After a long, cold winter and the yearly precipitation we face in Northeast Ohio, basements can take a lot of water if they are not properly waterproofed. Doing the waterproofing yourself is NOT advisable and it could be harmful and costly in the long run. Having a company that is trusted and locally situated do the work for you can save you money and headaches. We are a company that has been in this business for a long time and our reputation precedes us. Call us with your basement problems; you will be happy you did.
The Differences Between Damp-Proofing Vs. Waterproofing Your Basement
When you hear the terms “damp-proofing” and “waterproofing” regarding your home’s basement and foundation, is there a difference? What do these terms mean?
There are differences – and the differences are significant if you want to keep water out of your basement.
Foundation damp-proofing is generally done during the construction phase to meet minimal building code standards. Damp-proofing makes use of a moisture-resistant material consisting of hot liquid asphalt and rubber coating with an insulating panel. The problem is that although damp-proofing is moisture resistant, it is not complete protection from water. Damp-proofing is only applied internally and water can still pass through the foundation externally.
Foundation waterproofing, on the other hand, will stop water seepage caused by hydrostatic pressure – which is the rising and falling of ground water under the concrete, making water penetrate the basement slab. Foundation waterproofing systems are applied externally so that water is prevented from penetrating through the foundation.
Top tips to optimally use conventional waterproofing techniques
Waterproofing of building to prevent the ingress of water is an activity, which, perhaps is practiced in one form or the other, ever since the first building was built on earth. The methodology has been changing with the changes in the architectural designs and with the availability different building materials in construction.
In the initial stages when stone was the main building construction material placed in position with mud or lime mortar the emphasis used to be to make the construction in such a way that the rainwater does not collect on the roofs. Hence old architecture relied mainly on dome structures or slanting roofs. The slow speed of such construction and unaffordability of common man to build such structures for their own dwelling, made constant evolution and development in the construction material technology.
With these developments the concepts of waterproofing also changed. Now in present day construction wherein the ordinary portland cement and its blends with puzzolonic and slag materials has come to stay a lot of compatible alternatives are available for a builder to choose from various waterproofing systems.
Consultant says wet basements are an issue in southeast Michigan
No matter what, no matter where in southeast Michigan, people are plagued with wet basements.
Ronald Gay of Pontiac-based Wet Basement Consultants brought his more than 25 years of consulting experience on the topic to the Garden City Public Library.
Since the mid-1980s, Gay has advised people about basement and seepage problems, becoming an expert in the field.
“I have inspected 2,000 homes during my career,” said Gay. “I have found that, more often than not, solutions to wet basement and water seepage problems are best handled with common sense approaches to exterior maintenance and design. The problems are the same no matter where the house is located.”
Gay is also the author of 5 Steps to a Dry Basement or Crawl Space.
Gay said that he comes from a construction family. He became a home inspector in the mid-’80s and stopped doing home inspections in 1999 when he saw a need to become a professional devoted to solving the problems of wet basements.
“Every house has a unique structure,” Gay said. Sewer lines and plumbing, groundwater coming up from the ground and surface water can present issues. Gutters and downspouts aren’t permanent.
