A large percentage of homeowners who have basements also experience water leaks, so it’s no surprise that there is a huge demand for DIY basement waterproofing information and products.
Let’s first look at why basements are plagued by water seepage and flooding. Serious basement problems due to excess moisture many times cause numerous problems to the basement structurally, as well as limit space, and ruin and or destroy furniture and furnishings.
Basements are basically built into a large hole that’s been dug out of the ground. After the floor and walls of the basement are finished, loose soil is used to fill in the rest of the hole. The loose soil around the basement provides the least resistance to water and it will use this path to seep into that area. So eventually, even though it may take a few years, you will get a build-up of water around and even under, your basement.
This creates hydrostatic pressure on the basement walls and floor. Without adequate basement waterproofing, water will seep through even the smallest crack which then ruins the outside protective coating. Even waterproofing systems with pipes designed to drain water from a building can become blocked due to silt or become overloaded by heavy rains.
This is when most people decide to turn their project into a do it yourself basement waterproofing project rather than have someone excavate and re-do it professionally and, usually, at great financial cost. Frequently used method is to handle the interior rather than the exterior, by utilizing materials like sealants on the inner walls and ground.
A typical project might involve:
the walls are prepared by removing all loose or crumbled material.
- remove any previous repair material or foreign material.
Be sure to have the basement as dry as possible, try using large heater or fans if needed.
Use a primer coat on the floors and walls if the product requires this to be done.
- patch all gaps, seams, joints, or flaws that can be seen.
The requirement at the floor/wall is 1″bead of sealant.
- using 2 or 3 coats to top-coat all surfaces
That’s about it. If the product is a good one you will have a sealed basement that should last for a number of years. PermaFlex is a top sealant, and along with other complete sealants, they offer a permanent indoor basement waterproofing system. It’s quoted as being “the only indoor waterproofing system that completely seals any basement permanently, no matter how wet or deteriorated” and can be brushed, rolled or even sprayed on.
A damp basement is a general problem for homeowners which could turn out to be very expensive if done by an outside repairer which could cost you thousands of dollars, so if you’re thinking of how to stretch your budget, you might try do it yourself basement waterproofing
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