Ensuring your basement is waterproofed from the outside elements is a great way to protect one of the biggest investments you will ever make – your home. Think of it as one big security blanket.
Canada Waterproofers Scarborough has over 25 years of experience in protecting our clients’ homes not only in Scarborough but all around the GTA and surrounding regions. We have mastered the techniques and kept up with the new age technologies to ensure your home is waterproofed perfectly. Our guarantee includes a 25-year transferable warranty on our exterior waterproofing option. If you have any questions regarding exterior waterproofing, contact us today!
Regardless if a home is new or old, foundations that leak can cause all sorts of damage to your basement walls and destabilize your home. If you’ve spotted a leak, don’t ignore it! If you ignore a leak it will only cost you more money in the long run. Contact us right away for a free onsite assessment so we can get a better understanding of your needs.
Basement leaks can be cause by many factors. Old pipes, poorly sealed windows and doors are a few of the causes. When a basement is excavated, the soils that are back-filled around the new foundation will be looser than the surrounding undisturbed ground. The problem that arises is that loose earth will collect water a lot faster than undisturbed soils. Those soils collect and retain water and moisture up against new foundation walls and the water that accumulates will eventually enter into the foundations walls as they age and deteriorate over time.
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.
One way to ensure moisture does not build up against the new foundation is to install protective layers on the walls. A weeping tile and sump pump system should also be considered as a whole optimal solution. That way any accumulation of water can be redirected away from the home’s foundation and allow for the new surrounding soils to dry and settle.
Most people may not think twice about moisture build up in their home. But moisture can do a lot of damage to concrete floors, timber, bricks, and block structures that make up a home, and can cost you thousands of dollars in structural repairs.
If leaks are not properly dealt with, mould can appear. Over time that would be detrimental to your health and your family’s health. Waterproofing is a great option in ensuring both your health and your home is protected.
Waterproofing your Scarborough basement from the inside is a great option for certain houses – although we always prefer to protect your basement from the outside, allowing us to address the problem at its source. Unfortunately, sometimes there is no other option but to waterproof from the inside.
Inside waterproofing will stop water from entering into your finished basement, allowing you to enjoy a dry living space. But in this scenario there will always be a little bit of water trapped behind the membrane, which will over a very long period of time deteriorate your walls.
Be sure to use the proper insulation and vapor barrier after interior waterproofing is installed or else you run the risk of condensation building up, which could lead to mould behind your walls and in your home’s foundations. This is often referred to as a “mould sandwich”.
There’s a simple solution to preventing mould sandwiches in your home. We use a spray foam during the refinishing of your basement. It becomes its own vapor barrier, which helps eliminate the moisture. Instead of having two waterproof membranes, you get one continuous membrane, since the foam sticks to the waterproofing membrane and insulates and seals.
Interior waterproofing for the home has risen in popularity over the past decade. More people in the Scarborough area are finishing their basements as a solution to needing more living space at an affordable and convenient cost – at least compared to having to go out and buy a larger home. More and more homes are located closer to one another, making interior waterproofing more of a logical option for people. It would be wise to install interior waterproofing prior to finishing a basement.
On average, the cost to finish a basement is around $50,000. When you are spending that amount of money you want to ensure that the investment is protected and the new basement will last for many years to come. If a finished basement starts to leak, not only will the drywall need replacement but the flooring, baseboards and all the furniture would need to be removed to prevent mould.
When compared to exterior waterproofing, interior waterproofing is a lot more cost-effective. Many of our customers opt for interior waterproofing. It can range from $65 to $125 per square foot. Some of the determining factors for cost include height of basement, amount of footage, concrete thickness, residential or commercial, accessibility etc. To ensure we can quote you accurately, get in contact with us today and receive a free onsite assessment.
Insurance can be tricky, which is why we recommend speaking to a licensed insurance adviser to get more details. Some may offer coverage for an additional cost and others may have it already included in your home owner’s insurance. Be sure to keep your maintenance receipts to ensure that if a flood occurs you have the proper documentation illustrating you had the necessary system in place to prevent such an occurrence. This may assist you in getting your claim approved. Please contact your insurance specialist for more detail.
