Waterproofing

Water can affect your basement in two forms, either as a vapour or as a liquid. Water, as a liquid, does not always mean that you will see glaring evidence of water. The basement structure can retain a high moisture content prior to water becoming evident. The damage, which is happening, is slow, subtle and detrimental to your basement. This high moisture content is decaying the building.

• Condition of the walls.
• Layout of the structure and evirons.
• The method that most suits you.

   

   

External Waterproofing

Externally we keep the water from entering into the structure below grade. Some builders, but not all, are now installing the latest in waterproofing. Not everybody wants to add, approximately, less than 1% to the cost of your new home. However, this small investment should add years of stress free enjoyment of your investment. As a repair, for an existing problem, the following happens.

• Trench the area to the depth of the footing.
• Clean, repair where necessary, and prepare the wall for the next step.
• Apply foundation coating.
• Install drainage board.
• Prior to connecting the new weeping tile, check the condition of the existing tile. It may require a pressure flush to ensure it will work properly.
• Install new weeping tile.
• Fill above the weeping tile with gravel. (1 cubic foot per linear foot)
• Back fill, tamping approximately every foot.

Internal Waterproofing

Internally we are redirecting the water and thus not letting it remain standing in the structure of your basement. Remembering that we want to keep the structure, not just the living space, as dry as possible, we put the weeping tile beside the footer. You can keep the basement dry with a drain installed on top of the footer, or even with a “baseboard” system. However, using these last two methods, the footer is permanently high in moisture. This means that over time it will begin to crumble and start to disintegrate, impinging on the integrity of the complete building.  As a repair, for an existing problem, the following happens.

• Trench the floor slab.
• Install a sump pump and connect new weeping tile to it. Connecting the weeping tile to a floor drain is possible, but generally not advised, in some instances.
• If the walls are made with “block” drill holes into the hollows.
• Install low-level drainage board.
• Install weeping tile.
• Install a layer of gravel.
• Refinish the floor.

Whichever method you decide to use, get it done professionally as a job done properly protects your investment and should give you peace of mind in the form of a 20 year warranty.