Waterproofing Your Basement
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Basement Remodeling Basement Remodeling Costs Basement Remodeling Design Trends for 2010 Home Theater Installation Building a Game Room Building a Home Gym Building a Home Wine CellarThe basement might be the most versatile space in your home-- perfect for storage, a second bedroom, a recreation room, work area… you name it. Of course, if your basement is plagued by leaks—- whether large or small—- you may be reluctant to get the full use out of that space. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to waterproof your basement, either after you’ve noticed some leakage, or before it ever starts.
First, if you already have a leak, then the first step you’ll need to take before waterproofing your basement is to figure out where the water is coming from and why it’s getting in. Many times, you can find and diagnose the leakage problem on your own. If there’s an obvious crack in a concrete wall or floor, for instance, you can fill it with hydraulic cement. Water may be entering your basement because your lawn is flat or slopes down toward your home. To correct this issue, you can slope your lawn away from the outside foundation. It is important to seed the new soil with lawn grass to prevent soil erosion.
Another cause of water in your basement might be your gutters or downspouts. Give them a good inspection. Make sure they aren’t clogged or damaged, causing water to run into your basement, rather than away from your home. While you’re outside checking your gutters, also do an inspection for shrubbery and other plants growing around your foundation. If they’re closer than one foot from the foundation, they can impair ventilation, so you’ll want to trim them back.
Also, check for condensation. It’s entirely possible that the water in your basement is actually coming from inside the room, rather than leaking in from outside the foundation. Keeping the shrubs away from the foundation and insulating cold water pipes helps, but you may need a dehumidifier.
Once you’ve made sure that unnecessary moisture is not entering or accumulating in your basement, you can waterproof your walls and floors. You can purchase a waterproofing mix at your local hardware store. It is important to note that many of these mixes will not adhere to painted walls, and therefore you’ll need to sand down the walls before applying.
While it would be great if these tips solved every leakage issue, sometimes waterproofing your basement requires more help. If you’ve got a leak that you can’t seem to solve, or you’re looking for better ways to ensure that you won’t have a moisture problem, an experienced contractor can help you assess the best ways to waterproof your basement. To protect your basement from moisture, set up a consultation with one of our contractors, who will work with you to pin-point problem areas, or potential issues.
