Four bucket with waterCan you imagine the consequences of having woken up to find your basement flooded after heavy rains? Similarly a damp or leaking basement would never serve the purpose of keeping the goods dry. During the rainy seasons or spring thaw, water accumulation in the basement is a common sight, and in winter seasons, you would often find the basement damp. This becomes a hassle when you are required to constantly move things to a safer place, or when you always have to be on the lookout for preventing excess water from collecting in the basement. Instead you can consider waterproofing your basement. This certainly is the best answer to the basement flooding nightmares.

Possible problems

For buildings that are constructed at ground level or below it, waterproofing becomes imperative, to ensure the safety of the entire building. A damp building could easily develop cracks over time. Even if the cracks are not easily visible, the persistent dampness could cause cracks to appear internally. The effects of these cracks on the building are unpredictable. Cracks that result from dampness also attract rodents and termites. These pests can cause further damage to the building.

Not only this, a perpetually moist or damp basement serves as the perfect breeding ground for the growth of mildew, mold, and bacteria. These could give rise to chronic colds and other respiratory ailments to you and your family, over time. Avoiding such organisms by taking precautionary measures also becomes difficult as the air you breathe would contain them. These organisms can even cause harm to your pet’s health, if its shelter is in the basement.

Solutions

Waterproofing ideally should be made an essential part of the building at the time of construction itself. However, most of the older buildings may not be equipped with this. For these buildings, an effective tar-based solvent or polymerized asphalt could be used on the wall layer to act as waterproofing. Many homeowners are being advised on getting this done at the time of construction itself, so that no problem arises later on.

Another alternative you could adopt for waterproofing your basement is a French drain system. In this, a drain pipe is strategically buried across the perimeter of the leaking wall just below the basement floor. This drain would contain a perforated plastic tube that is connected to a sump pump. This pipe collects the excess water that seeps through the walls of the basement. The pipe is also covered with cement to avoid any leakages. The French drain system is believed to be more effective and a long lasting waterproof option.

Whether the building is for residential or commercial purpose, waterproofing the basement is extremely necessary. A newly constructed basement might not show signs of leakages in the initial years. But the possibility of it encountering moisture over time is always present. Repairing the building at this stage is cumbersome and also leads to high costs. Rather than dealing with the issue after it has beset, it is better to prevent it initially.

Above all, consult a professional for this kind of work. It’s not a DIY project.