A lot of homeowners don’t realize how important it is to waterproof basement walls. A waterproofed basement will not only protect your home from flooding and water damage but it will also prevent mold and mildew to infect your area. Waterproofing contractors get bombarded with calls every after a downpour of heavy rains. The cause thereto is because people don’t invest in basement waterproofing. We need to realize that shelling out money now as a measure of prevention will let us save money on costly repairs in the future.
The first thing that needs to be done before you waterproof basement walls is to check for any leaks, cracks or any damage so you can address them. There are several reasons why you have some cracks or leaks and one of them is that the original workmanship is poor. Or it might be simply because your house may have settled causing cracks in either your floors or walls. Lastly, water pressure from outside may have built up and it’s forcing water through the walls. Any cracks which are larger than 1/8 inch should be sealed to avoid future problems. Don’t forget to spray any visible mold or mildew with bleach then you can paint over the area with waterproofing paint. There are a lot of brands that come with mold and mildew killing agent.
If you see any hairline cracks, you can just use a regular waterproofing mix. To waterproof basement walls, you can purchase special epoxy and latex cement for mortaring small repair tasks and for brushing on as a waterproof coating. Mortar for filling in cracks and holes is usually made by having a mixture of one part cement and two parts of fine sand with just the right amount of water. This will make you come up with a stiff mortar. If the water is leaking through the basement wall, force the mixture into the crack by using an ordinary trowel or putty knife. This should be able to correct any seepage problem.
While waterproofing the inside of your basement will help, remember that it will not totally protect your basement from flooding or water damage. A damage to the inside of your basement will signal you that there is something wrong with your external waterproofing system. While it will cost you more money to do exterior basement waterproofing, it will definitely add value to your home not to mention the peace of mind it will give you during rainy days.
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