Basement Waterproofing: Best Companies, Contractors & Products
How To Waterproof Your Basement
If you’re the owner of an older home or poorly constructed new home, you may discover that the exterior drainage system on your property has become nonfunctional and needs repairs. These basement waterproofing systems usually consist of footer drain tiles that surround the exterior of your basement and move excess water away from the home foundation before it pushes against your walls and causes damage.
Basement flooding and water damage problems are usually caused by a phenomenon called hydrostatic pressure. When the soil around your home becomes saturated with water, it presses slowly and steadily against your basement walls and even the floor. Over time, this water pressure can cause cracks in your walls and floor, and flooding and water damage can occur. Products for waterproofing basement walls can help you keep excess water away from your foundation and solve the problem of a flooded basement effectively.
Costs and Types
Basement waterproofing costs usually aren’t as expensive as many people think they will be, although a lot of this has to do with the age of your home, how large your foundation is, and what kind of repair your footer drains are in. Typically, there are two types of options you will have: interior basement waterproofing and exterior basement waterproofing. Usually, interior waterproofing involves minimizing damage from water that isn’t stopped by the foundation drainage system. Exterior, on the other hand, lets you get rid of flood water before it enters your basement in the first place.
Some popular interior basement waterproofing products basement waterproofing paint and other materials that hide flooding and water damage that has already occurred. Unfortunately, while interior basement waterproofing is usually less expensive than exterior, it simply isn’t as effective when it comes to protecting your home from excess water damage, dampness and mold. Remember: interior basement waterproofing simply hides problems you already have, while exterior waterproofing stops the problems from happening in the first place.
Exterior basement waterproofing almost always means that at least some excavation is required in order for workers to get at your footer drain system. Footer drains are perforated pipes the line the exterior of your foundation and move excess floodwater away to a safer location (sometimes a culvert, storm sewer or ditch). If you ever have work done to your home that involves footer drain work, it is best to have the basement waterproofing company install a sump crock on one corner of the home so that the drains can be easily accessed for future cleaning.
If your basement footer drains are serviceable, then the waterproofing company will likely leave them intact and clean them out with a high-pressure water jetting system. This high-tech specialized equipment uses high-pressure water to blast out obstructions from your drains, and is considerably more powerful than a drain snake. The high-pressure water jet is really the only proper way to clean out footer drains, and it can even go around corners, so usually it only requires one corner of your home to be excavated.
If you’re thinking of avoiding the costs of hiring a professional company and instead trying some do-it-yourself basement waterproofing, then it might be wise to reconsider. Unless you are a trained professional, you should never try to perform diy basement waterproofing on your own. While filling internal cracks and getting rid of wet or damp basement wall mold and mildew may be simple, issues involving excavation and removal of footer drains is best left up to the professionals. In addition to the possibility of injuring yourself, the chances that you will incur significant repair costs from damaging your home with d.i.y. projects are just too risky.
Finding a competent, professional basement waterproofing company that charges fair prices isn’t as difficult as you might think it will be. First, plan on getting quotes from several companies before settling on anyone. Even smaller towns usually have more than one waterproofing company to choose from, and unless it’s an emergency, you should take your time to identify the cheapest provider. DIY Basement waterproofing costs, like many things, can vary widely.
As for free estimates, you should never deal with a company that doesn’t offer them. It’s the standard in the industry to offer free estimates on all basement waterproofing services, so you should be automatically suspicious of anyone who charges to estimate what it might cost to repair your exterior drainage system. If a company wants to charge for an estimate, then the odds are that they will be more likely to charge too much for the actual waterproofing work itself.
You should keep in mind that while modern equipment and supplies may allow contractors to perform their jobs more efficiently and with fewer mistakes, the most important factor in a project’s success is the people involved. New drain cameras allow workers to look inside of footer drains without excavating; high-tech excavators allow us to dig large amounts of soil quickly; and advanced basement waterproofing membranes and sealants let us block water from flooding your property. But if you don’t choose a competent and professional company to use the equipment and supplies, your new basement waterproofing project will be unsuccessful regardless.
The Proper Types of Backfill
It’s also important to be aware of the best types of backfill that should be used in home foundation projects. Your dry basement waterproofing company should backfill any trenches that are dug around your house with #57 limestone gravel. These types of basement waterproofing materials allow for the best possible drainage when the soil around your home becomes saturated with rain water, and alleviates pressure on your basement walls. Excess water will easily be able to filter down through the limestone gravel and into the newly installed perforated footer drain tiles. Once in the footer drains, the water will be channeled away from the basement and into a storm sewer or other location.
Make sure that your company does not backfill with clay, slag or fill dirt, which will not provide for adequate drainage. These types of materials are prone to simply soaking up or becoming saturated with water, which will cause pressure on your basement walls that will lead to cracking, wetness and dampness, mold, mildew and flooding.
Most homeowners don’t realize that hydrostatic pressure from soil saturated with water can actually push upwards on your basement floor as well as on your basement walls. In some extreme cases, basement floor waterproofing is also in order, which requires the same kind of perforated drain pipe tile to be installed beneath your foundation floor. Just as with pressure on basement walls, improperly waterproofed floors can become cracked and prone to flooding. Be sure to ask your company about waterproofing basement floors as well as your walls to ensure that your entire property is protected against flooding.
Surface Grading For Basement Waterproofing Projects
Optional: gravel, aluminum window parapet
When regrading around foundations, make sure there is a slight sloping away from the house at least 8 feet from the wall. Keep a straight 2′ x 4′ x 8´ board and a level handy to maintain an even
slope. If raising the grade is necessary to maintain the proper slope, be sure to consider the area around the basement windows.
An attractive and functional way to protect the windows is with an aluminum parapet. They can be purchased pre-shaped, or you can just bend a piece of corrugated roofing.
Put in a good layer of gravel around the window to drain any water that gets into the well. Then have the topsoil graded to within an inch of the top of the aluminum.
About Footer Drains
The main tool that is used to waterproof basements is the perforated footer drain tile or pipe. This pipe is laid around the perimeter of your home, and is perforated with small holes that are commonly placed facing down. When excess groundwater reaches the aggregate backfill material surrounding your foundation, it filters down though the gravel, enters the perforated footer drain, and is moved away from the home.
In the earlier part of last century, footer drains were constructed using clay tiles. This material was fine at the time, but over the decades these clay footer drains inevitably become clogged with sediment and broken. In this case, the clay footer drains become completely non-functional and need to be excavated and replaced.
Today, footer drain tiles are constructed of much more durable plastic PVC pipe that lasts longer and is easier to clean out. If basement waterproofers are installing new footer drains around a foundation, they will also likely install a sump crock that will allow them to clean out the footer drains in the future without having to excavate.
Why High Pressure Water Jets Are Best
One commonly misunderstood concept when it comes to cleaning out exterior foundation footer drains is that it’s actually not possible to properly clean them using a drain snake. Many new home owners assume that they will be able to call their local plumber and have their footer drains “snaked out” in order to waterproof their basement. Wrong! Footer drain tiles are not only too wide for a regular drain snake, but they are often blocked by massive amounts of dirt, soil and sediment. Additionally, they turn all the way around your home, which makes them too long and have too many right angles for a snake to properly do the job.
Instead, companies use a tool called a high-pressure water jetting system to blast obstructions out of your footer drains and make them look like new again. Water jets actually blast the sediment backwards out of the drain, so that it does not just re-accumulate in another location.
The high-pressure water jet needs to be operated by a trained professional and is a heavy piece of equipment that is usually towed behind a truck, so it costs significantly more to use than the simple drain snake. Still, if you want to clean out your footer drains the right way, you can’t avoid a water jet. And if used properly, they are quiet and safe enough to utilize even inside of your own home or business.
About Basement Water Seepage And Flooding
Wetness that results from no obvious visible source is probably caused by seepage. To make sure, perform this test: Take a 12-inch piece of aluminum foil and tape it securely to the basement wall in a spot where you have noticed dampness in the past. Be sure the tape seals all four edges. Wait a few days, then inspect the foil.
If the top is dry but the surface against the wall is wet you have a seepage problem. If the top is wet and the surface against the wall is dry, your problem is excessive moisture in the air causing condensation.
If the cold water pipes are wet, you will know right away that condensation is causing some of the problem. There may be wetness on both sides of the foil, telling you that the problem is a combination of seepage and condensation.
Either problem is minor compared to leakage and can generally be dealt with successfully without resorting to excavation. It is a good idea, through, to check the grade and inspect the gutters and downspouts first.
Using Sump Pumps
Sump pumps are a popular option for homeowners who experience regular heavy flooding, but it’s important to remember that interior sump pumps merely help alleviate the effects of a serious problem, rather than solving the problem. There are many different types of sump pumps, but they all have the same basic function: to pump flood water out of your basement at deposit it outside of your home.
Most sump pumps are electric operated with a battery backup in case the power goes out in a serious thunderstorm. Even with the backup battery, however, these pumps are not infallible. Homeowners in very rainy areas sometimes install two or more backup battery sump pumps just in case one of them fails when they are needed most.
Water-powered sump pumps and purely battery-powered sump pumps also exist, but are less commonly used. The pump itself is a smallish unit that is usually placed in an excavated hole in the floor called a sump pit or crock. Excess water collects in this pit and the pump turns on to remove the water when it reaches a certain level.
More and more often, companies are starting to mention sump crocks outside of the home foundation when they describe how to waterproof a basement and collect excess water before it enters the home. If you are starting a waterproofing project that will include sump pumps, be sure to ask your contractor if installing an outside sump pit might be a wise decision for your property.
How To Install A Sump Pump In Your Basement
Materials needed: pick, shovel, cement, sump pump, hardware cloth
First, patch any cracks and fill in any spaces at the wall-floor joint as explained earlier in the section on patching cracks. In a basement used for utility space only, a mild seepage problem
can be dealt with most easily by installing an interior drainage system.
Determine the low point around the edge of the floor. With a pick, dig out a hole three feet deep by 24 inches in diameter. Line the sides and bottom with heavy chicken wire or hardware cloth and finish with a 1-inch coat of cement. Make sure the bottom is troweled flat.
At the high point in the floor, begin to chip out a groove along the edge of the wall and run it along the walls to the sump. Finish the groove with fresh cement and smooth it out with the bottom
edge of a bottle. Keep a level handy to make sure the pitch is toward the sump.
Install the sump pump and adjust the floats to automatically turn on the pump when the water reaches a height 12 inches below floor level. The hose can be run out through a window to the surface and drained at least 10 feet from the house.
An exterior drainage system can be connected to an interior sump pump by running a piece of drain tile under the footing to the sump. This is particularly useful if the house is on a level spot and there is no storm sewer or dry well to handle the runoff. Connect the drain tile to the upper part of the sump and adjust the float to turn the pump on when the water reaches a height just below the tile.
A Quick How-To For DIY Basement Waterproofing For Your Walls
Materials needed: wire brush, muriatic acid or etching product, portable work lamp, waterproofing paint or silicone spray, stiff short bristle brush, face mask
To use the basement for living space, you will want a more aesthetic solution than gutters and sump pumps. First you must pay close attention to the walls. They must be thoroughly cleaned. This cannot be emphasized enough. Remove any loose or broken pieces or mortar. Use a wire brush to remove dirt, dust and other crusted material. Inspect the surface carefully, especially in the lower portion of the wall. Soluble salts in the ground water can crystallize on the interior surface as the seepage evaporates into the basement. These light-colored salt deposits must be removed before any wall treatment can be applied.
A weak muriatic acid solution (one part acid to four parts water) or a commercially prepared etching product must be used to remove the salt deposits. CAUTION: Eye and hand protection must be worn. Avoid splattering, because the acid will damage clothing.
Surface preparation can be a painstaking process. Keep in mind that the water will find the one weak spot in the wall if you give it a chance. The main reason for cleaning is that the waterproofing treatments work by soaking into the wall surface. If the wall is clogged with dirt or other deposits, the waterproofing will be unable to penetrate and will be ineffective in stopping the moisture. It will stay on the surface rather than soak into it.
After cleaning, use a portable work lamp and inspect the walls closely. Hairline cracks should be enlarged and patched with hydraulic cement. The area around pipes, wire, and conduits that pass
through the walls should be patched with cement if necessary. Also inspect around window frames, floor-post footings, and doorways. Cement any places that even look weak.
Now the waterproofing can be applied. There are three types of products on the market: silicone sprays, powdered cement-base paints, and premixed cement-base paints. All operate on the principle of soaking into the wall to form a stronger barrier than a plain surface coating.
The silicones have been on the market only recently and their effectiveness has not been widely reported as yet. Purchase a brand recommended for interior use. Do not use a cement-base paint on a wall that has been treated with silicone. While the spray is easier to apply, the paints have the added feature of providing color to the basement walls. Your choice of products will depend on how the space will be used.
The paints have a much thicker consistency than latex or oil-base paints and must be applied with a stiff, short bristle brush. Standard bristle brushes do not work well with cement-base paints.
CAUTION: Proper ventilation must be maintained when using any of these products. Inhalation of the solvent vapors can be extremely dangerous. Use of a face mask is highly recommended.
Paints can be purchased in powdered or premixed form and are available in a variety of colors and some can be painted over. The premixed paints can be tinted as well. In tests conducted by a well known independent research laboratory, it was determined that the premixed paints produce a better moisture barrier than the powdered paints.
After applying the first gallon, measure the area covered. It should be within the manufacturer’s recommended coverage of square feet per gallon. If it is more, than you are applying it too thin.
Paint a first coat on the lower portion of the wall where seepage is most serious. Be sure to work the paint into the wall with the stiff bristle brush.
Let it dry for 24 hours before applying a second coat to the entire wall. After this dries, inspect the wall carefully with a portable work lamp and touch up any open pores and pin holes. It must be emphasized that applying cement-base paint is tiresome arm-weary work and not recommended for the weak of hand or heart. It should present no problem, however, for the average do-it- yourselfer.
Small drops of water may appear on the surface after a few days. Repeat the aluminum foil test to determine whether the cause is condensation. If mild seepage persists, another coat of paint may be applied. Premixed paint works best when applied to a warm (more than 50°F), dry surface. Plan your work accordingly. Powdered paints must be applied to a wet surface. After preparing the wall, soak it with water before painting.
Wetness caused by capillary action can be prevented using the same procedures as for seepage problems. Capillary action is sometimes referred to as “wick action” and describes that behavior of a liquid which soaks upward into a porous material, like water into a sponge or kerosene up the wick of a lamp. Use paints on the walls and a concrete floor sealer to prevent water from entering the basement by capillary action.
Damages Caused By Faulty Basement Waterproofing
Ignoring a faulty exterior foundation drainage system can be a dangerous and costly thing to do. I’m sure that you’ve seen at least minimal examples of what kind of damages can result from bad work: damp or wet basement walls, mold, mildew, cracks in the walls and floors, and in very extreme cases, the eventual collapse of your walls. The effects of hydrostatic water pressure can really mount up over the years, and even a small indication of problems in the inside of your walls can mean that there are much bigger damages to come.
The most unexpected and severe problem that can affect a homeowner is a flood on your property following a heavy rain. This happens often, and it’s why contractors get a glut of phone calls right after a thunderstorm. Your basement may hold up just fine in normal conditions, but if your are is hit with a huge amount of precipitation, then it could easily result in an unexpected flood that ruins property and requires a lot of cleanup.
The more subtle, slow-acting damages can actually end up costing you even more to repair if you let them get out of hand. Like I said, hydrostatic pressure is constantly pressing against your basement walls and up against the floor. Tiny hair-line cracks can begin to form, and moisture can actually seep through block walls like a sponge. This eventually leads to the growth of mold and mildew, which thrive in cool, dark basements and can severely lower your property value.
A List Of U.S. States/Cities Most Affected By Home Flooding And Water Damage
Obviously, your basement is less likely to be affected by flooding from heavy rains if you live in drier western locations in the United States. In fact, many homes in southwestern states aren’t even built with basements, since the soil is too sandy to allow for safe construction. In these cases, new construction homes are built on a slab rather than a sunk foundation.
The states that have the largest markets for waterproofing basements are mainly in the northeast and Pacific northwest, where high yearly rainfall levels and close proximity to bodies of water make flooding more likely. Below is a list of U.S. states and cities that are most frequently affected by flooding. The higher your state is on the list, the easier it will be for you to find several different companies to get estimates on waterproofing your basement from in your area.
1. Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Pittsburgh)
2. New Jersey (Newark and Jersey City)
3. Massachusetts (Boston and Worcester)
4. Connecticut (Bridgeport and New Haven)
5. Virginia (Virginia Beach and Norfolk)
6. New York (Buffalo and Rochester)
7. Rhode Island (Providence and Warwick)
8. Maine (Portland and Lewiston)
9. Maryland (Baltimore and Columbia)
10. Michigan (Detroit and Grand Rapids)
11. Vermont (Burlington and Essex Junction)
12. Washington (Seattle and Spokane)
13. Oregon (Portland and Salem)
14. California (Los Angeles and San Diego
15. Wisconsin (Milwaukee and Madison)
16. West Virginia (Charleston and Huntington)
17. Mississippi (Jackson and Gulfport)
18. New Hampshire (Manchester and Nashua)
19. Ohio (Cleveland and Columbus)
20. South Carolina (Columbia and Charleston)
21. Louisiana (New Orleans and Baton Rouge)
22. Illinois (Chicago and Aurora)
23. Georgia (Atlanta and Savannah)
24. Florida (Jacksonville and Miami)
25. District of Columbia
26. Delaware (Wilmington and Dover)
27. Hawaii (Honolulu and Hilo)
28. North Carolina (Charlotte and Raleigh)
29. Arkansas (Little Rock and Fort Smith)
30. Indiana (Indianapolis and Fort Wayne)
31. Missouri (Kansas City and Saint Louis)
32. Nebraska (Omaha and Lincoln)
33. Kansas (Wichita and Overland Park)
34. Iowa (Des Moines and Cedar Rapids)
35. Alabama (Birmingham and Montgomery)
36. Tennessee (Memphis and Nashville)
37. Minnesota (Minneapolis and Saint Paul)
38. Kentucky (Lexington-Fayette and Louisville)
39. Idaho (Boise and Nampa)
40. Oklahoma (Tulsa and Norman)
41. Alaska (Anchorage and Juneau)
42. Montana (Billings and Missoula)
43. South Dakota (Sioux Falls and Rapid City)
44. Utah (Salt Lake City and West Valley)
45. Texas (Houston and San Antonio)
46. Wyoming (Cheyenne and Casper)
47. North Dakota (Fargo and Bismarck)
48. New Mexico (Albuquerque and Las Cruces)
49. Nevada (Reno and Las Vegas)
50. Colorado (Denver and Colorado Springs)
51. Arizona (Phoenix and Tucson)
