Many houses that were built very recently have excellent waterproofing in the basement. Their basements rarely flood due to burst pipes or other issues, and mildew and mould don’t grow in the walls. This protects the home’s foundation from weakening and helps protect people from developing illnesses and allergies due to mould. However, some older homes have basements that aren’t quite as well built as today’s modern houses. They may have leaky basements, but there are some things that can be done about that.
When Is Waterproofing Needed?
Why stress over waterproofing your home at all? Even if your pipes don’t break, there’s always the chance of a flood or heavy rain increasing the water in the soil (unless you live in the desert, of course!). This can cause extra stress on the walls and floors of your basement.
If water can enter the walls, it can begin to cause damage to the support structure of your home. Most houses should be waterproofed when built, but what if you have an older house that wasn’t that well waterproofed? There are internal and external ways of adding waterproofing to a house to protect it from damage.
Internal Waterproofing Benefits
Internal basement waterproofing isn’t considered waterproofing by some experts because it may not completely keep water from entering the basement. However, it does redirect the water that enters the home. This way, the water is removed from the basement instead of standing there. One type of internal waterproofing is to install a drain on the floor. A good drain in the center of your basement will help remove water from the room, but you must remember to check the drain regularly to ensure it’s not clogged up.
External Waterproofing Benefits
External waterproofing takes a little more work, but it keeps water out of your basement. First, you’ll need good footer drains that will collect and remove rainwater from the foundation before it can seep into the ground and enter the walls and the basement. You should also have a good sump pump installed so that you can pump away any water that does get into the foundation. A sump pump may not always be necessary for dry areas, but if you live in an area that sees a good amount of flooding or heavy rainfall, you may want to purchase a sump pump to be on the safe side.
Other Waterproofing Solutions
There are many different types of materials and other solutions that can be used to block moisture from the walls. These solutions can be sprayed onto the walls or installed in the walls to help keep water from entering the house. Asphalt and tar coat the foundation walls to protect homes from water damage, but these materials deteriorate over time.
Older homes may need a new type of waterproofing installed, such as a polymer-based waterproofing product. These polymer-based solutions will protect homes for much longer.
