Ask Me Anything: 10 Answers to Your Questions About Philadelphia Basement Waterp

Posted by Aquilino on January 7th, 2021

One of the most important things to remember when waterproofing a basement is to have the land graded properly so that water can channel away from the house. For approximately ten feet from the house the land should be graded so that the ground level reduces by one inch per foot. This should be sufficient in most cases to invite water to drain away from the home.

When it comes to basement waterproofing materials, you need to decide what type of waterproofing system you're going to use. French drains, also known as land drains, can be used to drive water away from the home. French drains include a system made of gravel, ditches, and pipe that invite groundwater into the pipe and away from the basement or foundation of the home. Dirt and routes can clog this type of drainage system.

Drainage systems, including having a main floor drain in the basement, are effective in routing water out of the basement. These systems should be put in place when the basement is first built. Piping can be placed along the basement walls and under the basement flooring before the concrete floor is poured. This type of system can use a sump pump to continually remove water from the basement. Water is then routed away from the home to an area that is no longer going to cause a problem.

Sump pumps can be ran on electricity and some have a battery back up in case of power failure. Routine maintenance should be done on sump pumps annually, more often if you live in an area that is prone to water problems. Maintaining the drainage system pipes to prevent clogging is also important. Gutters and downspouts should also be checked to make sure there are free of debris.

Other basement waterproofing materials include on sealants. Painted on sealants is one way of waterproofing a basement. This shouldn't be your only method of waterproofing. Sealing the concrete so that water doesn't push through works best in areas that don't get as much moisture. The sealant is painted on to the interior of the basement. This means that water can get all the way up to that point but not seep the rest of the way into your basement. Having your concrete have to deal with that much hydrostatic pressure continuously without any other system in place to assist with waterproofing is asking for a problem.

Special channels can be installed along the interior walls of the basement. Along the base of the wall, close to the floor, a series of small holes invites the water into the channel. Inside these channels small piping carries the water away by using a sump pump type system. This type of channeling water out of the basement can be hidden behind walls in finished basements.

"It used to be so damp and dark here," says a wife whose 50-square-meter basement used to be barren due to the frequent flooding caused by the seepage of outside water into the basement.

Fortunately, experts recommended basement waterproofing as the most effective method of channeling water from the outside, thereby, preventing the leaks in the basement walls, and flooring.

Since the inception of waterproofing, basement waterproofing has long been one of the most important concepts, especially now that most families would like to maximize the function of their basement.

From the typical stockroom, basements are now made more productive and appealing through the help of basement waterproofing.

Maximizing the Space

Basement waterproofing is normally applied to basements whose structural condition is prone to water seepage. Considering the fact that the basement is situated at the lowest portion of the house and with its below the ground level, water leaking into the walls and flooring of the basement is not a surprising occurrence.

However, this natural dilemma should not be mainly blamed to its basic structural condition. The type of drainage used can also be one cause of water seepage in the basement.

Nevertheless, with basement waterproofing, your basement will definitely be dry all throughout the year.

With that in mind, you can now easily maximize your space by transforming your basement into a more useful portion of the house, such as making it your child's playroom or study room.

No matter what you decide in transforming your basement, it is imperative that you have properly applied a good basement waterproofing to avoid rainy day catastrophes.

One of the main reasons why water retain and seeps into the basement is that the kind of waterproofing facility used was not right.

Cracks on the walls and floors are normal. This is often caused by the pressure from the outside environment. If not treated well, water can seep through and stay on the basement for such a long time.

Hence, to avoid such problem, it is best to apply basement waterproofing. The success of this method will mainly depend on the kind of product that will be used in the process.

With a stiff competition in the market, choosing the best basement waterproofing products can be very tricky. You can be lured into believing that a particular product can render the best results for your basement.

Next, there are so many types of basement waterproofing that choosing the best procedure can also be a problem. So in order to identify the most appropriate basement waterproofing method for your area, it is imperative that you research on the ideas first and evaluate which method will work best for you.

To expedite the process, try to assess your basement first. How big are the cracks? Can they still be repaired? Is the outside water still stagnant? The idea is to repair the walls and flooring first before you apply basement waterproofing.

If there are no obvious cracks present, you can directly apply basement waterproofing into the walls and its flooring.

It is also important to check on Philadelphia Basement Waterproofing the kind of drainage used outside the house. Even if you have applied the most effective basement waterproofing, wrong drainage system can still aggravate the problem.

Your drainage system includes "downspouts" that build up excessive water. If you have used the wrong type of drainage system, excessive amount of water will hold on to the ground, thereby, finding its way back to your basement.

To get you started, here is a list of some factors that you need to consider before you start on a particular type of basement waterproofing.

1. The physical condition of your house

An old house is more prone to cracks and basement problems than a newly built home. So if you know that your house might be prone to cracks due to old age, try to solve the problems first before you apply basement waterproofing.

Applying basement waterproofing will be useless if you have not solved the primary problems first.

Moreover, physical condition outside the house can also affect the problem. Hence, it is best to analyze the overall condition of the house first before applying basement waterproofing.

2. Climate or weather condition

If you live in a place that has lots of rainy days all year round, applying basement waterproofing is extremely important.

Certainly, basement waterproofing is the ideal way to stop all the water problems in your home.