Basement Waterproofing - Get Ready For Rain

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Basement Waterproofing - Get Ready For Rain
Author: John Morris

The noises - a trickle, a drip-drop, or heavy rush or splash. Ahh, the sun is gone, rainy days are here! Roofs, gutters, and downspouts function in harmony to keep us safe and dry during a downpour. Rainwater rolls down our roofs; much like it does down the mountains. It is then collected in gutters before they are channelled into downspouts like waterfalls. All of these show what roofing and waterproofing is all about.

1. More Protection

Waterproofing is more than just channelling the water away from our roofs. It extensively prevents water from entering the house through a substance application specifically designed for waterproofing.

2. The Concept

Basically, to ensure basement waterproofing, one has to take two steps. The first step is to mount a very reliable drainage system. This is because if your drainage system becomes clogged with leaves or simply can not handle the amount of water capacity, water will accumulate instead of being neatly cyphoned away.

Of course, even with the best gutter and roof, water still penetrates the ground naturally when it rains, because not all rain will fall on your house, some will fall around it, perhaps on your front or back yard, or your neighbors yard.

Either way, if too much water is retained in the ground, the possibility of water entering your basement exists, and the only solution is to have your basement waterproofed.

3. Never Again - Find The Source!

Before you do basement waterproofing, it is a must that you find the cause of leakage first

- Is there a crack in the wall?
- Was the house built with weak structures?
- Are waters outside flooding and causing too much pressure?

In order to detect any of these problems, inspect your house thoroughly. Usually, water will penetrate on areas where there are cracks, usually on the floor or walls of the basement area. Do all of these things before you apply basement waterproofing.

The unfortunate part is that in order to actually apply a coat of waterproofing, you have to dig at least six feet right next to the wall. The waterproofing mixture must be applied directly to the outside of the basement wall - it can't just be poured on the ground next to your basement! This is an extremely physical task and so in all honesty you should hire a handyman or better still, contact a service to do this for you. The service will come with the added benefit of providing you with a warranty for services offered that guarantees you won't experience the problem again for a set amount of time.

Questions & Comments: Please feel free to add your comments and questions below.

Barkri12 · Joined: 26 Apr 2009 Posts: 5

You get the idea.

But look through the phone book, or do a Google search. You're bound to find dozens of basement waterproofing contractors just in your neighborhood. How to choose among them?

Fear not. There are a few easy steps to follow when choosing.

Find a basement waterproofer who's licensed and insured. This is a big deal -- maybe the biggest. Ideally, he should carry both worker's comp and personal liability insurance. This way, if he or one of his workers is injured on the job, you're protected from a lawsuit. Also, if he damages you're home, he'll be liable and you won't get stuck with the bill. Ask him for the name and number of his insurance carrier.

boomermitra · Joined: 18 Dec 2009 Posts: 35

added