Tips on Waterproofing Your Wet Basement
Your basement is one of the most flexible rooms in the house. Serving as a luxurious guest room, game room, personal theater or simple storage area, you can create the perfect area for your family and your needs. However, the intrusion of water will put a damper on your plans and turn the cherished basement into a constant source of irritation. Whether your basement just feels damp or you have a problem with standing water, here are some tips on basement waterproofing Toronto so you can enjoy the space.
Interior Moisture or Exterior Leaking
Some basement moisture problems can be corrected with a simple dehumidifier. To determine if yours falls into this lucky category, tape a one-foot by one-foot piece of foil to the basement wall that seems to collect the most moisture. Wait 24 hours and then look at the foil. If water is on the outside of the scrap, then a dehumidifier can solve the problem. If the moisture is trapped between the foil and the wall, then you will need to invest in basement waterproofing.
Check the Foundation Outside
Water will always follow the path of least resistance, even if that means flowing into your finished basement. The culprit may not be with your basement walls, but it could be with the dirt along your foundation. The landscaping around your home should always divert water away from the foundation. If you find areas where the land tilts back toward the walls of your home, then you should invest in some fresh top soil to re-grade and correct the problem. Look at the roof while you are working. Areas where your gutter is missing, damaged or overflowing are all more likely to have foundation issues.
When you correct the grading around your home, be sure to follow a few important tips.
• Never use topsoil to build up the grade. Choose clean fill dirt, tamp it down and finish it off with a fine layer of topsoil with grass. If you don’t want to mow along the house, then use stone or mulch.
• Avoid flowerbeds with brick or timer landscape edgings. These can hold moisture in along the walls and encourage leaking.
• When correcting the grading, make sure that the grade drops six inches over the first four feet closest to the wall. This helps ensure that water runoff heads straight into the yard and not your basement.
When you correct the grading around your home, be sure to follow a few important tips.
• Never use topsoil to build up the grade. Choose clean fill dirt, tamp it down and finish it off with a fine layer of topsoil with grass. If you don’t want to mow along the house, then use stone or mulch.
• Avoid flowerbeds with brick or timer landscape edgings. These can hold moisture in along the walls and encourage leaking.
• When correcting the grading, make sure that the grade drops six inches over the first four feet closest to the wall. This helps ensure that water runoff heads straight into the yard and not your basement.
Waterproofing from the Inside or the Outside
There are countless ways to waterproof your basement and home. Some involve digging along the foundation and applying a waterproof membrane, others involve painting special chemicals along the inside of your home. The right choice depends on how severe your water issues are.
Before considering either option, you should always check your exterior foundation and gutters to be sure water is being diverted away from the house. If you are still getting regular water invasion that is apparent on the floor through puddles or just wet areas, then you may have to invest in having the exterior wall excavated and treated from the outside. If you are only finding a small amount of water beading on the walls, then special waterproofers can be used on the inside to stop the migration of water and dry your basement.
Basement waterproofing doesn’t have to cost a small fortune, and correcting the water drainage outside can result in a basement that is naturally dry. Before deciding which method you will use, make sure that any drainage or gutter problems outside are corrected. Even if you have to invest in more expensive waterproofing options, they will be more effective and durable when completed after drainage issues are addressed.
If you have a chronic water problem in your home, it could become a mould issue for you. If you suspect this, you should contact a certified mould specialist to determine if a mould removal company needs to be called in.
Interior Moisture or Exterior Leaking
Some basement moisture problems can be corrected with a simple dehumidifier. To determine if yours falls into this lucky category, tape a one-foot by one-foot piece of foil to the basement wall that seems to collect the most moisture. Wait 24 hours and then look at the foil. If water is on the outside of the scrap, then a dehumidifier can solve the problem. If the moisture is trapped between the foil and the wall, then you will need to invest in basement waterproofing.
Check the Foundation Outside
Water will always follow the path of least resistance, even if that means flowing into your finished basement. The culprit may not be with your basement walls, but it could be with the dirt along your foundation. The landscaping around your home should always divert water away from the foundation. If you find areas where the land tilts back toward the walls of your home, then you should invest in some fresh top soil to re-grade and correct the problem. Look at the roof while you are working. Areas where your gutter is missing, damaged or overflowing are all more likely to have foundation issues.
When you correct the grading around your home, be sure to follow a few important tips.
• Never use topsoil to build up the grade. Choose clean fill dirt, tamp it down and finish it off with a fine layer of topsoil with grass. If you don’t want to mow along the house, then use stone or mulch.
• Avoid flowerbeds with brick or timer landscape edgings. These can hold moisture in along the walls and encourage leaking.
• When correcting the grading, make sure that the grade drops six inches over the first four feet closest to the wall. This helps ensure that water runoff heads straight into the yard and not your basement.
When you correct the grading around your home, be sure to follow a few important tips.
• Never use topsoil to build up the grade. Choose clean fill dirt, tamp it down and finish it off with a fine layer of topsoil with grass. If you don’t want to mow along the house, then use stone or mulch.
• Avoid flowerbeds with brick or timer landscape edgings. These can hold moisture in along the walls and encourage leaking.
• When correcting the grading, make sure that the grade drops six inches over the first four feet closest to the wall. This helps ensure that water runoff heads straight into the yard and not your basement.
Waterproofing from the Inside or the Outside
There are countless ways to waterproof your basement and home. Some involve digging along the foundation and applying a waterproof membrane, others involve painting special chemicals along the inside of your home. The right choice depends on how severe your water issues are.
Before considering either option, you should always check your exterior foundation and gutters to be sure water is being diverted away from the house. If you are still getting regular water invasion that is apparent on the floor through puddles or just wet areas, then you may have to invest in having the exterior wall excavated and treated from the outside. If you are only finding a small amount of water beading on the walls, then special waterproofers can be used on the inside to stop the migration of water and dry your basement.
Basement waterproofing doesn’t have to cost a small fortune, and correcting the water drainage outside can result in a basement that is naturally dry. Before deciding which method you will use, make sure that any drainage or gutter problems outside are corrected. Even if you have to invest in more expensive waterproofing options, they will be more effective and durable when completed after drainage issues are addressed.
If you have a chronic water problem in your home, it could become a mould issue for you. If you suspect this, you should contact a certified mould specialist to determine if a mould removal company needs to be called in.