Although it seems rather easy to waterproof a basement, there are many things that you must consider first. In fact, many of the things that you’ll read about here are not discussed often. Before you buy you start, consider the following tips
How does waterproofing work in the basement and what exactly needs to be done? Let’s take a look at the time and tested waterproofing of basement and how it works.
In case you are curious to know how the basement is built, you will see that the idea was first conceived in the design and then the next steps follow. It starts with the digging of a big hole, then the footer or foundations are laid. After the base is done, the walls of the basement are built and then only the rest of the house is constructed.
From this list the most vital point is the top one – the vast crater dug in the earth
When basement walls are constructed there is an area outside the walls that must be filled. Loose backfill is what is used to fill this void. Well compacted or not, introducing a huge pile of loose backfill is going to cause problems. Water will always flow in the path of least resistance.
This area is going to have water constantly seeping into it. Typical ways of waterproofing a basement utilize water drainage pipes that often become silted. The water is naturally bringing all sorts of suspension with it. Allowing these pipes to fill up, can result in an overload of the system, which can be catastrophic to the basement’s outside walls. If there are crevices in the walls, water will push through even if the basement walls are waterproofed.
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 lot of the time a huge mistake is made by not providing access to these pipes. To keep water out of a basement, waterproofing is also applied to the external walls. This is also called a tanked system.
A better basement waterproofing system, such as the drained cavity basement waterproofing, works by getting rid of the water pressure on 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:
- not disturb the exterior appearance of your home
- an approved method by home loan lenders
- more affordable than other methods
- a permanent or long term fix
- stop water through the floor and walls
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.
As you can see, the problem of basement waterproofing is not uncommon and there are steps that can be taken to make your life a lost easier when dealing with it.
