Thinking About Waterproofing Your Basement? Try These 5 Tips as Well
Posted on: 15 May 2017
If you have been struggling with basement flooding, you may want to waterproof your basement. There is a variety of products that you can paint or spray on basement walls or floors, as well as membranes that you can smooth onto these surfaces.
However, if you really want your basement to stay dry, you may also need to augment the waterproofing with a few other water reduction techniques.
1. Reassess Your Stormwater Drainage
In most cases, when water floods into your basement, it's because you have excess stormwater in the area. To keep that away from your basement, assess your drainage techniques and adjust where necessary.
In particular, make sure that your guttering carries the water away from the home and doesn't just let it pool around your home. Also, consider contouring the land on your lot so that water runs away from your home, and finally, add french drains to direct water away from your newly waterproofed basement.
2. Maintain the Foundation
In addition to just adding waterproofing to the interior walls of your basement, look at your foundation. Cracks could be letting in water, and they should be patched and repaired. You may also want to waterproof the outside of the foundation.
3. Add a Sump Pump
If water continues to get into your basement after you've taken all of the above steps, you may want to add a sump pump. This is especially helpful in areas where your basement is lower than the water table. A sump pump turns on automatically when the water reaches a certain level, and it pumps out the water.
4. Seal Windows
Water may also seep in through basement windows. To stem the flow, make sure that your windows are well sealed. Caulk can help you seal holes around the windows. Alternatively, if you don't ever open those windows, you may want to add a sheet of plastic over them like people do to keep out cold drafts.
5. Focus on Evaporation
Overtime tiny bits of moisture can combine together to form unwanted excess moisture. However, if you keep on top of that moisture, you can prevent it from building up. To do that, boost the evaporation levels in your basement. A dehumidifier works perfectly.
Additionally, you can increase ventilation by cleaning the ducts of your HVAC system or opening your windows more often. The extra air flow should help to sweep away some of the water.
For more tips, contact a waterproofing expert today.
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