Basement Waterproofing

One of the best ways to solve a problem is to take care of it before it even happens. That’s why many homeowners waterproof their basement, even if they have never had a moisture or water leak issue.

Waterproofing a basement prevents water from entering a basement. This prevents the chance of severe water damage. Most basements are made of solid poured concrete, cinder blocks, or stone; and all of these can leak.

Why Do Basements Leak?

Basements leak because water enters through some sort of entry point. Some of the most common entry points are:

• Construction joints
• Failed weeping tile
• Foundation cracks
• Leaking mortar joints
• Leaking penetrations (such as around pipes for electrical, gas, or plumbing)
• Sill plates
• Tie ride holes
• Window wells

Also, if the weeping tile drainage system of your property isn’t working properly, water can come up from under the floor, and it can also come up around the edges of the walls. A malfunctioning sump pump can also cause water to come up through floor cracks.

How Basement Waterproofing Works

The good news is that it is possible to solve issues for homeowners with leaky foundations, and fix a wet basement from either the outside or from the inside. Repair are done from the inside whenever possibe, to avoid the more costly need to dig outside.

Waterproofing a basement from the outside of your home, requires the earth around the bottom of the foundation wall to be excavated. Then, with the weeping tile exposed, it can be inspected and, if necessary, replaced. The walls are pressure-washed, and all holes and cracks are repaired. New gravel is placed over the new weeping tile. Then, two waterproof membranes; one rubber, and one air gap are installed over the entire subterranean portion of the foundation. The excavation is backfilled and compacted.

Waterproofing a basement from the interior is done by creating a trench through the floor, at the floor wall joint, along the edge of the leaking wall, or walls. A subfloor drainage system, or French drain is installed in the trench and covered with clear drainage gravel. An interior waterproof membrane is installed to cover the foundation walls, and this membrane connects to the drainage system under the floor. New concrete is poured to repair the floor, and the new system is often connected to a sump pump. This is a permanent waterproofing solution, and once completed, finishing your basement can proceed.

Smaller repairs, such as foundation cracks, usually only require the injection of high-pressure urethane resin from either the inside or from the outside.

Meet specialists of our company for the best basement waterproofing solutions in Barrie!