You may find the need to seek waterproofing services for your basement. There could be pressing and alarming problems that should not be neglected like presence of moisture, leaking, and flooding especially during the wet season. Here are several tips that could help you waterproof your basement more effectively.
The rain gutters must be regularly cleaned to get rid of withered leaves and other debris. You should do so at least once in a year. Downspouts must direct water runoff to a discharge point from the roof for at least just several feel away from the foundation of your home. You may opt to use a splash block and put it at the end of the downspout to prevent soil erosion. Do not bury downspout lines unless you could empty them out during daylight.
Purchase and install a reliable humidifier so you could lower your basement’s natural humidity level. Be sure the humidifier you buy is of proper size for your own basement. You may ask for a drain hose attachment to eliminate the need to empty the collected water on a daily basis. Choose a unit with a good built-in de-icer. Take note that a dehumidifier is a refrigeration coil that could freeze up and eventually stop working.
Always keep the windows and the doors to your basement properly closed, all year round. Opened windows and doors could allow entry of extra humidity into the basement, which would logically cause condensation. If you are able to do so, you may also rave because your dehumidifier would surely run less.
You may opt to use waterproofing sealers and paints. There are many ideal waterproofing sealers and paints that are available in the market today. Such materials could work well to resolve minor problems like dampness on floors and walls. Make sure you pay particular attention to preparation instructions from the manufacturers of such products. However, be reminded that interior waterproof sealers and paints could not alleviate the possible sources of your basement leaking problem.
There is a need to constantly and regularly check the basement walls for any presence of cracks or gaps, which could facilitate entry of unlikely moisture into the basement. It is always best to find such cracks while they are still small and less in number than to find them when the walls are almost on the brink of collapse. You may fill such gaps or cracks with waterproof compounds to prevent any unnecessary entry of moisture. There are many products that could serve the purpose at your local hardware shop.
Lastly, seek professional intervention when there is an imminent need. The basement waterproofing contractor could offer several solutions to any basement leakage problem you may have. Helpful methods could include installation of drain tile, outside excavation, installation of interior drainage systems, parging of walls, and application of epoxy cove systems.
Remember that prevention is still the best approach to any basement leaking problem. If you have done all your best but the problem could still not be corrected, have a professional handle your waterproofing requirement at once.
Picture this: molds and mildew cramp your basement walls and ceilings, discoloring everything and giving off that unmistakable musty stink. With only these signs, you can be certain that you do have major waterproofing problems.
Of course, there are many other signs that will tell you to waterproof your basement. Peeling paint is one obvious clue that there are moisture problems in the room.
Other signs
Do you have damp spots on the walls? Water had seeped through and had been absorbed by your walls. Expect molds and other growth to follow.
Are your appliances and some metal furniture rusting fast in your basement? Is there a strange white substance decorating your basement walls without your permission?
Did you notice the dry rot black fungus attacking the wooden surfaces of everything inside your basement? When did you last check those cracks in your concrete walls?
Importance of waterproofing
The biggest reason for waterproofing is that a wet cellar can drastically cut down the value of your home by as much as 30% of the total sale price. Recent studies have shown that prospective home buyers do not even care to take a second look at houses with water leakage problems.
Even if there are no obvious signs of dampness or water flooding, it is still a good policy to look into the problem (potential or simply unseen and unnoticed) and solve them right away.
The first impulse for home sellers is to remodel their houses. Well and good, but the first place to start in the remodeling process is the basement before doing anything anywhere else in the house.
If you have no flooding problems or dampness, it is still best to solve this future trouble completely before even thinking of any remodeling jobs done to your place. An independent home inspector can help you identify potential problems.
Some pointers
For a comfortable, dry basement it is critical to have proper insulation. This insulating safeguard not only keeps out the cold, it also prevents condensation.
All year round, the ground stays cool as well as the basement walls. When warmer air comes in contact with the cool walls, some moisture is captured and becomes condensed liquid.
This liquefied moisture then encourages the growth of mold and mildew inside your basement. Proper insulation separates the warm air of the room from the cool surfaces (walls and floor), thus preventing condensation and creating moisture problems.
New products
In the market today are very good commercial waterproofing concrete sealers. Some are formulated for new concrete and others are for water problems or for use in old concrete.
These products are simply sprayed onto the concrete with a garden-type pump sprayer. The new brands are non-toxic, non-hazardous, and non-flammable.
They do not have VOCs (we used to call them solvents) and are fast-drying, water-based sealers. They do not even have unpleasant smells, and cleaning is simply using tap water.
Last words
As in all cases, never scrimp on costs and suffer in the end with less-than-ideal results in your waterproofing job. If you intend to keep your house, your health is at stake. If you are selling, the price goes down considerably.
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