A large percentage of homeowners who have basements also experience water leaks, so it’s no surprise that there is a huge demand for do it yourself basement waterproofing information and products.
The first thing to examine is the reason why basements are affected so much by water seepage and flooding. Extra moisture in the lower level of your house can make space unusable as well as create structural problems and destroy your belongings.
A large hole is dug in the ground to install a basement. After the floor and walls of the basement are finished, loose soil is used to fill in the rest of the hole. Water naturally finds its way through the path of least resistance, and in your case, that will be the looser soil around your basement. So eventually, even though it may take a few years, you will get a build-up of water around and even under, your basement.
Hydrostatic pressure is created by this on the basement walls and floors. How you will do it to yourself about basement waterproofing and does it really a protect 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 many people decide to try DIY basement waterproofing in an attempt to avoid the expense of having the basement competely dug up and re-done. 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.
- previous repair or foreign material must be removed.
- make sure the basement is as dry as possible, hire heaters or large fans if necessary.
- 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.
- a 1″ bead of sealant is used on the wall and floor junctions.
- top-coat all surfaces with the final product, using 2 or 3 coats as appropriate.
There’s nothing more to it. If the product is a good one you will have a sealed basement that should last for a number of years. Top sealants such as PermaFlex are supposed to be a complete, 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 full solution would cost homeowners a fraction of the cost and is perfect for do-it-yourself basement waterproofing. It’s also a wonderful solution for those with budget concerns with common and often expensive problems.
