Keeping Your Basement Waterproof: What to Do and What Not to Do

It is common for basements to become flooded since they are built below ground level. As the rainy season progresses, you may discover puddles of water on the basement walls, or worse, full-blown flooding. Things like mold and mildew may thrive in a damp basement, as well as decaying timber and damaged goods.

Builders ensure that the basement is watertight when a house is built, but the walls might settle with time, causing fissures. The following are factors to bear in mind while dealing with basement waterproofing issues:

Identify the Water Source

Due to the porous nature of the concrete, wet streaks frequently indicate the water entry point. For cement block walls, look for streaks along cracks, around window corners, between mortar joints, and around pipes, such as water supply and sewer lines.

However, if the entire wall surface is moist, you’ll need to do more investigation. Any moisture on the wall indicates that outside water is penetrating the structure. Even if the basement is completely dry, there’s a good chance the moisture is coming from a downstairs shower, which may be readily fixed by putting a vent fan in the bathroom.

Don’t Do Basement Wall Repairs When There is Standing Water

A fissure in a basement wall can enable an inch or two of water to enter during a wet season, but before attempting to fix the breach, drain all the water from the floor.

Turn off the basement’s electricity and drain the water using a utility pump and an extension wire that runs to an upstairs outlet. Once the basement is dry, you may go on to the next step: checking, mending, and properly waterproofing the walls.

Use Hydraulic Cement to Fill Up Fractures

It is important to note that the footing, a large flat base constructed of concrete and reinforced steel, meant to hold the walls, is poured first before the walls are poured on top of it.

However, it’s common to use a cold junction between the wall and the footing, a weak place in a foundation where cracks can form due to the movement and settlement of the foundation and the lateral pressure exerted by soil. Hydraulic cement expands as it hardens to provide a basement waterproofing seal in fractures and fissures. However, you should only mix as much as you can use in the next three minutes due to the speed at which it sets.

Check for Leaks in The Window Wells

Installation wall leaks are frequently caused by window wells, which collect water if a drainage system isn’t in place beneath them when the house was built. This can result in water accumulating at the base of a basement window and eventually leaking through.

After installing a window well drainage system, consider excavating two feet lower in the well area and filling the space with gravel to assist rainfall distribution rather than accumulate in the window well.

Waterproof The Inside Basement Walls Using a Masonry Sealant

A high-quality waterproof paint can be used to cover the interior of your basement walls if your foil test shows that water is soaking through the walls and leaving them wet. When applying this sealant, it’s as easy as painting on a layer of paint.

Once the first layer of paint has dried, apply a second coat to ensure that all the small gaps in the surface are filled. As soon as the sealant has dried fully, it produces a waterproof bond that prevents any more moisture from penetrating.

Bottom Line

Going through the basement waterproofing process will be much simpler when you use the advice provided above. This guide will help you prepare for and assure a successful basement waterproofing project if your house displays indicators of the need for it.

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