Spring brings so many wonderful things with it, warm weather, green grass, and the smell of flowers in the air. Unfortunately, spring also brings some unwanted things, like rain. For many homeowners, rain is more than just a mild annoyance. The rain can leave many basements and crawlspaces wet. Wet basements and crawlspaces can cause mold, ruin belongings, and make your basement unusable. The good news is there are a lot of solutions to this problem.
Exterior foundation waterproofing
Exterior waterproofing stops water from ever entering in your basement or crawl space. A trench is dug around the home, all the way down to the footing. Then, a waterproofing membrane should be placed onto your foundation wall. The most important part of exterior waterproofing is the drainage tile that is placed inside of the trench. The drainage tile should be placed on top of, or right next to the footing of the home. During times like now of heavy rainfall, a single drain tile may not be enough. Installing multiple drain tiles is always the best method to keep your home dry. The trench is then filled back in with gravel and a layer of top soil. Gravel is used because water flows through it easily, allowing it to reach your drainage tile. In some cases of excessive amounts of water enter in, an exterior sump pump may be recommended as an addition to help ensure water never gets into your home.
3 steps of exterior waterproofing
1.Excavating a trench around the home.
2. Installing a waterproofing membrane onto the foundation walls.
3. Installing a drainage tile around the footing on the home.
Interior Waterproofing
Interior waterproofing can be a great option for managing the water in your basement or crawlspace, and keeping it dry. A trench is created around the interior foundation walls. The trench will be filled with gravel and perforated pipe, which allows water to flow. The drain will lead to a sump pump pit, which redirects the water outside of your home. The key to this system is placing the trench at the bottom of the footer. If the drain is placed too high, water will saturate the concrete before the sump pump can redirect it.
3 major steps of Interior waterproofing.
1. Create a trench around the interior walls.
2.Install a sump pump.
3.Sump pump redirects water outside of your home.
Tips for keeping your home dry
Clean your gutters: Something as basic as keeping your gutter clean can keep water away from your foundation. Overflowing gutters can cause water to pour out near your foundation walls.
Yard grading: Go outside and stand back away from your home. Does your yard slope up towards your house? Or does it slope down, towards your house? If your yard slopes down, towards your house, then water is going to be flowing down towards your house. Regrading your yard to get rid of that downward slope can prevent water from pushing on your foundation.