The Lowdown on Waterproofing Basement Walls

Waterproofing basement walls should be a standard thing to do when finishing a basement. Basement walls are the entry point of most moisture creating a high level of moisture in them. Cracks, leaking windows and pipe condensation are probably the most common reasons basements have water build-up problems. You will run into all kinds of issues if you allow too much water retention or allow it to stay for too long.

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

You do not have to stick to one particular method when it comes to waterproofing the walls of your basement. Among the available methods are French Drains, which involve the insertion of drainage systems underneath the basment floor to collect water leakage.

An excavation was made inside the drenched basement floor. A perforated plastic drain tile pipe is installed and surrounded by gravel. Some wet basement waterproofing and repair contractors re-cement the floor over the French drain system leaving a 1 inch to 2 inch gap in the floor along the walls to allow the web wall seepage to drain below the floor into the French drain system. A French drain usually connects to a sump pump.

Hollow Baseboard Molding and Cove Systems

System for installing a hollow baseboard channel use a waterprof-of epoxy for the bonding to the floor and joint. This empty molding will gather wet wall seepage as well as fluid which rises at the cove region. 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. Sump pumps have many uses such as floor drainage and to drain underground drain pipes.

Wall Sealers

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

In reality a good drainage system cannot guarantee dry basement walls. 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.

What is Damp Proofing?

Proofing products that are moist are usually made of tar 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.

What is Waterproofing?

Products used for waterproofing underground areas, such as a basement, are only designed to prevent water from penetrating the walls especially after heavy rains or spring thaws; but, if you have underground water from a source such as a spring you may need to install a sump pump to prevent water from entering your basement from under the floor.  Advanced Waterproofing Technologies provides supieor waterproofing protection as the products contain rubber and it allows flexibility when it dries.  The concrete or block has a waterproof coating that stretches to make the foundation completely waterproof.

How to Apply:

Clearly waterproofing is a better option and since there is not a huge price difference between that and damp proofing, it seems a more sensible long term  choice, especially when it often has a 25 to 30-year guarantee.

In the earlier days builders often did not consider waterproofing the basement walls as important. So now you can fix that with a product anyone can use. Even if you are not a professional you will find that our products are easily applied and not harmful.   These are available in 5 gallon pails or 55 gallon drums, as an example, and are ready for use without heat or any specialized equipment - if you can use a brush or a roller, you can use these.  You can also utilize a commercially available airless sprayer that can be rented on a daily basis.  An average size basement of approximately 1,000 square feet can easily be waterproofed by a couple of people using a roller in 2-3 hours. So get started and begin to enjoy your basement space without the dampness.