Basement Waterproofing – The Best Kept Secrets
The inside and outside of the wall are dealt with mostly when waterproofing basement walls. During construction is the best time to make sure your basement is waterproof as a waterproof membrane can be applied to the outside of the foundation. Leaks and seepage through your basement walls could result from poor original work, the home settling, or hydrostatic pressure from changes in the water table around your home. Some effort is required to do waterproofing basement. Before anything, you may wish to ask “is basement waterproofing worth the investment?” or “is there return on basement waterproofing?”
Hairline cracks, holes, or other porous areas in the walls need to be checked out. With just a waterproof mix, smaller holes and cracks will be fine but larger holes will need to be filled with mortar and then waterproofed. To allow the mortar to properly take hold from the inside, a dovetail should be chiseled out when filling in larger holes. Mortar is usually one part cement to two parts sand with enough water to make a stiff mix. So that you are aware, it is also a good idea to know your basement waterproofing products depending on your country. Take into consideration complaints about everdry basement waterproofing products, if any. Do your research.
There should be air holes or pockets and an ordinary trowel when applying mortar. Get rid of loose particles with a stiff wire brush before applying the mortar as this will help it adhere, and, if the wall is leaking considerably you may need to put in a drainage pipe to a sub pump to help drain the water. The nature of the water flow may mean this is just temporary or it could be a permanent measure. Repair any leaking floor joints in much the same way as the larger holes in the wall.
Start by chiselling out a dovetail joint to help it adhere and make sure to incline the patch slanting it from the floor to the wall to provide strength and drainage. Once the wall has been repaired it is time to apply the waterproof mixture. The wall should be sanded to remove any paint before applying the waterproof mixture and the wall misted as the mixture does not adhere to a dry wall, but will not set on a wet wall either. Epoxy and latex waterproofing mixtures usually require the addition of some water, so be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully but you may also use your own mix of plain cement and water mixed to a slurry about the consistency of cream. Begin applying the mixture with a stiff brush at the bottom of the wall moving up in a right to left direction.
Every crook and crevice should be filled in. Feather the edges until the entire area is covered and leave it to dry overnight or until the mixture is not flaky. The next morning, wet the wall down thoroughly again and apply a second coat of the waterproofing mixture in the same manner as the first. One coat will not do the job and may result in you having to start over again so always use two coats. Waterproofing basement walls is not as difficult as it might first appear if you use this information as a method for do to yourself basement waterproofing systems. Ultimately, the dry basement you have been wanting for quite some time will be ready.
