Basement waterproofing specialists have many tools at their disposal to get water out of your basement. Interior drainage systems, sump pumps, industrial-strength dehumidifiers, and other even more advanced techniques can dry out a flooded basement in no time.

Of course, there’s an even better way to deal with a wet foundation: prevent it. With proper basement sealing before you have ‘water in the basement’ syndrome, you can prevent all the damage that comes with basement flooding. You can skip the costs of mold remediation, basement wall repair, or even a complete basement remodel. A little foresight can save you a lot of money.

However, waterproofing the basement before flooding isn’t just a matter of a good basement sealing, there are a couple of other items you’ll want to keep in mind as well.

gutters

Gutters play a very important role in preventing basement flooding. Simply put, if you don’t have water pooling against the outside of your basement wall, you won’t see water in your basement. A good gutter system ensures that water is collected away from your home or, in some cases, in a large underground cistern that is designed to withstand a week’s worth of heavy rain.

Cracks in the foundation

Many people don’t make the immediate connection between their basement waterproofing and cracks in their home’s foundation. Of course, if you stop and think about it, you can see the mechanics: water enters through the foundation, at which point you just have whatever your basement walls and floors are made of before it enters your basement proper, and those items are often made of wood, which water will eventually destroy or leak regardless.

Foundation waterproofing

Actual basement waterproofing requires three steps: dry out the basement, seal the basement, and fix any remaining problems (such as removing mold, repairing the basement wall, etc.), removing any standing water, and then using a powerful dehumidifier to dry up any stains. of remaining moisture.

The actual sealing of the basement is often a multi-step process in itself. It usually starts by plugging visible cracks from inside the foundation and basement walls. A good coat of waterproofing paint (NOT waterproofing, but waterproofing) is the second part of the process. Then, clean it out by finding all holes (windows, ducts, pipes, etc.) between the inside of the basement and the outside, and caulk or caulk around them.

Finally, the last repairs can happen. This involves finding any mold or water damaged items, be it furniture, carpeting, the walls themselves, or anything else, and replacing them. Once all the damaged property is replaced (there shouldn’t be a lot if it hasn’t flooded yet), you can go back to living in your basement. Just keep an eye on the smell; it’s the first sign that another leak has popped up, but you shouldn’t have to worry about it for the past two years.

If you find any of these tasks out of the range of being able to do them yourself, a good basement waterproofing company can usually help you with some of these preventative steps at a relatively affordable price.