Basement waterproofing inside or outside

Basement waterproofing inside or outside

If you are wondering whether you should do your basement waterproofing inside or outside there are many things to consider.  I often visit homes where people have occasional leaks in their basement only under very heavy or unusual weather.  These people tell me it can take a very long time before the water starts to seep into the basement and then after the weather passes it can continue to leak in for a while longer.  Then I talk to people who within a few minutes of almost any rain or snow melt  they see water coming into their basement.

These two scenarios typically depict two different types of problems and can be one way to know if you should lean towards inside or outside waterproofing.  There are two types of water that can enter your basement; surface water from rain and snow melts, and ground water that builds up underneath.

If you have a surface water problem you will see wet basement walls that start around grade or the dirt level outside of your home.  If you have a negative slope towards your home from a driveway, patio, sidewalk or even sunken soil, that rain and snow will naturally run towards the home and can wear down the original seal to your basement walls causing dampness and cracks.  It may be that you have taken care of all of these problems but still have chronic wet basement walls with paint peeling, mold and musty smell etc…  This means the seal to the foundation outside is not working any longer and that water is getting into your walls. In this case waterproofing your basement from the outside will stop the water from getting to your foundation and will preserve it from further damage.  It is possible to install an interior system and give you a dry space, but the condition is not stopped.

If you are experiencing the other scenario where the water comes in only along the floor at the base of the wall after prolonged weather, and your walls are mostly if not all dry, you are experiencing ground water build up under your foundation that has no where else to go but through the seams where the basement floor meets the walls.  In this case an interior basement waterproofing system will catch the water before it builds up and drain it away from your home, often this system is called a hydrostatic relief system because it eliminates the pressure that pushes the water in through those wall floor seams.  Waterproofing the outside in this case will not get the water that is building up under your floor and you would still have seepage under those heavy conditions.

Many times we see homes that in the best case scenario we are waterproofing inside and outside to some degree / combination to best solve the causes and problems that are present for the best possible results.

Contact us today for a free no gimmicks / no sales pressure consultation and determine if you should do your basement waterproofing inside or outside

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