A wet basement is more than just a nuisance—it’s a serious problem that can lead to all sorts of other issues, from mold and mildew to wood rot and foundation problems. If you’ve got a wet basement, it’s important to take action as soon as possible to waterproof it and keep it dry. Here’s everything you need to know about basement waterproofing.
The Causes of a Wet Basement
There are a number of things that can cause a wet basement, including:
• Improper landscaping around your home. If the ground around your home slopes towards the house instead of away from it, water will run down the slope and pool up against your foundation. This can cause water to seep into your basement through cracks in the foundation or around doors and windows.
• Poor gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters can cause water to back up and overflow, which can then lead to water seeping into your basement. Downspouts that don’t extend far enough away from your home can also cause problems, as they allow water to pool up next to the foundation.
• Hydrostatic pressure. This is when the water table is higher than the level of your basement floor, creating pressure that forces water through cracks in the foundation wall and into your basement.
• Condensation. This can be a problem in homes with poor ventilation, as air that’s high in moisture will condense on cool surfaces like concrete walls and floors. This condensed water can then find its way into your living space.
Waterproofing Your Basement
There are two main ways to waterproof your basement: interior waterproofing and exterior waterproofing. Sometimes exterior waterproofing isn’t possible or practical as it requires digging out the perimeter of your home, disturbing sidewalks, decks, and landscaping. In those cases, interior waterproofing may be the only option. Here’s a closer look at both methods:
Exterior Waterproofing: This involves excavating around the perimeter of your home so that the foundation can be exposed. Once the foundation is exposed, any cracks or holes will be repaired and a waterproof coating will be applied to the outside of the foundation wall. A drainage system will also be installed around the perimeter of the home, which will collect any water that seeps in and redirect it away from the house so that it can’t pool up against the foundation wall.
Interior Waterproofing: This involves installing a drainage system inside your basement. The drainage system will collect any water that seeps in through cracks or pores in the concrete and redirect it out of your basement so that it can’t pool on your floor and cause damage.
There are several types of interior systems different companies use. The University of Minnesota has concluded a sub-slab interior system is best; it’s the most practical and cost effective. This is the system Standard Water installs.
We start by jackhammering the concrete about 18 inches from the wall, digging a trench that slopes down to the sump basket, and lay in washed rock and rigid pvc drain tile to ensure the water flows smoothly to the sump. Our patented Diamond Drainage Board is then added to the footing to facilitate drainage from the wall into the drainage field. We then install a sump pump with the industry’s best warranty and connect it to our Seamless Discharge Pipe that won’t crack or leak even if frozen solid.
Many homeowners choose to install our Battery Backup System for extra peace of mind. If the power goes out, you can rest easy knowing your backup system has you covered. Plus, we add a second Seamless Discharge Pipe to double your water handling capacity.
We then seal the whole thing up with new cement and stamp our name in the concrete right next to the sump basin. This way, if you ever sell your home, the new owners will know who to contact if they ever have questions or issues.
If you’ve got a wet basement, don’t wait to take action—the sooner you start waterproofing it, the less damage will be done and the easier it will be to fix the problem once and for all. And if you’re not sure where to start, contact Standard Water. We can assess your situation and recommend the best course of action for your home.
Conclusion
A wet basement is more than just an annoyance—if left untreated, it can lead to all sorts of other problems like mold growth, wood rot, and even foundation damage. The good news is that there are things you can do to prevent water from getting into your basement in the first place (like proper landscaping and gutter maintenance) as well as fix existing problems (like cracked foundations and faulty drainage systems). So if you’ve got a wet basement, don’t wait—take action today to keep your home dry for years to come!
More Information: https://standardwater.com/services/basement-waterproofing/