What are basement waterproofing systems and how do they work? For answering that question it will help to first take a look at historically conventional basement waterproofing and the way it was supposed to work.
If you imagine how a basement is first built, when the house it is sited in was first conceived, then basically the following happens:
A big hole in the ground is dug, the footer or foundations are laid, the walls of the basement are built and then the rest of the house follows.
That big hole in the ground, the first on the list above is important to note. The construction of basement walls invariably leaves a void on the exterior which requires backfilling. Loose backfill is used to fill in the gap. Well compacted or not, introducing a huge pile of loose backfill is going to cause problems. Water will always flow in the path of least resistance.
Water will continuously seep into this area. The conventional basement waterproofing system provides some form of drainage pipe for this water to drain away, but the problem with this is that often these pipes get silted up. It’s natural enough, the water is bringing all sorts of suspension with it. The system can overload if the pipes get over-filled and then the pressure of the built up water would be concentrated on the outer basement walls. So while the walls of the basement may be waterproofed in some way, water, as you probably already know, will usually find a way through the tiniest of gaps.
This type of problem doesn’t usually go away because the pipes that are supposed to take away the excess water gradually worsen over time.
A huge problem is that often there isn’t access to these pipes. In an attempt to keep excess moisture out basement waterproofing also can be put onto the outer walls of the basement. Usually this is called a tanked system.
If you want to find out if you have water inside the concrete block of your walls simply tap a hole into the concrete block, near the floor, and see if you have water coming out of this block then you may want to consider a drained cavity waterproofing system this system drains the water from your walls, much the same way you just did, by adding drain holes in the bottom blocks that allows those areas to drain into a type of interior french drain system. To protect the property water is controlled, collected and then made to pass through hidden drainage channels which are either natural drainage or sump pumps.
Basement waterproofing systems are reputedly a better system in that they are installed internally, have easy access ports for removing any silt and can be applied to basements where traditional tanking or other methods have failed but with minimal disturbance to the original basement.
In conclusion, you want a basement waterproofing system that will deliver:
- usually be a permanent or long-term solution
-stop water through the floor and walls
- not disturb landscaping, decks, patios, driveways, etc
-an approved method by home loan lenders
- often be substantially cheaper than other waterproofing methods
Choose a reputable basement waterproofer when protecting your home, remember it is economically foolish not to waterproof, because the increased value from waterproofing will definitely exceed the cost of the waterproofing.
You should look at waterproofing not as an expense but as an investment in the value of your home.
Make it easier to start using basement waterproofing systems, quickly & easily. If you wish the the basics and ensure that you have a hassle free and cheap experience, visit , a website describing the plus and minus points of a water proofing system.
