Waterproofing your basement can be done by yourself.
Posted in Uncategorized on 02/08/2010 02:51 pm by FriendsOfCA large percentage of homeowners who have basements also experience water leaks, so it’s no surprise that there is a huge demand for do it yourself basement waterproofing information and products.
The first thing that we have to see is the cause of basement water seepage and flooding. Extra moisture in the lower level of your house can make space unusable as well as create structural problems and destroy your belongings.
Basements are the part of a home or building that is wholly or partially below ground level. Once the walls and floor of the basement are built, the remainder of the hole is filled in with effectively, loose soil, even if it’s compacted afterwards. The loose soil around the basement provides the least resistance to water and it will use this path to seep into that area. So eventually, even though it may take a few years, you will get a build-up of water around and even under, your basement.
This creates hydrostatic pressure on the basement walls and floor. This often attacks the outside membrane or protective coating, and/or water finds its way through tiny cracks or larger structural cracks. No system is foolproof, because even those that remove water from the building, can’t always prevent silt and heavy rainfalls from blocking pipes and causing system overload.
It’s at this point that many people turn to do it yourself basement waterproofing rather than have the basement completely excavated and re-done, usually at great expense. Frequently used method is to handle the interior rather than the exterior, by utilizing materials like sealants on the inner walls and ground.
A typical project might involve:
- typical projects involve removing loose material to prepare walls
- remove any previous repair material or foreign material.
- make sure the basement is as dry as possible, hire heaters or large fans if necessary.
- use a primer coat on the floors and walls if the product requires this to be done.
- repair all easily seen gaps, flaws, seams, or joints.
- the requirement at the floor/wall junction is 1″ bead of sealant.
- using 2 or 3 coats to top-coat all surfaces
That’s about it. Provided that you are careful about choosing a superior product for this job, on completion your basement will be completely sealed and the waterproofing can be expected to last for several years. Top sealants such as PermaFlex are supposed to be a complete, permanent indoor basement waterproofing system. It’s quoted as being “the only indoor waterproofing system that completely seals any basement permanently, no matter how wet or deteriorated” and can be brushed, rolled or even sprayed on.
A full solution would cost homeowners a fraction of the cost and is perfect for do-it-yourself basement waterproofing. It’s also a wonderful solution for those with budget concerns with common and often expensive problems.