Concrete Basement Waterproofing Advice

Concrete basement waterproofing is an important step to protect your home from water damage. If you are facing water leaks, call Brosco Concrete for a free quote. In the meantime, here’s some advice on basement waterproofing methods.

When your basement takes on water, it can come in many forms and for many reasons. You may discover excessive moisture on the concrete walls and floors of your home. Perhaps you notice small puddles occasionally. Then there are the bigger problems like flooding with heavy rains. The first step is to determine why.

Despite precautions taken during the construction of your home, houses settle and create cracks. Concrete absorbs water so if the soil outside becomes saturated, the water can enter your basement. We can conduct inspections and tests to determine where the leaks originate.

The best basement waterproofing solution depends on what is causing the leak and what is possible to achieve in your specific situation. There are options for addressing leaking basements both from the inside and outside.

This involves digging trenches to expose the outside walls of the foundation to install drain tile and preventative barriers. Adding a sump pump will allow water to be collected before pumping it to the surface and away from your home. This method is extremely effective for wet basements.

However, exterior drainage systems have limitations. You should complete this kind of project during a dry season but some situations cannot wait. Another barrier to basement waterproofing from the outside is location. If the contractor can’t access the foundation walls, you must consider other options to make your foundation waterproofed.

This option offers solutions to homeowners who have minimal leaks or cannot complete an exterior basement wall excavation. If you only have fine cracks causing dampness, the interior waterproofing solution may be as simple and cost effective as sealing unpainted basement walls.

When sealing doesn’t work or you have larger foundation cracks that cause basement flooding, interior floor drainage systems offer better long-term results. Similar to installing exterior drainage tile, excavation occurs inside the home around the perimeter of the basement. You fill the shallow trench with pea gravel, install the drain tile, and connect to a sump pit. Finally, you fill the trench with concrete and install a narrow grate.

No matter what waterproofing system you choose, it is important to remove all water from the basement floor or crawl space before beginning repairs. A flooded basement presents a risk for electrical shock.

Foundation repair is another critical step. During drainage system installation, patch or fill cracks and seal surfaces to ensure existing leaks stop.

Read more about what causes leaky basements and the warning signs plus options for repairing foundation cracks in an earlier article:

Leaky Basement Repairs for Cracked Foundations.

Basement window wells are often the culprit responsible for water in your home. If builders did not install a proper drainage system during construction, water can pool around the bottom of your basement window and seep inside.

Often when searching for the source of leaks, we find you can easily prevent the cause. Sometimes all it takes is removing landscaping that requires frequent watering. Other times you may not have directed your eavestroughs, gutters, and downspouts properly away from the home. Occasionally, all you need to do is correct the grade of your yard away from the foundation.