.png){kind=icon}
Waterproofing the basement in your home is an important investment to make for various reasons. Water damage in your home can lead to mold, the potential damage to the belongings you store in your basement, as well as the cost of fixing the damage to the foundation of your home. Even after deciding that you should waterproof your basement, there are different ways to go about it, as there are different factors to consider. The three different ways of waterproofing your basement consist of using an interior seal, an interior water draining system, or an exterior water draining system.
An interior seal is a chemically prepared substance that makes the interior walls of the basement waterproof. It will be applied to either the masonry or concrete walls of the basement. This type of waterproofing is ideal if you live in an area with high humidity. This is because with persistent high levels of humidity, the concrete in the basement will begin to “sweat” and the consistent wetness will inevitably degrade the concrete. In addition, the constant moisture makes it easy for mold to grow on the walls.
If humidity is not an issue and you are mainly struggling with keeping water from entering the basement through the walls of the foundation then there are two solutions: it is to use either interior or exterior water draining systems. While interior water draining systems are less expensive, sometimes they become unacceptable over long periods of time. Since exterior drainage systems are more expensive, many people start with interior systems first but sometimes eventually switch over to exterior systems.
An interior drainage system will actually drain out the water that is underground from underneath the floors and from the foundation. This is done through either a trench that collects the water before it can seep into the basement or through a pipe that will then direct the water elsewhere. The water from the trench will be pulled up through a pump system. While this works well, the pump is usually powered through electricity so be sure to have a generator in case of emergencies such as a large storm or torrential rains, where the power may go out. Exterior waterproofing systems usually occur through the initial construction of a residence. If this is not the case, it may be best to get in touch with a contractor so see what can be done for your home. There are great basement waterproofing services in Orange County.
