You can avoid over 90% of water damage in a typical house. As the lowest point in your home, a basement is particularly vulnerable to water infiltration and floods.
Basements may be used for various purposes, including converting them into additional living quarters or serving as extra storage space. Regardless of what the basement is used for, water will undoubtedly find its way there.
Keeping your basement dry and free of leaks and flooding now can save you a lot of headaches in the future. Here are five things to know about basement waterproofing and how you can keep your house dry.
What You Need to Know About Basement Waterproofing
1. Identifying Leak Sources
In a completed basement, finding the source of a leak might be more difficult owing to the lack of visibility. Water puddles are an apparent warning, but other signs like damaged walls or mold and mildew may reveal leaks.
Windows and other plumbing and sewage concerns in your home may also cause leaks. Moisture or condensation is less of a problem than a leak since you can resolve it by ensuring enough ventilation and temperature.
2. Exploring Your Options
There are many ways to remediate a leak, depending on the cause. Filling cracks in a basement may be a temporary fix. This includes interim solutions like basement waterproofing sealant from a local hardware shop.
A drainage system or sump pump permanently permits surplus water to irrigate outside your basement appropriately. Having a way for water to exit aids in avoiding mold and allows for better circulation.
3. Average Costs
As with any home improvement job, you’ll want to account for the expenses while determining whether or not to waterproof a basement. Your basement’s square footage, leak source, and amount of damage all go into this calculation. This may cost anything from hundreds to thousands of pounds of meat in the grand scheme of things.
When protecting your house, basement waterproofing is a wise investment. Homeowner’s insurance may pay for this. In the long term, ignoring the repair of large water leaks in your basement may be pretty expensive.
4. Impact of Water Damage
Having a few little puddles in your basement is less concerning than having a huge pond due to floods. Despite this, you should not ignore any indications of water intrusion. There is a ripple effect even if your basement is seldom used.
Your health and safety might be in jeopardy if you allow mold to grow unchecked in your house. Basements that have not been adequately waterproofed run the risk of developing structural problems, such as rotted walls or floors.
5. Preventative Measures
Fortunately, proactive measures minimize leaks and avert irreversible damage when waterproofing a basement. Adding gutter extensions to your property is a good idea if you live in an area that has regular, intense rainstorms.
Basement Waterproofing Fundamentals
Waterproofing a basement is a multi-step process. To cure a moist basement, you’ll need more than a coat of basement wall paint or a clean-out of gutters. Instead, waterproofing is a series of related tasks that work together to create the driest possible environment in your basement.
Think of your home’s basement divided into three zones: the outermost, the center, and the innermost.
There is no direct connection between the house and its surroundings in the outermost ring. The poorly graded ground is one example of this problem. Stop the water before it reaches your home’s foundation.
The outer shell of your house forms the core of the middle ring. In this picture, you can see the outside of the home, including the foundation wall and the gutters and drainpipes. Check whether water-elimination systems are working and whether water-protection systems are keeping water from getting into your property.
Lastly, the basement’s inner ring or zone includes the inside side of the foundation wall and flooring and the sump pump.
Wet Basement Causes
- Poorly Graded Soil: If the ground adjacent to your home is flat or slopes back to the house, water may run alongside the foundation and seep into the house.
- Draining is missing or is being done incorrectly. Blocked gutters and downspouts may cause water to pour over the sides and adjacent to the foundation. Downspouts may be missing parts that direct water away from home.
- Window Wells with Poor Design: Window wells are the pockets in the ground that surround basement windows. Water may accumulate in wells.
- Window well covers that have been improperly installed are meant to keep trash and water out of basement windows. Water may access and penetrate basement windows if coverings are unfastened or missing.
- Drain tile is an underground drainage system that runs around the outside perimeter but is ineffective. Tile is a misnomer since it is a pipe, not a tile. This pipe has the potential to get clogged or crushed.
- Blocked French Drains: French drains are underground drains that may get clogged with dirt or roots.
- Sump Pump Not Draining: An inoperable or poorly working sump pump in the basement cannot drain, increasing water.
- Water in the Basement Through the Sump: Water may enter the basement through the sump pit during floods.
- Water may seep into the basement via structural cracks in the foundation wall.
Bottom Line
If you notice water in your basement, the first thing to do is remove any precious or significant belongings and keep an eye on things. The leak may be caused by rainstorms or defective pipes in your home.
There is no need to wait until your basement is completely submerged in water before deciding that you need basement waterproofing. An even small quantity of water might indicate that more investigation is warranted. Contact Sedona Waterproofing Solutions for a free estimate to learn more about how we can assist you in protecting your investment.
