Basic Methods of Foundation Waterproofing

The home builder trying to cut corners may however skip this step to save himself time and money.

If your basement becomes flooded or even leaks after a rain storm, then chances are that foundation waterproofing was not done or that a perimeter drain was not installed around the foundation footings.

If you suspect this is the case then call in a professional foundation waterproofing expert to evaluate your home and basement to see what can be done. There are numerous solutions for waterproofing a foundation and ensuring your basement stays dry. Basement waterproofing solutions however can range from pricey to very expensive, depending upon the severity of the situation. In some cases foundation waterproofing may only involve sealing a few cracks in the foundation walls or floor with an epoxy crack sealer.

However if the basement water problems are more severe, a foundation waterproofing sealer may need to be applied to all of the interior basement walls and floor and/or a sump pump installed.

For severe basement water problems, the soil around the foundation walls may need to be temporarily removed and the exterior foundations walls sealed, and a perimeter drain installed. If a perimeter drain system is required, they can also be installed in the interior of the basement foundation walls, however a pump-up ejector tank is also required. Interior perimeter drain systems require jack hammering up much of the concrete basement floor and installing a network of drainage pipes that funnel ground water underneath the home into the pump-up ejector storage tank where the water is then ejected from the home.

Besides foundation waterproofing to eliminate basement water leaks, it’s also important that gutters be installed and maintained properly around the home. In addition, soil around the foundation of the home should be graded and sloped so that roof run-off water drains away from the home.