Signs You Need Basement Waterproofing
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Cracked Foundation
Cracks can form in foundations new and old, and commonly appear on your basement walls or floor. These cracks can vary in size depending on the amount of water pressure around the exterior of the foundation. It is common to see staining, moisture or dampness on the floor or walls after a heavy or saturating rainfall.
Mold/Mildew Build-Up
You may have noticed some discolored, textured, musty build-up on your walls and floor. This mold and mildew build-up can appear in many different areas, and thrive in a moist, damp environment. Mold and mildew can cause serious health conditions such as as allergies, headaches, sinus problems, and asthma.
(Click here for more information from the EPA website)
Dry Rot
Dry affects the walls, baseboards, joists, floor or the bottom of a wood staircase and occurs when moisture comes in contact with wood for any length of time. This is due to excess moisture entering the foundation through your walls and floor. Dry rot fungus is also a major health concern.
Water Seepage
If you are noticing any kind of basement water seepage, your foundation has already entered into an advanced stage of disrepair. Serious structural problems such as bowing and buckling of the foundation walls and floor are more likely to occur. You may also begin to notice mold, mildew, musty orders, bugs and insects or even mud after a rainfall.
Rust
Rust is also a common symptom of excess moisture in the basement. Rust may occur from water seeping into the foundation, but can also occur simply from excess moisture or dampness present in the air due to insufficient moisture control.
Basement Waterproofing Solutions
Option 1 – Total Excavation
In this method, we dig around the exterior of the home’s foundation all the way down to the footing. After the walls are completely exposed, the original footer tiles are inspected and replaced as needed. The wall is then sealed with waterproofing mastic (tar) and industrial plastic sheeting. Gravel is then poured over the newly installed drain tile for water filtration purposes, and the dirt is back-filled.
- Protects outside walls from cracking and seepage.
- Enhances outside drainage system.
- Addresses 1 of 4 ways moisture affects your foundation.
- Most labor intensive
- May compromise exterior landscaping.
- Warranty limited to foundation walls where system was installed.
- Does not address overall relative humidity which causes mold growth.
Option 2 – Interior Systems
An interior pressure relief system may also be used to prevent moisture entering the foundation. When contractors talk about basement waterproofing, this is usually one of the solutions they utilize. Typically, this involves opening the floor around the interior perimeter of the basement, digging a trench, and placing perforated drainage pipe and gravel around the footer. The contractor also installs ‘weep-holes’—small, 1/2″ to 3/4″ holes in each cinder block cavity. This relieves any water pressure that may have been trapped inside hollow cinder block walls. The holes are covered with a plastic molding or styrene panel before the floor is re-poured.
- Effective at removing hydrostatic pressure at base of foundation.
- Least expensive waterproofing option.
- Does not disturb landscaping around outside of house.
- Addresses 2 of the 4 ways moisture gets in the foundation.
- Less effective on it’s own, does not account for exterior surface water.
- Does not address cracking or seepage in the foundation walls.
- Warranty limited to areas in the floor where interior drain tile was installed.
- Does not address overall relative humidity of the air.
Option 3 – Multi-Step Systems
Our patented Multi-Step Basement Waterproofing System represents the combined benefits of all available basement waterproofing methods. The Multi-Step system addresses both floor seepage as well as wall seepage, while effectively helping draw water away from your home’s foundation. And with the addition of the E-Z Breathe Ventilation System, relative humidity of the air in your home can also be managed to prevent dangerous mold growth.
- Best option for creating a useable space and protecting your investment.
- Effective at removing hydrostatic pressure under and around foundation.
- Protects foundation walls from further cracking and seepage.
- Warranty covers walls and floor.
- Addresses 4 of the 4 ways moisture affects your foundation.
Common Problems and Wet Basement Solutions
A good portion of our wet basement solutions involve sealing foundation wall cracks in poured concrete foundations (poured concrete is the most common type of foundation in the Chicago metro area). Cracks are readily visible in an unfinished basement; leaking cracks leave water stains on the foundation wall. In a finished basement, the diagnosis starts by identifying the area where water first enters the basement, then searching the exterior for a crack. Most cracks extend to the top of the foundation wall, which is normally exposed above the soil line. Cracks can be sealed from the interior using our Epoxy / Urethane injection process or from the exterior using our Wall-Clay process. Both methods are very reliable in preventing further seepage through the crack and into the basement.
Another common basement waterproofing problem is when the source of seepage is at the cove joint, where the floor and wall meet. Often this is caused by hydrostatic pressure, which occurs when the water table rises after prolonged rain or snow melt. The accumulated weight of water in the ground (8 pounds per gallon) forces water underneath the footing and up into the basement. The best solution to this type of problem is the installation of a Drain Tile System, with a sump pump used to discharge the water. The drain tile (called a French drain in some parts of the country) relieves the hydrostatic pressure by providing an easy path for the water to escape, thus eliminating the water pressure so that the seepage problem goes away. The problem can be addressed from either the interior or exterior.
Basement Waterproofing & Grading Problems
Sometimes the diagnosis will show water coming over the top of the foundation, through the mortar joint between the brick that sits atop the foundation wall. This situation occurs because the exterior grade is built up above the top of the foundation wall, either by earth or by the previous construction of driveways, walks or patios. This can easily be confirmed by running a garden hose on the ground alongside the area in question. Water will usually enter the basement quickly, so we recommend that you stand-by ready to turn off the water at a moments notice.
Often, lowering the grade is not a viable option in these cases. We usually recommend that an Exterior Subsoil Membrane be applied to the below grade portion of the wall in situations like this. It only needs to cover the wall from the soil line down and overlap the foundation by about 6 inches. Foundation waterproofing membranes are also very effective for waterproofing brick and stone foundations.
Waterproofing Your Basement – Start with a Free Consultation
There are many other ways water can enter a basement, as well. The key to waterproofing your wet basement starts with properly diagnosing the source of the problem.
Everdry Waterproofing offers a free consultation and estimate by a trained and experienced Basement Advisor as the first step in foundation waterproofing.
