The Scoop about Waterproofing your Basement Walls

You should always make sure to waterproof basement walls when you are finishing it. Most basements have high moisture levels, and much of the moisture enters via the basement walls. The most common reasons for water build-up problems in basements are caused usually by cracks, leaking windows and pipe condensation. Too much or prolonged water retention in the basement can cause a variety of problems.

Basement Wall Options

There are numerous ways of waterproofing basement walls and these include:

- French Drains
- Hollow Baseboard Molding
- Sump Pumps
- Waterproofing
- Damp Proofing

French Drains

Interior drainage systems installed below the wet basement floor to collect underground water and wet wall seepage.

A trench is dug round the inside perimeter of the wet basement floor. First you need to position a plastic drain pipe, ready perforated, and then make sure that it is surrounded by gravel or similar The floor over the French drain system is sometimes re-cemented by repair and wet basement waterproofing contractors. A gap is left of between one and two inches in the floor, along the walls, which lets the web wall seepage drain below floor-level into the drain system. A drain that connects to a sump pump is usually  the French type.

Hollow Baseboard Molding and Cove Systems

A hollow baseboard channel is adhered to the joint where the floor meets the wall using a waterproof epoxy. Water rising at a cove area in a basement will also damage hollow molding since it will retain moisture from a wet wall. More often than not, linked to a sump pump.

Sump Pumps

Installed in a plastic or fiberglass tank below the wet basement floor. The sump pumps through perforations in the sump well located close to it, can collect underground water. A good way of draining excess water from a basement floor or from any underground drainage pipes that you might have is to utilise a sump pump.

Wall Sealers

What are the varieties that should be applied in all basement waterproofing?

The truth is even with a good drainage system, it can’t assure a dry basement wall. Lets look at damp proofing and waterproofing as these are the cheapest and easiest methods of stopping moisture getting into your basement through the walls.

Damp proofing means what?

The majority of waterproofing products are comprised of a tar based substance in a solvent base.  They are cheap to apply but their effectiveness is limited because they are only to designed to ‘retard’ moisture penetration, not prevent it.  Unfortunately as curing takes place it is possible for it to become brittle. This is a result of the settling of the foundations and can result in the spontaneous appearance of cracks in the walls. The walls will then unfortunately lose their waterproofing as the coating will not be able to cover the cracks.

Does waterproofing may help a lot in protecting basement walls?

The water proofing products are such that they stop water penetrate into wet places as well. Because hydrstatic pressure in the soil after heavy rain or spring starts thawing.  Advanced Waterproofing Technologies products contain rubber which provides superior waterproofing protection and allows the product to remain flexible even when it dries.  This flexibility allows the waterproofing membrane to stretch as the foundation settles and bridge small hairline settlement cracks that can occur in the concrete or block.

Application instructions:

There is not much price difference between waterproofing and damp proofing which show that waterproofing as the right alternative considering that oftentimes it goes with a 25 to 30-year guarantee

In the past, builders ignored the need to waterproof basement walls. At this point you have the opportunity to put this situation right with convenient products that have easy to follow instructions The products available in the market are easy to apply and mostly they are do it yourself types.  They come ready to use in for example, 5 gallon pails or 55 gallon drums and do not require heating or special application equipment, anyone who can use a brush or roller can apply them.  You can even use a commercial airless sprayer which can be rented by the day.  In 2 or 3 hours, a couple people using rollers can waterproof an average-size basement (about 1,000 square feet) without difficulty. So start it and enjoy the convenience of damp-less space.