|
News & Info
|
 |
 |
Seller Signup...
Quality Service, Seller or Tradesperson? Sign Up Now!
|
|
Home & Garden Articles
Things to Know when Waterproofing Basements
Tue 06 Feb 2007 - 07:51
Things to Know When Waterproofing Basements
By Enid Edginton
Waterproofing basements is largely a structural matter. Whether you are building a new home or fixing up an old one the most important thing is the location of home in relationship to any soil that could hold a large amount of water and cause hydrostatic build up against the walls of your home.
What does this mean for the layperson? It means that your house should be located slightly higher on a bit of hill then the rest of the landscape around it so that water will run away from the foundation of your house instead of towards it. It means that your house should have gutters that are kept clean and free of leaves and other debris so that water is not allowed drenching your house in sheets. Water that pours down the side of house walls usually ends up pooling right beside the very edges of your houses foundations. This is a great way to cause pools of water to also start forming in your basement.
You should also pay attention to where water runs off from the gutters that are on your property. Although those long aluminum funnels running from gutters out the side of your house are unsightly looking to some they are often necessary. Having water run off from your roof, through the gutters and about twelve feet away from your house is one of the keys to waterproofing basements.
Yet another factor is where you choose to build your house. Waterproofing basements is almost futile if you live in an area where the soil is too loose or too compact. Soil that is clay like can actually hold pockets of water that are like underground caverns that are just waiting to burst free and pour the excess into your basement. Soil that is too loose and sandy is also a problem because it doesn't act as a barrier between water and your house. The result once again is a drenched basement thanks to flash flooding.
Beware of vendors who try to sell you membranes, liquids or paints to waterproof a basement. These people are not trying to trick you but technically there is no such thing. There are compounds available that are a mixture of asphalt and rubber but the truly waterproof ones are usually applied by professionals to the exterior of your basement foundation walls while the house is being built. If your original contractor was clueless when it came to waterproofing basements then you will find conducting this procedure to be expensive and messy. There is also no way you can do it without hiring a professional contractor as you will probably need a caterpillar to dig up the side of your house to clear soil away from your basement foundation walls so the stuff can be applied.
You can apply waterproof compounds to the inside of the walls and to your floors but this will not in anyway protect your basement from flooding. It might protect the water from damaging walls and floors and maybe is only recommended if the floor is made of rotting wood in the first place. If your floor is built with a proper slope in the first place then all water should be funneling towards your drain in the first place. What your basement floor or walls is actually made of or protected with is of very little consequence in this case.
When it comes to waterproofing basements the key is to do it right in the first place by making sure your home is situated correctly and is designed so that water flows away from rather than into the house.
Learn the causes of a wet basement and how to avoid them at Waterproof a Basement.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Enid_Edginton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Things-to-Know-When-Waterproofing-Basements&id=443872
Looking for information on Building, Find a supplier at HomeWise.ie
back to Building articles
back to all home & garden articles
|
|