Posts Tagged ‘waterproof’

Basement Waterproofing: Few Measures

Sunday, August 1st, 2010

For 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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Protecting your Home’s Value by Waterproofing the Chimney

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

One thing that many owners never consider is maintaining their chimneys. It is one of those things that is out of the way and out of mind. They like sitting by a raging fire in the winter months, they keep the fireplace and hearth clean, and they may even hire someone periodically to come out to their homes and clean the inside of the chimney, but few of them give any thought to keeping their chimney’s exterior from crumbling away. If this sounds like you, it’s time you took a glance at the condition your chimney is in, get it mended if required, and coat it with a chimney waterproofing product.

When you stop to think about it, the possibility of water damaging your masonry chimney makes sense. In fact , it’s the only piece of your house that sticks up past the roof line where it takes the brunt of rain and snow storms. Without protection, you could end up with serious damage meaning an expensive overhaul. Therefore , having your chimney waterproofed seems a little price to pay for averting this gigantic expense. Besides, you want your chimney to look nice instead of being a blemish on the top of your house where everyone can see it.

Prior to waterproofing, make sure that all of the joints in the mortar are good. Cracks or chunks missing may mean you have to have some tuckpointing work done ; if you only have minor cracks, it is possible to brush on a special kind of caulk that will fill the cracks to prevent them from further water damage. Even without cracks, masonry materials are porous and can absorb plenty of water. This absorption can result in moisture dribbling to the interior of your chimney. Eventually, the integrity of your chimney will go to pot.

Naturally, you need to deal with the issue before any heavy damage can take place. This means that you should waterproof a new chimney right away and repeat the procedure per the time table advocated on the package. If you purchase an older home, however, you need to make sure that the chimney has been maintained correctly to ensure against major repairs. Actually, it wouldn’t hurt to ask to inspect the chimney before you purchase a house now that you know how expensive reconstructing a chimney can be.