Do You Experience Foundation Waterproofing Issues?

There are two types of foundation waterproofing: interior and external. Due to the effort and cost involved, the home’s interior receives the majority of waterproofing work. Installation of interior footer drain tiles, a sump pump crock, and a pump is typically required for interior waterproofing. To accomplish this, the concrete around the home’s perimeter is broken about a foot from the wall, and a trench measuring about 14 inches deep is dug to the footer level, where the drain tile is installed. Large-scale and typically expensive, this task.

Footer drain tiles, typically connected to the home’s interior sump pump through the wall, are also installed as part of the outside waterproofing process. However, doing this at the footer level necessitates excavating a trench 4 feet wide and 8 feet deep around the house. Plants, patios, sidewalks, etc., which need to be removed first, frequently make this problematic. 

This is typically only done as a last resort because it requires a lot of work, is pricey, and is expensive. Surface waterproofing is significantly more affordable and can be used to keep water from getting into the walls, but it won’t handle any hydrostatic pressure that may be present.

The installation of footer drain tiles that discharge into a sump crock, where a sump pump, in turn, pushes it outside into the downspout discharge line, releases hydrostatic pressure caused by a high or fluctuating water table. The most popular water proofing basement method is installing inside drain tiles. Sometimes, a sump pump is sufficient to relieve the hydrostatic pressure if the water is concentrated predominantly on one side or close to a corner.

However, it releases the water pressure and frequently prevents it from reaching the above walls, resulting in a dry basement. This approach does not waterproof the foundation, which can only be done by opening the outer walls down to the footer level and adding a waterproof membrane.

Excavating a trench around the house’s exterior to get to the footer drains is essential to waterproof your basement foundation effectively. A footer drain is a perimeter pipe made of perforated plastic that transports extra groundwater to a storm drain or another place.

Ensuring that the appropriate backfill is present above the footer drains is almost as crucial as ensuring that they are functional. The foundation of many older homes is surrounded by a clay-like substance that prevents excess water from draining to the footer pipes and away from the house. As a result of the water’s saturation of the clay, your basement walls are damaged by hydrostatic pressure.

Your waterproofing contractor must backfill the trenches with limestone aggregate to ensure adequate drainage and dig down to repair your footer drains. You can ensure that your property will be shielded against floods and water damage for many years to come by keeping your basement foundation waterproofing in good condition.

Even though you may not be able to see your home’s outside foundation, there are a few signs you can check for that will let you know if you have possible waterproofing issues. Basement foundation waterproofing may be necessary if there are cracks, mold, mildew, and other damages to the interior of your basement walls, which signal that too much water is pressing on the exterior of your property.