Without adequate waterproofing of your basement, the walls can impose various issues on the health of your home. The lack of waterproofing can lead to structural damage to the basement area. Since the basement walls have prolonged exposure with underground moisture, it needs to be appropriately protected to avoid dampness.

Moreover, it can lead to issues like the emergence of water puddles or flooding during heavy rain. Also, the damp and humid basement walls are more prone to get damaged at any time. Thus, it is vital to ensure sufficient waterproofing in the basement walls.

Here are some of the dos and don’ts for waterproofing solutions that you need to follow:

Dos to follow for your waterproofing basement walls:

Here are the things that you must check on for waterproofing of your basement walls:

  1. Determine the water source near your basement area:

Concrete materials are porous enough. You can easily spot the wet streaks on your basement wall from where the water keeps coming. Find out the cracks near the moist streaks. Areas that are prone to water cracking are the mortar joints, pipe areas, window corners, or the sewer pipe areas, which are sensitive enough to promote a fissure.

You can merely opt for a condensation test on the walls. Let the wall properly dry using a rag and attach an aluminum foil to the wall using duct tape. After 24 hours, peel off the foil to check if the foil feels wet or not. If it is wet, then this is the area from where the moisture is sneaking inside.

  1. Use hydraulic cement to fill the cracks in the basement area:

The bottom areas of the basement walls are prone to promote cracks. The regular construction procedure follows the process of reinforced steel implantation with a cement foundation. It often promotes the weakening of the walls and creates a cold joint. It leads to the formation of weak areas in the wall’s foundation and develops cracks when lateral pressure is applied from the adjacent soil.

However, you can fix this issue by using hydraulic cement near the base areas.åÊ Hydraulic cement comes with additives, which sets quickly and penetrate deep inside the cracks, and creates a watertight bond.

  1. Opt for applying sealant and membrane:

If you have inspected any cracks on the basement wall, you need to take immediate steps to block them. Consider sealing the areas using a sealant, which goes compatible with the masonry surface of your basement.

On the other hand, a waterproof membrane is going to strengthen the foundation wall and efficiently block the water from outside. The membrane can be moved with proper adjustment if any cracks appear in the future.

Dont’s that needs to be considered for waterproofing your basement:

Like the dos, you need to focus on what you should not do to ensure proper waterproofing of your basement walls. So, let‰Ûªs have a look.

  1. Do not use waterproof paint for curing the leaks:

The concrete walls come with porous surfaces. If you opt for sealing the leaks using waterproof paint, it will only sit on the surface area and leave the pores non-permeated.

Also, it does not ensure proper bonding of the sealing on the wall. As a result, the water is going to leak inside and allow the minerals to build up behind the paints. This mineral build-up hampers the longevity of the paints, and it is merely going to flake out after some months.

  1. Do not leave a single leak:

A small leak may appear initially as a not much significant issue. However, it turns bigger with time. Ignoring a single leak can worsen the situation, which can eventually make the entire structure of your house suffer.

As you overlook a small leak, it becomes more prominent with time. And this switches on the problems like damping of the walls, flooding in the rainy season, and even developing cracks in the surrounding areas.

  1. Do not place your plants too close to your basement foundation:

Planting plants too close to the foundation of your basement wall is going to promote cracking as its root grow. Plants are stronger enough to find their way out for the roots.

Maintain a distance from your basement area while growing a plant in your garden. Make sure you plant the trees slope away from the wall‰Ûªs foundation.

Conclusion

Waterproofing your basement is the best way to ensure that you are taking proper measures for saving your basement area.

Magicrete comes with the best waterproofing solutions for the basement walls, which is essential to strengthening the base of your home. Simultaneously, it gives you an affordable basement repairing service with satisfactory results.

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