If your foil test showed that water is soaking through your basement walls and leaving them wet, seal the interior of the walls with a high-quality waterproof paint, such as DRYLOK White Extreme Waterproofer available from Home Depot. This type of sealant comes premixed and goes on just like a coat of paint. When waterproofing basement walls with it, brush or roll the paint on thickly enough to fill all the little surface holes, then allow it to dry fully before a second coat is applied.
When completely dry, the sealant forms a watertight bond to keep any more moisture from seeping through. A five-gallon container treats approximately square feet of wall. Alternately, it can be removed by wire brushing, a tedious but inexpensive DIY task.
Sometimes, the solution to wet basement walls is easy. For instance, remove foundation plantings, such as bushes and flowerbeds that require watering, which subsequently allows water to seep into the basement. In addition to the above steps, consider having an exterior drain tile system installed.
It requires excavating the soil from around the outside of your basement in order to install a perforated drain at the footing level. A waterproof membrane is often installed on the outside of the basement wall, and the system also requires putting in a buried sump pump where water will collect and then be pumped to the surface.
This is strictly a job for a foundation contractor, but it could greatly reduce basement water problems. Another method of attaining dry basement walls is to install a drainage channel beneath the floor inside the basement. Disclosure: BobVila. You agree that BobVila. All rights reserved. Read all manufacturer guidelines and instructions before applying. This will help prevent water from migrating down the exterior of the foundation and in through the seam.
Exterior waterproofing your home can be a big undertaking, and we recommend hiring a contractor or landscape architect for a consultation if you believe there are serious cracks or deficiencies in your concrete foundation or if you have groundwater pooling around your house. However, there are easy do-it-yourself fixes that you can try before excavating your yard! One last thing you may want to consider adding to your basement waterproofing system is a sump pump. If your house is located on a high water table, some basement flooding may be inevitable during heavy rainstorms.
A sump pump can either be above or below submersed into your basement floor, and pumps out and discharges water from inside to outside. How to Waterproof Your Basement in 5 Steps. Comments: 3. Here are some of the more common reasons why you may end up with a wet basement: Cracks in your house's foundation are a surefire way for water to seep in through your basement walls and floors. Inadequate drainage is a major cause of a wet basement. Improper drainage can be the result of a poor drainage system, improperly installed or clogged gutters, or even sloping around your home.
Before You Begin Before you begin waterproofing basement walls, you want to know where your water is coming from. Step 1: Clean the Area First you'll want to clean up the areas you'll be waterproofing.
Step 4: Seal Openings Use caulk to seal doors, windows, and window wells. Step 5: Apply Waterproof Coating After your holes and cracks are sealed, use a waterproof coating on your basement surfaces.
Related Products. G-Force 5 in. Ergo Grip Margin Trowel. Big Stretch Acrylic Caulk, Clear, That water will leave hundreds and thousands of little fine pores throughout the concrete no bigger than a piece of hair. Failure to seal your concrete floor before installing a wooden floor, or even carpet, could lead to moisture seeping through the concrete below which will cause the carpet or wood to dampen and eventually rot.
This will then lead to mold and mildew issues down the road. Properly sealing your concrete floor will block off cracks, and holes, trapping the moisture from rising from the ground. Before you apply a concrete seal, it is recommended that you first test to see if your floor is damp. To test for moisture, take a square inch by inch sheet of clear plastic and completely tape down all four sides to the floor.
Do not put this anywhere that there will be excessive heat or direct sunlight to the plastic. Wait 24 hours and then peel the plastic off the floor if you see any dark patches of concrete where the plastic sheet was sitting then this would indicate that the concrete is too wet, and you should not apply the seal at this time. Before you can seal the floor, you need to make sure that the concrete is dry.
Luckily there are a few things that you can do to help speed up the dry time. One of the best options is to use a dehumidifier along with a floor fan. The dehumidifier will help draw out the water from the concrete while the fan circulates the air and speeds up the evaporation process.
Alternatively, you could use a heater to help warm the room, which will help dry the floor. If you do use a heater, you will want to make sure also to use a fan to move the warm air around, and that your room is properly ventilated, so the moist air has a place to escape. Otherwise, once the warm air starts to cool the water vapor will condensate and turn back into a liquid.
Continue to dry the floor until your dryness test using a clear square of plastic taped to the ground remains dry overnight. Waiting for concrete to dry is almost as fun as waiting for paint to dry. To determine how long it will take to dry a damp concrete floor depends on a few different things.
For example, did the concrete just get poured? Has there been a lot of rain lately?
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