The water in your basement can lead to severe damages of your entire home. If you have a poor basement waterproofing, it can cause extensive losses. Sometimes you want to store your wooden furniture, Christmas decoration or seasonal clothing in your basement but the risks of water damages are too big. So, your home ends up cluttered with stuff and you don’t have where to store it. Why deal with serious damages and filling out the flood damage insurance claim when you can protect your entire home with the right tips to waterproof your basement.
Waterproof your basement by digging around
If you want to protect your basement from water, you need to dig around the basement all the way down to the foundation. You need to apply the right products on your walls and the area below to have a successful waterproofed basement. Many problems and risks of water damages come from the crushed stone drains or perforated pipe, so you need to check it, dig under the basement and change all systems and materials to have a proper and safe drainage system.
Check for Cracks
When you are done with digging, clean the walls and check walls for cracks and areas where the water can come through. When you detect any these issues, apply hydraulic cement to the walls to stop the leakage. Hydraulic cement will fill in the cracks and will reduce the probability of leakage.
Apply Sealant
Apply a coat of sealant to all exterior walls. The sealant is the substance that will block the passage of water through walls and surface. It will close all the pores. So, if some of the cracks are not sealed with hydraulic cement, they will be closed in this process of applying the sealant.
Apply a Membrane
The next step is to install a waterproofing membrane. A coat of the layer you should spray on the foundation wall against so the water cannot enter from the outside. Try to find elastomeric membranes, because they are great for many waterproofing characteristics. They are flexible and can accommodate if the new cracks occur.
Install Drainage System
Install a drainage system. It will save your foundation and basement in the best possible way. It will ease the pressure of moisture on your walls and foundation.
What to Avoid Doing while waterproofing your basement
The following things you should avoid doing if you want correctly to waterproof your basement:
- Don’t use tar. It can crack after a while.
- Don’t use plastic, it can peel, and the water can come in.
Protect your interior and exterior walls too
The best way to prevent the water damage in your basement is to waterproof your interior walls and exterior walls, too. This will solve the problem, for sure. Waterproofing your exterior walls is more costly, but it is the best way to prevent the water damage in your basement.
How to Find Out What’s Causing the Moisture in your basement?
If you want to find out what is causing the moisture in your basement, we have a simple way to do it. Use an aluminum foil to tape the inside of your basement walls and leave it there for 24 hours. Then, if you see condensation on the foil, you can be sure you have humidity in your basement. Fix it with a humidifier system in the entire house. Make sure to take all the necessary steps if you want to ensure there is no humidity or water damage in your home. It is better to take all the precautions required than to fill the mold damage insurance claim later.
What to do in case of water damage in your basement?
If your house has suffered the water damages from your basement, you need to know what to do next. It is not the solution if you try to fix it on your own. We suggest you hire professionals who know how to deal with the damages and cracks in your walls. Also, you need a professional insurance claims adjuster who will help you fill out your insurance claim and to win the insurance negotiation.
