In many cases, fundamental waterproofing principles are disregarded. One of the more common ones is about how to dry out a basement after
flooding. There should be no one-size-fits all when it comes to your home and
basement waterproofing job. Keep in mind, too that ventilation and an
air purifier system and a dehumidifier could be part of the solution a
basement waterproofing professional recommends. Removing excess moisture
and humidity from the basement are crucial to keeping the area mold and
odor free.
Keep your basement dry with strategies that relieve water pressure rather than fighting it.
There are many different opinions on the best way to waterproof a basement.
Some “experts” insist that the only way to keep water from coming into
the basement is to install a waterproof membrane against the exterior of
the foundation. Others are convinced that water leakage into the
basement can be stopped by using expensive waterproofing paint to coat
the interior surface of foundation walls.
At Basement Systems, we’ve been waterproofing basements for over 25
years. Our network of over 300 basement waterproofing contractors
(spread throughout the U.S. Canada and the United Kingdom) continuously
develops, tests and refines techniques and products designed to solve
tough waterproofing problems. We’ve learned what works and what doesn’t
What we know for sure is that single solutions like waterproof paints
or membranes never work perfectly. Instead of hoping to defeat water
pressure, it’s much smarter to control it and even utilize it. The
3-step strategy explained below will work more effectively than any
“single” solution for waterproofing a basement.
Three steps to a dry basement
Control water outside the house. Overflowing gutters and
downspouts that dump roof runoff close to the foundation can increase
hydrostatic pressure against your foundation walls. This not only
increases the likelihood of leaks; it also increases the volume of water
that will leak into your basement. To avoid this situation, make sure
your gutters stay clear and operational. Use downspout extensions where
necessary to deposit water away from foundation walls. If your house is
built into a hillside, consider installing swales or French drains to
move water around the uphill side of the house. The exterior of your
foundation should be coated with a damp-proofing treatment (typically a
dark, asphalt-based coating). This treatment doesn’t stop leaks, but it
does limit the amount of soil moisture that seeps through your
foundation walls.
Install a perimeter drain and sump pump system inside the basement. Like
the water that presses against the hull of a boat, the water outside
your foundation “wants” to leak inside because it’s under pressure.
Instead trying to defeat water pressure, we harness its force, using a
patented drain and sump pump system. We install our patented WaterGuard®
drainage system around the basement perimeter, and connect this drain
line to a sump pit. Water that leaks through the walls as well as water
that pushes up at the floor/wall joint (a common leakage area) never
reaches the basement floor because it’s captured by the WaterGuard
drain. The drain line brings the water to a sump pit, where a sump pump
comes on automatically to discharge the water to the exterior.
Install a dehumidifier to dry and filter basement air.
The final step may not be necessary if you don’t want your “new” dry
basement to be just as clean and comfortable as your upstairs living
space. But a SaniDry® dehumidifier will make it that way. This ENERGY
STAR® appliance will easily outperform standard dehumidifiers found at
appliance stores and home centers. The SaniDry dehumidifier includes a
super-fine air filter to clean basement air as it dehumidifies.
The AAA waterproofing experts are normally pretty good at explaining how a pro basement waterproofing principles can give you a dry basement and keep it odor free.
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