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Waterproofing your
foundation? What is the right choice? by Dagmar Rakos
What is foundation waterproofing?
Waterproofing is Protecting your property foundation –
be it residential or commercial – from cracks due to natural
processes such as water damage, thermal movement, shrinking, settlement
and other causes.
Think of foundation waterproofing as a long term solution for
protection of your property.
Did you know that 44% of new homes have leaking basements without
3 years of completion? And the warranty on dry basement on a new
home in USA and Canada is only 1 or 2 years?
Think of what can happen if you don’t pay attention to
properly seal your house foundation.
It not only causes countless damage to your property it also
decreases value of your house, costs money to repair, wastes time,
not to mention various health and life hazards.
So what is the Solution to this problem?
Waterproof your property the right way as you build it!
There are many products on the market and it is difficult to
choose at times, but not all are the same quality.
The easiest, simplest and smartest way is to apply rubberized
liquid membrane. Liquid rubber membranes are elastomeric polymerized
coatings made from liquid rubber – the same quality tough
material your car tires are made from.
Advantages:
They are easiest to apply, quick to dry, cold applied. You can
do it by yourself, by using sprayer, roller or trowel. The liquid
cures into an elastic rubber coating on the wall, able to fill
up eventual cracks in foundation wall because of its flexibility.
They also come with a long warranty and are very cost effective.
If you want the best ones you should aim at the ones which are
environmentally friendly, non-toxic, non-flammable, also VOC compliant,
offer superior vapor and water barrier protection, and no priming
is required before installation.
Disadvantages:
Possibility of inconsistency in coverage, but the newest liquid
rubber foundation waterproofing membranes will help you to determine
the "right" thickness by intensity of color f.e. the
ICF-Green Shield from Aquasealusa.com cures to dark green –
so if you see any lighter patches, you just add more liquid.
There are of course other products on the market like sheet membranes,
cementitous waterproofing, hot tar or bentonite, but they either
don’t offer such a long warranty, are labor intensive or
low quality, or you have to use company employees/certified technicians
who are the only ones allowed to apply their product which will
cost extra money.
Basically it comes what your needs are and how much money your
are willing to invest to protect your property properly.
What seems to be cheaper at the beginning can be Very costly
later on if you don’t do it right the first time.
About the Author
Dagmar Rakos is the site Administrator for Waterproofing-Foundation-Guaranteed.com
Highly effective, easy to apply foundation and basement waterproofing
products for ICF and standard construction. For home builders
and waterproofing contractors. Free Shipping!
Get it at: www.waterproofing-foundation-guaranteed.com
Remedies for a Wet
Basement by Robert Clarke
A wet basement can be just a nuisance or even real nightmare.
Each year, thousands of homeowners are faced with the unpleasant
side effects of seasonal rainfall. Problems they can face range
from just dampness to even flooding.
Chronic basement leakage is a serious problem that can destroy
personal property, furnishings, appliances, and sometimes even
cause permanent structural damage to a homes foundation. Excessive
moisture is a huge attraction to wood-eating insects, wood rot
and decay.
Despite the pervasiveness of the problem, few homeowners are
aware of the causes of water leakage.
Common Causes
One common cause of basement leakage is improper surface drainage,
such as a yard sloped toward the home. In many cases, the problem
can be greatly alleviated by re-grading the yard to slope away
from the homes foundation or diverting surface water around the
house.
Other common culprits include poorly positioned rain gutter downspouts,
missing, leaking or clogged rain gutters. A downspout that is
improperly positioned to drain against the side of the house,
allows water to build up along the foundation wall, until the
backed-up “reservoir” finds a weak spot in the foundation
wall.
The most difficult cause of basement leakage is a high water
table. A high water table problem occurs when the home is built
too deeply in the ground, into the level where water remains constant
throughout the year.
A high water table problem can also be caused by under ground
springs or sustained periods of rainfall that cause the water
table to rise during the wet seasons.
Is it Leakage or Condensation?
You should try to determine if your problem is actually water
“leaking” in or if it’s just condensation forming
on the cool surfaces. Condensation occurs when warm, humid air
comes into contact with cooler basement walls, floors, water pipes
etc.
As an example, just take a cold bottle of soda out of your refrigerator
and set it on the counter. After several minutes, you’ll
notice steam forming on the outside of the bottle. After many
minutes pass, you will see a small puddle of water forming at
the base of the bottle, as the beads of moisture start dripping
down.
This is a classic example of condensation, not “leakage”.
If your basement is actually leaking, the water should not just
“appear”. You should be able to see where it’s
coming in as it leaks, in the form of a puddle or stream or water.
Helpful Tips
Your rain gutters should be cleaned of leaves and debris at least
once per year. Downspouts should direct water runoff from the
roof to a discharge point at least several feet away from the
homes foundation. Use a splash block at the end of your downspout
to avoid soil erosion. Never bury your downspout lines unless
you can empty them out to daylight.
Buy a good dehumidifier to lower the natural humidity level in
your basement. Make sure your dehumidifier is the proper size
for your basement. Ask for a drain hose attachment so you don’t
have to empty the water collected every day. Get a unit with a
built-in de-icer. Dehumidifiers are actually refrigeration coils
and can freeze up and stop working.
Keep the doors and windows to your basement closed, year round.
Opened doors and windows allow extra humidity to enter your basement,
causing condensation. Your dehumidifier will also run less.
Waterproofing Paints and Sealers There are several good waterproofing
paints and sealers on the market today. Waterproof paints and
sealers can work well for minor dampness on walls and floors.
Pay special attention to the preparation instructions from the
products manufacturer. Be aware though, interior waterproof paints
and sealers don’t do anything to alleviate the “source”
of the problem.
Time For a Professional? A professional basement waterproofing
contractor can offer you a variety of solutions, depending on
the source of your problem. Methods can include outside excavation,
installation of drain tile, parging your walls, interior drainage
systems or epoxy cove systems
Summary Prevention is always the first and best approach. Look
closely at the grading around your property and make sure your
rain gutters are in good working order. Get a good quality dehumidifier
to reduce humidity in your basement.
If you’ve done your best to correct your problem and it
still leaks, it might be best to bring in a professional. Check
companies for local references, ask for a certificate of insurance,
check the companies warranty to see what’s covered and check
them out with your local Better Business Bureau.
About the Author
Robert Clarke has owned B-Dry System NEPA, a basement waterproofing
company, for the last 20 years. Visit http://www.b-drybasementswaterproofingnepennsylvania.com
for more information. He has also served as President of the B-Dry
Owners Association, a nationally recognized group of basement
waterproofing contractors. Visit http://www.b-dry.com
for details.
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