Waterproofing your basement can be done by yourself.
Since a significant amount of homeowners who own basements are also subjected to water leaks, it’s understandable that there is such a great demand for information and products associated with do it yourself basement waterproofing.
Let’s first look at why basements are plagued by water seepage and flooding. Excess moisture in your basement not only limits your use of the space but it also can cause a number of serious problems structurally as well as ruin or destroy furniture and furnishings.
Basements are the part of a home or building that is wholly or partially below ground level. 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. No system is foolproof, because even those that remove water from the building, can’t always prevent silt and heavy rainfalls from blocking pipes and causing system overload.
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. The often-used solution is to tackle the inside rather than the outside, by utilising products such as sealants on the inner walls and floor.
A typical project might involve:
- prepare the walls by removing all loose or crumbly 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.
- repair all easily seen gaps, flaws, seams, or joints.
- wall/floor junctions may require a 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. The best sealants, such as PermaFlex are assumed to be comprehensive, one-time, solutions for the waterproofing indoor basements. This indoor waterproofing system claims to permanently stop basement leaks and can be applied by brush, roller, or spray system.
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.
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