Professional Waterproofing Contractors
Waterproofing is an essential consideration for anyone who is building a basement which they intend to use for storage or habitable accommodation. Too often basement waterproofing is not given high enough priority and as a result a cheap and inappropriate basement waterproofing option is used to try and get inside an unrealistic budget. This often leads to failure and the resultant consequential losses can be disastrous for the owner of the building or property.
A wet basement is a trouble for every home owner. Be it a wet finished basement or an unfinished basement with damp walls, water is an enemy of your home. It can cause the problem of mold and mildew. Continuous exposure to water can ruin your belongings as well as damage the stability of the foundation and weaken the structure.
If you are troubled by leaking cracks and damp walls in basement, you need expert help of a basement waterproofing contractor.
How does a Basement Waterproofing Contractor take care of a wet basement?
A basement waterproofing contractor will review the basement as well as other areas of your home that require waterproofing. He/she will identify the problem and provide you with a couple of effective methods to take care of it. Also, he/she will suggest you the right wet basement waterproofing method that suits your home.
What are the Different Wet Basement Waterproofing Methods?
- Sealants
If the water is entering the basement through cracks, the basement waterproofing contractor will seal the cracks and help you get rid of the problem. Special sealant/waterproofing coatings are used to seal the crack and keep off the moisture and water.
It is important to remember that even though sealants are an inexpensive way of addressing the water problem, it is not an ideal solution for a home with strong hydrostatic pressure. The solution is ideal for minor dampness but cannot work for a flooded basement.
- Crack Injection
Crack injections are ideal for poured concrete foundation. If the basement waterproofing contractor comes to a conclusion that the water seepage is originating from the walls, he/she will use epoxy or polyurethane injections to take care of the cracks.
- Interior Waterproofing – Drainage System
Most home owners opt for the solution because it is less expensive and doesn’t involve exterior excavation. It is also called a “water control” solution because it doesn’t stop the water from entering the walls of the basement. Instead, it deals with management of water after it has entered the walls.
If you opt for interior waterproofing, the basement waterproofing contractor will install weeping tiles to direct the water from the basement to a sump pump system.
Do not compromise on the experience and the expertise of the basement waterproofing contractor. If you choose an inexperienced contractor, he/she can damage the structural integrity of the foundation while installing weeping tiles and sump pump.
- Exterior Waterproofing – Excavation
The basement waterproofing contractor will begin by excavating the earth around your home. He/she will apply hydraulic cement to take care of affected areas as well as install drainage tiles. If you demand for a window well for better waterproofing, the contractor will build one for you.
Exterior waterproofing is also called “positive side waterproofing” because it addresses the hydrostatic pressure and stops the water entering the basement.
Exterior waterproofing can be expensive and time-consuming depending on the water problem in your home. If water infiltration is caused in more than one area, excavation will be carried out around several foundation walls of your home. It can increase the cost of waterproofing the basement.
One Size doesn’t fit all
There is no one best method of addressing the flooding and dampness issues in the basement. Every home is different and it is essential to address the problem by understanding the cause in detail.
For a few home owners, sealants or crack injections will take care of the problem while others may require exterior waterproofing services. So, it is important to contact an experienced basement waterproofing contractor. He/she will suggest you the right method for taking care of wet basement.
How to Find a Basement Waterproofing Team
The best time to look for a basement waterproofing contractor is now. Even if you don’t think you have any problems with your basement, getting it checked over by a professional once a year (or every couple of years if you live in a dry area) is just good, proactive home ownership. You might not need the full waterproofing treatment right away, but when you do start noticing musty smells or hearing trickling in the middle of the night, you’ll be glad you have a relationship with a basement waterproofing crew.
The things to look for are fairly straightforward:
– A current license to do business as a waterproofing contractor.
– Bonded and insured workers who have the means to handle the situation if something goes pear-shaped in the middle of a job.
– A crew who can handle a variety of different waterproofing techniques. If they can’t explain to you the difference between an interior French drain, a foundation wrap, and a basic crack sealing, you probably don’t want them working on your basement.
– Of course, you want a crew that does emergency calls and has the basic emergency tools like a sump pump and hazmat suits. It’s one thing to be able to seal a basement with a few microscopic cracks; it’s another to help a client recover from a sewer main dumping straight into the cellar.
– And finally, you want a crew that is available and at a reasonable rate. There’s no point in getting to know a crew that will charge you twice as much as the other guys but only have one team on call at any time — what happens if someone else has an emergency an hour earlier on the same night?
Basement waterproofing contractors are everywhere, but that doesn’t mean they’re a dime a dozen — they perform a necessary and often quite valuable service. Put the work in now to find the waterproofers that are right for you, and you’ll be quite glad when the time comes that you need them to come over in the middle of the night.
