How Does One Find Out How to Waterproof a Basement?
What are basement waterproofing systems and how do they work?
To answer that question, let’s first look at historically conventional basement waterproofing and how it is supposed to work.
If you can see a home being built the contractor first surveys the lot using the blueprints for the home to be built; then he sights out the lot to find out the best place to start digging and grading the property, then he lays the footer or foundation and begins building the basement walls, lastly the balance of the home follows.
That big hole in the ground, the first on the list above is important to note.
When basement walls are constructed there is an area outside the walls that must be filled. Loose backfill is what is used to fill this void. No matter how well the backfill is compacted, it is still backfill and water seeks the places of little resistance.
Water will continuously seep into this area. Sometimes, creating a problem is the drainpipe that gets full of silt contained in many systems when waterproofing a basement. It’s natural enough, the water is bringing all sorts of suspension with it. When these pipes get filled the system overloads and a lot of water pressure gets applied to the outside walls of the basement. Water will work its way through even the smallest gaps, even though basement walls are waterproofed in some way.
This kind of situation is persistent because the tubes that should drain the excess water eventually deteriorate.
A huge problem is that often there isn’t access to these pipes. In an attempt to keep excess moisture out basement waterproofing also can be put onto the outer walls of the basement. This is often referred to as a tanked system.
If you want to find out if you have water inside the concrete block of your walls simply tap a hole into the concrete block, near the floor, and see if you have water coming out of this block then you may want to consider a drained cavity waterproofing system this system drains the water from your walls, much the same way you just did, by adding drain holes in the bottom blocks that allows those areas to drain into a type of interior french drain system. To move water away from your property; it first must be collected and sent through drainage channels to a sump pump or a natural drainage field.
Waterproofing a basement is a better system when they are installed internally and have easy access ports for removing the silt etc. It takes minimal disturbance to the original basement where traditional tanking or other methods have failed.
So to summarise, a good basement waterproofing system will:
- usually be a permanent or long-term solution
- stop both ways by which water can enter through the walls and up from the floor
- not disturb landscaping, decks, patios, driveways, etc
- usually be an approved waterproofing method for home loans
- often be substantially cheaper than other waterproofing methods
You want to be sure to choose a reliable waterproofer for your home, keep in mind that it will greatly increase the value by far more than what you initally paid.
In conclusion, you want a basement waterproofing system that will deliver:
- a permanent or long term fix
- stop water through the floor and walls
- not disturb the exterior appearance of your home
- an approved method by home loan lenders
- more affordable than other methods
While you are getting the house made you need to realize that waterproofing is more of an investment in the value of your house rather then an expense.