What You Need to Know About Waterproofing Basement Walls

Basements can be a source of family fun, a place to learn new hobbies, an escape or a great storage facility.  They are also one of the most vulnerable parts of your house when it comes to water damage.

Waterproofing basement walls is something that every homeowner should get interested in, the minute the real estate deal is finalized.  If it’s done correctly, you’ll never notice a difference, but if it isn’t you could be in for a whole lot of expense and headache. 

Why Waterproof Basement Walls?

Basically, waterproofing basement walls prevents water from getting into your basement.  Anytime you have a structure that’s built below ground level, it’s possible that pressure will force water in toward the foundation, which can easily find its way inside through cracks or other damaged areas.

A wet basement can cause structural damage and lead to mold.  Household mold has been associated with respiratory illnesses and other health problems, which especially problematic if you have kids or elderly people living in the house.

Waterproofing the Exterior

In order to waterproof the exterior walls of your home, some excavation has to be done.  The foundation walls have to be exposed clear down to the footing so they can be thoroughly cleaned and inspected for cracks.  After the excavation has taken place and the walls checked, they are sealed with waterproofing membrane.  New weeping tiles are also positioned at the side of the footing.  Exterior basement waterproofing is an excellent way to protect your foundation from the elements.

Waterproofing the Interior

Waterproofing the interior doesn’t disturb the ground like doing the exterior does.  Waterproofing basement walls from the inside usually includes:

• Draining water that has collected underneath the basement floor and along foundation footers.
• Setting up a French Drain or PVC pipe to channel water to a pump system to take it away from the house.
• Using wall vapor barriers and drip moldings and them to a sub-slab perimeter drain to collect water that comes in from cracks and other wall or pipe defects.

Deal with Professionals

No matter how you end up waterproofing your basement walls, make sure you only deal with professionals like ExpressRooter who have done it many times before.  You’ll want to pay a competitive price for this service, but experience and track record should be above price on the priority list.  Find a company with a great reputation and scores of satisfied companies, so you aren’t left wondering why your basement is taking on water when it’s supposed to be waterproofed.