Basement Waterproofing: Few Measures
Sunday, August 1st, 2010For keeping water out of the basement area, the best measure one can take is basement waterproofing. It refers to various techniques and methods used for saving the basement from water entering into it. There are some places where groundwater builds up in the soil and raises the water table, which increases the hydrostatic pressure; in these locations adopting some waterproofing measures and drainage systems are unavoidable. The increase in hydrostatic pressure can causes major problems such as damaging the building structure and causing mold and decay to build around the foundation of your home. Effective underground waterproofing measures include both sealers as well as drainage.
Should you encounter an issue with wet basements, such as is usually the case after a flood, you will need someone with experience repairing foundations and waterproofing basements. Due to the nature of basements being closed areas, they are quite prone to severe humidity-related problems which cause dampness and potentially lead to flooding.
A moist basement is caused by many things including the absence of waterproofing. In case you want to remodel your basement, it’s better to start by adopting some safe measure for water sealing of the basement. The chances of mildew and mold occurring in the basement area are greatly reduced if that place can be protected from incoming water. The mildew and mold occur because of poor basement waterproofing and can cause sickness and illness to the people living in the basement.
Nowadays, many basement waterproofing products are available in the market which can keep the basement relatively dry. There are targeted solutions available for different types of waterproofing problems. “Tanking” is one of the popular techniques to prevent water from entering the basement area; it works by covering the basement with a membrane. This method is best when installed during the initial construction phase. Once the structure is properly designed and made, this is the only basement waterproofing measure you will ever need.
If your locality is such that it occasionally receives very heavy rainfall, then what you will definitely need is a product called “exterior foundation drain,” which is popularly known to many people in construction industry as “French drain” for your basement waterproofing needs. This system diverts the water away from the basement walls with the help of a drainage system which is built on the foundation walls outside.
The best way to prevent problems related to basement waterproofing from occurring is to have a nice blend of both the “tanking method” and the “exterior foundation drain”.
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