Waterproofing a basement involves doing a variety of things. You have to take certain steps to stop areas where leaking is occurring. In addition, you must be proactive about repairing areas such as cracks and holes before you get started in waterproofing. Some of the things you'll need to do are nullify leaky floor joints and make certain patches and repairs to your basement before you can completely waterproof it.
In this article, I will show you how to do all these things so you go about doing the job the correct way.
Many people consider waterproofing a basement because there are some spots that allow leaks and seepage into the basement. There are a variety of reasons why cracks, leaks and seepage occur. Usually it is a result of the house settling which causes the cracks. However, poor craftsmanship can be blamed. Sometimes it's just a matter of pressure -- too much water has built up on the outside and has forced its way through the walls.
First, you must find out where these leaks and seepage areas are. Most often you will find these areas to be where the floor and wall joins together, so if you're having leaks but are not sure where they are at, start looking at these joints first.
Usually leakage occurs because of cracks in the walls and floors. It is important that you seal these before you go about the process of waterproofing. It's simple to seal them -- just use a waterproofing compound. If the holes and cracks are larger than a quarter of an inch, you should patch them first, and then apply the mix.
Sometimes pressure from the water outside will be too much to simply repair the crack by sealing off. Instead, you may need to divert the pressure with a weep pipe. This will allow the water trapped against the wall to escape. You don't need to use it weep pipe for extended periods of time. Generally you can use it to temporarily drain the water pressure, which will then allow you to adequately fill the hole and seal it.
That's really all there is to it, when it comes waterproofing your basement. First it's a matter of finding the areas were seepage occurs, and then fill them. Of course, you want to make sure you know exactly how to fill them so that they are properly sealed.
Terry Edwards
Original source: http://www.articlesbase.com/remodeling-articles/waterproofing-a-basement-in-4-easy-steps-352351.html
