Basement Floor Waterproofing Methods
Friday, November 28th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Many basement flooding and seeping problems could have been avoided by waterproofing the basement floor when constructed. A basement can be so much more than just a convenient place for storing junk! Now, people realize the potential of this space for something much more such as extra living space, family rooms and bedrooms.
Water situation was not encountered in the beginning by homeowners, but it later appeared because sub-floor and sub-surface drains clogged with mud.
The soil will become too saturated if water from the roof is not directed away from the foundation. As the home stabilizes, wall fissures appeared, exterior paintings decayed and the drains filled with sand or silt. Leakage in the basement can be caused by all of these problems. Natural pressure from the soil against the foundation will cause flowing ground water to enter through any cracks or crevices in your foundation. A high water level can create a great amount of pressure. In turn this water, under increased pressure, seeks entry through cracks and crevices in the walls and floors, and concrete is no match for water pressure. Without proper preparation, torrential rains could cause flooding in basements or crawlspaces.
If you want to keep hydrostatic water from getting into your home, pressure relief systems will do the job for you. Whenever there happens to be a power outage due to a rainstorm, it is very likely that the primary pumps will not work, and that may cause somewhat of an inconvenience. As pressure increases the floor or wall will be penetrated by moisture. (usually called bleeding). Usually you’ll find seepage in corners or in joints where the wall meets the floor.
If water come from an isolated area and is installed a pump below the floor level will lower the water and the underground pressure Water vapor will go right through concrete since it is porous. This moisture makes it feel even colder, causes carpet or other floor covering to rot, allows mold to grow, and causes the basement to smell musty.
Using high quality sealants easily found in the marketplace is a good remedy. These can often be painted, rollered or sprayed on.
A normal job may entail:
– getting the floor ready by taking up any materials that are broken up or loose.
– Use large fans and heaters as needed to make sure the basement floor is as dry as it can be.
– making sure wall/floor junctions are sealed.
– filling any particularly noticeable cracks or joints.
– Priming the floor when the product calls for the use of a primer.
– Use 2 to 3 coats as needed to top coat the floor with the final product.
If you waterproof your basement floor with a good product the results should last for a number of years. Permaflex is one type of sealant that will give a complete and permanent waterproofing for a basement floor. Quoted as being the only indoor waterproofing system that completely seals any basement floor permanently, no matter how wet or deteriorated, seems a good easy system that costs a few hundred dollars as opposed to thousands for considerable manual work, pumps and pipes.
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