encounter a sudden water seepage somewhere and a lot of mildew, mold, stuffy air, and wall cracks cause much damage that needs immediate care.
You can try to do something about it but, if repairs are done unprofessionally, the problem will not disappear. For example, you have applied coating but the issues emerged from the outside.
So, let us discuss how to waterproof a basement correctly to avoid many problems.
The best waterproofing methods for basements
1. Waterproofing of the Basement from the Outside
To prevent water issues, consider waterproofing basements from the outside. This can be accomplished with the help of different methods. They are applicable when you want to ensure the reliable basement waterproofing from the outside.
Read also: How to tell where water is coming into basement
Detect Cracks
Excavation is often used when you need to waterproof your basement. After it is done, clear out the walls from debris and look attentively at them. They may have small cracks or damaged surfaces that allow the water to penetrate the house. Check for normal, horizontal, vertical foundation cracks, hairline crack in foundation, and other damaged areas. To prevent further leakage, think about the hydraulic cement coating. After it has cured, such cement expands due to its chemical components. The substance seals the cracks or voids and the leakage is impossible.
Make a Drainage Ditch Effective
If your backyard and basement are constantly wet, you may opt for a drainage trench. You can choose different methods to dig such a ditch. Address this work to professionals to get such a trench anywhere in your property.
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Never Arrange the Rain Gutters Too Close to the Foundation
The rain gutters are usually arranged from the roof. However, never install them too close to your foundation. Check whether you can revamp the gutter spout by a special extension that can be bought in the nearest hardware store. The idea is to drive the excess water out and away from your foundation as far as possible. Another method is about setting up the gutters underground. They can run to the sump pit that way.
Read also: Basement leak repair cost
Maintain the Surrounding Landscape for Better Basement Protection
Look around. Try to notice how sloped the landscape is around the foundation. Or maybe, it is completely flat, or, what is worse, the slope may run towards the basement. The latter can occur in older households because the foundation can settle much over time and the ground around it gets compressed. Try to direct the slope away from the foundation but not leave it running towards it.
Use the Sealant
The cement-based sealant is a good way of basement waterproofing. It should be used on the exterior walls. The use of such sealants is quite easy and they can be applied to masonry or concrete walls. When the sealant hardens, it blocks the pores in the material to prevent water seeping. Even if there is a hairline crack somewhere on the wall and it hasn’t been fixed with hydraulic cement, this procedure can help to get rid of it.
Utilize a Membrane
Your basement walls may need some heavy coating. Install a waterproofing membrane. It is made of the special polyurethane components and asphalt-modified materials. You can use spraying or trowelling to apply it to the walls. The reliable protection against the exterior water seepage is created in this way. Because this elastomeric membrane is made of the modified asphalt, it displays perfect waterproofing features.
2. Interior Basement Waterproofing
Repairing a Sump Pump in a Leaky Basement
Installing and maintaining a sump pump is one of the most wide-spread interior basement waterproofing methods that can control the water seeping inside the basement. If the sump pump is installed in your home but the waterproofing issues are still present inside, something is wrong with the sump pump or its installation. You can detect the source of the issue yourself. You need to check whether your sump pump is as effective as it is meant to be. Maybe it does not let enough water in the drain. Or maybe it is clogged, not powerful enough, or just broken. You always need to have some spare pump installed in case there is a lot of water coming from the outside. Or you may need to obtain a pump of a better quality and power to cope with the flow of water coming into your basement. The big plus of a more powerful pump is that it works a bit quieter. Your sump pump may also be located incorrectly. It should be installed as close to the foundation as it is possible.
Using the French Drain
The materials used for foundations in older houses can be very porous. That is why they cannot prevent water from penetrating. Using French drains is a wise solution here. They help collect the excess water and drive it away from the house. You can learn more about how to install the French drain in your home from our further materials.
Preventing Basement Leakage by Repairing Cracks in the Foundation Walls
3. Interior & Exterior Drainage
You should do your best to repair any cracks in the foundation or basement walls and floor. To do it reliably and make the repairs last for a long time, you need the help of professional contractors. You may also need to learn more information on how to detect the cracks and the approximate cost to waterproof a basement wall.
The Best Basement Waterproofing Products
Since the demand for the high-quality waterproofing systems for basements grows, there is a constant improvement in them. More innovative systems are used by reputable companies to meet the needs of the customers. Here are some most popular systems that are widely used:
Waterproof Seal – The system implies using the cell mesh. It can bond with the fresh cement and this coating works as a reliable seal. No water is allowed inside when you use this method. Another benefit of it is that the installation is very easy and fast. There is no need for any other ways of processing the concrete, such as blinding or priming. And the protective effect appears instantly after the application.
Read also: Foundation cracks when to worry
Polymer Modified Bitumen Coating – This compound system consists of two components and is reinforced with fiber. These components are a special powder and the rubberized bitumen emulsion enriched with some additives. It is very easy to apply even to the places that contain small details, for example pipe junctions and entrances, outside and inside corners, or junctions between the floor and walls.
- EPDM Waterproofing Membrane
- Polymer Modified Bitumen Coating
- The cementitious coating for waterproofing the basement walls
EPDM Waterproofing Membrane – It is a single-layer waterproofing membrane made of rubber. The method is widely used for waterproofing. The rubber is of a special type, synthetic EPDM which is very reliable and cost-effective working more efficiently than any substitutes.
Cementitious Coating – This is also a membrane made of the special acrylic-modified and flexible cement-based Portland compound that is very effective when applied to the basement walls. It can resist any pressure, be it positive or negative, when placed under the water or below the ground.
New Build Reinforced Concrete – This waterproofing system is also based on cement. It displays its best efficiency when applied to concrete surfaces. The action is provided by its active chemical elements that bond with the lime and moisture in the pored surfaces and make up the whole crystalline complexes which are resistant to water. These crystals coat the capillaries and minor cracks that are always present in the concrete and no excess water can penetrate from the outside anymore.
The Tornado company can provide all the safe basement waterproofing services to repair your issues and offers a big choice of foundation fixing methods and techniques. There are 4 most popular repair types that are widely used:
- Waterproofing from the Exterior: The leaks are fixed from the outside of your house’s foundation.
- From the Interior: The excess water and moisture can be blocked from the inside of the basement.
- Underpinning: The walls are strengthened effectively when you do certain works for increasing your living space.
- Repair of Structural Cracks: The special epoxy is used to repair structural cracks in the foundation.
- Drainage Installation and Maintenance
Read also: Cracks in basement walls when to worry
You will find detailed information about each of these methods in our further publications. They can be a great source of practical knowledge for many homeowners who want to choose the waterproofing method which will work best for them. Our expert basement waterproofers can provide immediate help and advice.
Our services:
- interior basement waterproofing
- waterproofing from the outside
- basement waterproofing toronto
- wet basement waterproofing
- wet basement repair
- repair basement crack
- basement leak repair
- damp wet basement
- your home foundation crack repair
- sump pump installation
- prevent moisture from the inside
- window well installation