If you’re someone who is trying to figure out how to cure their wet and musty basement, you’re probably distracted by the advertisements that claim waterproof basement walls. Is it really possible to have a waterproof basement simply by making the walls waterproof? The answer is yes! By choosing the right option, you can balance the moisture coming from outside with the high humidity condensing the walls on the inside.
Most homes have the treasure of useful space sitting just underneath them, but episodes of basements getting flooded or basement walls leaking make this area a dumping ground for our junks. Before starting any basement remodeling project, making the walls waterproof should be your first step.
Here are the steps that you can follow to make your basement walls waterproof:
1. Calculate the perimeter of your house
The outside ground touching your foundation slopes away and gets filled with dirt and other outside debris. This causes the ground to sink in and slope towards your house, but the additional space can be filled by adding dirt to the foundation. At least 2” per foot slope should be created the foundation and the top dirt should be six inches below the sill plate, to avoid any ground contact.
2. Surrounding Foundation Should be Clean
Make sure your gutters are clean and the area surrounding the foundation does not have any water discharging away from the foundation. The downspouts should discharge their water at least 5 feet away from your foundation.
3. Clean the Foundation Outside Area from Shrubs
The rotted roots can create a path for water to flow down into the foundation. The plantings should be kept at least 12” away from the foundation boundaries. They should be planted on a slight slope to redirect the water away from the foundation and into the ground.
4. Waterproof Coating
When all the outside situations are dealt with, you can go on and proceed to create a waterproof inner coating with premium products like Drylok or Xypex. Drylok is not exactly a waterproofer or water sealer, but it expands when dried up and becomes a part of the wall. Xypex, on the other hand, is more like applying a waterproof concrete on the surface, which bonds with the walls completely.
Xypex is directly affected by the presence of moisture, which forms a waterproof crystalline structure. Xypex will seal any small areas of water leakage, but it is 4 times more expensive than Drylok. The groundwater that flows under your basement can create a significant pressure due to the groundwater weight. Considering all the factors, you can pick the right waterproofing material for your basement walls.
5. Repairing Defects
Whether there are cracks in your basement walls or a potential water source going through the wall, repairing them all should be your second major step. Most of the cracks will get repaired by applying Drylok or other waterproofing material, and the rest can be fixed using Fast Plug. This is very effective in sealing cracks and other holes that can give water its way into the basement. If there are too many cracks in your wall, you can also go for an injection of construction-grade epoxy that seals all the cracks from inside to outside, and bottom to top. Generally, this option is more feasible if you hire an experienced crack repair technician.
6. Install a Sump
This might essentially be a hole in your basement floor that contains a pump. In situations where the water level rises too high, the pump gets started and draws out the sump and discharges it outside the house. The discharging equipment are installed 10 feet away from the foundation.
7. Give French Drain a Chance
You can also go for French drain that consists the continuous system of piping, which generally runs underneath the basement. While installing a French drain that is similar to the sump, you will be required to cut a 12” wide strip of the basement along the entire perimeter. Dig a 12” trench and cover it all up with concrete. French drain will include a sump and an additional pump that removes the water and sends it to the drain system.
8. Hydroclay Injection Around Foundation
Hydroclay waterproofing is very effective to avoid the entering of water from outside into the basement. This material is known to absorb large amounts of water and fills in the void, which is responsible for water sweeping inside the basement. This is the same product that many uses to waterproof manholes, dumps, and backyard pools.
Follow these steps and consult an expert waterproofing technicians to create a full-proof water-resistant basement and make use of your extra space to create something new and exciting.