Basements are notorious for being damp, musty places. Waterproofing
your basement can be done many ways. If your existing basement has a
leakage problem you need to find the root cause. This will help you
to do the least invasive procedure. Instead of replacing the walls
and floor in your basement there are a few waterproofing tips to
help find and repair the cause so you can keep your basement dry.
Most leakage problems are from water seeping through walls and
seeping in the joints where the walls meet the floor. Cracks, chips,
and other damage to the concrete can also invite water in. Clean and
repair damaged areas by patching the concrete. Once all cracks are
repaired seal the concrete. This can be done simply by painting the
sealant onto the interior side of the concrete.
Hydrostatic pressure can be a problem in some places even if you
have sealed the concrete. If you don’t have a good drainage system
in place you will likely have leakage. Drainage problems can be a
bit more work than simply painting on a sealant; but when it comes
to waterproofing your basement it is imperative that you have a
drainage system in place.
Check to make sure that your rain gutters aren’t clogged and
drainpipes are draining properly. All pipes and drains need to be
checked routinely for blockage. The best tip to help with this is to
remember to check your rain gutters, drainage pipes, and drain traps
just before the rainy season (which varies by location). Extending
your drain spout so that the water from your rain gutters is brought
farther away from your home will help your basement waterproofing
system. If you have a sump pump it needs to be checked to make sure
it is in proper working order as well.
Lawns that slope toward the home invite water drainage problems. A
good drainage system includes having your lawn properly graded. If
your basement gets wet every time you water your lawn you don’t have
the lawn graded properly. Water will flow into the direction of
least resistance, if your basement is where water finds least
resistance then that is where it is going to go. To solve this
problem you need to slope the lawn away from the house by building
the ground up toward the house and/or terracing the lawn so that the
area closest to your home is the highest.
Putting a flower bed close to the house by adding soil that is
raised and surrounded with bricks can also help. Seal the concrete
in your basement to make it difficult for water to drain into the
basement and build an area around the house that is built up higher
than the rest of the lawn. This will make it easier for water to
flow through the bricks and out into your lawn than it would be to
flow into your home.
Another waterproofing system involves sealing the concrete walls in
your basement except for the last three inches (the three inches
closest to the floor) and putting in a drainage system to collect
and channel water out of your basement. These systems aren’t
difficult to install and can be hidden by sheet rock and other
building materials.
Basement waterproofing can be frustrating if it isn’t done properly.
These tips should assist you to find and correct problems you may be
having with your current system.
