Exterior Waterproofing Is A Very Effective Way Of Preventing A Basement Leak

Exterior waterproofing is a more comprehensive, multi-step job, involving major excavation work, installing protective coating and a drainage membrane, as well as a new weeping tile system, but it’s a highly effective way of keeping your basement dry.

Exterior waterproofing is most definitely not a job that should be left to amateurs or weekend warriors.

Overall, a basement waterproofing system will funnel water away from your basement.

The damage caused by a basement leak, leading to water damage to dry wall, wiring, floors, mould and mildew issues, can run the homeowner into the thousands of dollars. There is also the incalculable emotional cost that comes with seeing family possessions and heirlooms permanently destroyed.

An important point to remember – wall cracks, cracks in the floor, or in the joint between where the poured concrete floor and walls meet, is just one source of basement leaks. Water could also be leaking in through the window wells, through the stairwell door, or via pipes that aren’t properly sealed. Find the source of the basement leak first.

If it’s the basement walls, make sure you don’t use tar to cover up the cracks. After applying hydraulic cement to any cracks, apply a coat of sealant, which goes on like a coat of paint. That’s another product you can pick up from Home Depot or Canadian Tire that will keep moisture from making its way through. (However don’t apply sealant over a wall that has been painted – blast off the paint first.)

The best way to counter a leaky basement is to install either an exterior or interior home waterproofing system. Using hydraulic cement to fix cracks in the wall is good, but you’ll have to stay on it, because the water pressure pounding up against the foundation walls of your home is relentless. That becomes even more of an issue with more rainfall – which absorbs more into the loose soil around your home, pushing its way through the basement cracks. It’s almost a “finger in the dike” scenario.

Interior waterproofing involves a number of steps that re-directs water away from your home’s foundation – in turn reducing the water pressure on the basement walls. Licensed home waterproofing professionals will install a drainage system along the inside of the wall, featuring a four-inch weeping tile that connects to a sump pump pit, that then pumps water out to the exterior of your home. It also includes installing a drainage membrane along the walls of the basement.

It’s a mechanical device installed in the basement of a home. It sits in a sump pit, around three feet deep and two feet in diameter. The device will pump water that has flowed into the pit via the home’s weeping tile system, out to an area far away from the home’s foundation. It’s a vital tool to have as our climate continues to change and levels of precipitation increase.

Some of the more simple things can help keep the home dry. Sloping the ground away from the foundation, around six to 10 feet, is one. That way water will be directed away from your house rather than toward it.
Another recommendation – install a hard surface, like asphalt or patio stones, next to the home. And if there is a big snowfall, clear the snow away from the house.

Costs for exterior waterproofing starts at around $100 per foot and can go up to $200 per foot but may be more under certain circumstances, again depending on the size and difficulty of the job. The depth of the home’s foundation is a major issue in determining cost.

Interior waterproofing isn’t as expensive as waterproofing around the exterior of the home. This option is for homeowners running a tighter budget, or perhaps their home is located too close to neighboring properties, making major excavation work impossible. Interior waterproofing can also be looked at as another layer of home protection for those who also opted for the exterior route.