Waterproofing your basement from the outside is an effective way to get at flooding at its source, to protect what will likely be one of the biggest investments you will make in your life.
Waterproofing your home is like putting a warm, dry coat around the home, protecting it from the harsh, unpredictable, Canadian weather. Canada Waterproofers North York is the “Canada Goose” of the industry, when talking about our home waterproofing methods and execution, and our over 25 years of industry experience.
We guarantee your satisfaction with a transferrable lifetime warranty on our exterior waterproofing solution.
Foundations that leak cause severe damage to your basement walls. It doesn’t matter whether you live in an older home or a newer one. If your basement is leaking now, don’t wait – get it repaired.
Don’t settle for cheap service and low quality materials. Go with the best. Contact Canada Waterproofers North York!
There are many reasons why your basement can be exposed to water leaks. If the piping is old and worn out it can cause condensation and erosion, leading to pipes bursting.
Another example is when basements are excavated. New soils that are filled around the new foundation will be looser than the surrounding undisturbed ground. Water collects much faster in loose soil than undisturbed soil, so moisture builds up quick against the new foundation wall – and wears them down over time.
The only way to relieve this pressure is to install protective layers on the walls, as well as a system of weeping tiles and sump pumps, so the accumulation of water can be re-directed away from the foundation of your home, allowing surrounding soils to eventually dry and settle.
A leaking foundation may seem like a big job to fix, but we can assure you that with the right waterproofing method your basement will stay dry.
Window wells are one of the main causes of water leaks in to the basement. If your Toronto home has this issue you should contact a waterproofing professional
Window wells are a weak spot in the foundation, and are susceptible to cracking which can cause them to leak.
Older foundations are generally built with cinder blocks and this is fine until they age. As the wall ages then the mortar between the blocks tends to loosen or crack which allows water to enter the basement.
Sump pumps have many benefits when installed correctly, but they can also cause problems if they are not installed correctly, or they fail due to either age or just bad quality, there are many good Sump pump systems that will last the test of time, and also there are many backup and warning systems that can be installed.
A drain that is backing up is a big issue and should be addressed immediately, you could have a root issue or even a broken sewer pipe that could be letting raw sewage enter your basement.
If you are seeing water rise from any drain in the basement then is it time to call in the professionals.
A crack in a concrete slab could mean a few things, but the most common is hydrostatic pressure, which is a build up of water pressure under your slab trying to escape and eventually will push up and crack the slab, but also a crack may be less sinister, and it could just be shrinkage. Watch out for a white powder around the cracks which is the tell tale for hydrostatic pressure.
Weeping tiles are an important part of protecting your home from water entering your basement.
If a weeping tile becomes clogged or broken then water pressure will build up and enter into your basement either through the base of the wall or through cracks in the floor.
This is the most common issue when it comes to concrete foundations. Your concrete foundation is similar to a swimming pool in reverse.
If you have a crack and water hits it then it will leak.
Crack concrete foundations should be addressed ASAP.
This type of leak may be caused by a few things, one is that the weeping tile has failed, and another is that there is a crack in your cinder block foundation and water is entering into the hollow blocks and showing up at the base of the footer.
A professional will be able to find the cause of your leak.
Moisture is an enemy to any home, sparing no part of it. It can cause damage to your bricks, timber, concrete. It will cost you thousands of dollars in repairs – never mind the cost of replacing your possessions. And what about the upheaval in your life that flooding causes? And the emotional impact?
When these damages occur, not only is your home’s health at risk, but so is your personal health, as well as the health of your family. Although it may seem harmless, water damage leads to mould, and mould spores can travel through your home, creating serious air quality issues. Waterproofing your basement will ensure this is never an issue.
Waterproofing your home from the inside is another great option. At Canada Waterproofers North York, we always prefer to waterproof your home from the outside, to tackle the problem at its source. Sometimes this isn’t an option.
In some instances your home might be located too close to neighbouring homes, meaning we can’t excavate. So we move our work to the inside.
It is also less expensive to waterproof your home from the inside.
Many companies will tell you that interior waterproofing is the best option. They will tell you it best protects your foundation walls from damage, but the truth is a little different.
Although you may not have any other option but to waterproof from the inside, at Canada Waterproofers North York, we always like you to go into your waterproofing project with your eyes open.
Inside waterproofing will stop water from entering into your finished basement, allowing you to enjoy a dry living space, but there will always be a little bit of water trapped behind the membrane. That will over a very long time deteriorate your walls, leading to problems.
Using the wrong insulation and vapour barrier after an interior waterproofing solution is installed can mean you run the risk of condensation building up, which could mean mould behind your walls.
We like to call this the “mould sandwich”.
A mould sandwich is when you have two waterproofing impermeable layers, like a waterproofing membrane and vapour barrier, that doesn’t let moisture escape, allowing your rock wool insulation to become saturated, which will turn to mould.
There is actually a very simple solution.
After interior waterproofing is complete, all you have to do is have it spray foamed during the refinishing of your basement.
Spray foam becomes its own vapour barrier, which eliminates that mould sandwich. Instead of having two waterproof membranes you get a continuous membrane, as the foam sticks to the waterproofing membrane and seals and insulates.
Interior waterproofing was introduced into Toronto many years ago and now interior waterproofing is effectively keeping area homes dry and free from water leakage.
Interior waterproofing has become popular in the past decade, as people are finishing basements more often in North York and the surrounding areas.
Many area homes have a very close proximity to each other and the only way to protect these homes is to install interior waterproofing.
The average cost to finish a basement is around $50,000. That is why in this scenario it is very important to have your basement waterproofed prior to spending this kind of money.
If a basement is finished with drywall, for example, and a leak occurs, not only does all the drywall have to be redone but also the flooring, baseboards, and everything else, so that all the mould can be removed.
Make sure a waterproofing solution is installed prior to refinishing your basement. A water-damaged basement would normally cost an additional $20,000 to $30,000 to repair.
Interior waterproofing is much more cost-effective than exterior waterproofing, and that’s why many people go in this direction.
Interior waterproofing ranges from $65 to $125 per foot. The determining factors are concrete thickness, height of the basement, amount of footage, commercial or residential, and accessibility.
The best way to find out how much a project like this would cost is to give Canada Waterproofers North York a call so we can give you a free onsite assessment.
Insurance companies are great for many things, but if you mention to the insurance adjuster there was prior seepage or leaking after your basement gets flooded, which includes window wells, a cracked foundation that leaks, or a sump pump failure, then you’re on your own. They won’t help you.
Give your insurance company a call to add extra coverage so that you can be more protected.
