The 9 Best Basement Waterproofing Methods

Water damage in the basement can be prevented with the best basement waterproofing method. Here are 9 methods a basement waterproofing company may use.

Water damage costs Americans $3 billion dollars a year. It is the number one cause of damage to most homes and businesses.

In many homes, the basement holds large, expensive appliances. You can protect your appliances by using the best basement waterproofing methods.

No matter where you are, basement flooding can be a big problem. Even if your basement has never flooded. A basement can flood based on many causes.

Best Basement Waterproofing Techniques

There are many ways to minimize basement flooding. Even taking precautions won’t protect you completely. If your basement floods, you will need to waterproof it.

Here are 9 of the best ways to go about waterproofing your basement:

1. Interior Waterproofing

Focusing waterproofing efforts on the inside of a basement is a common practice. This technique is used when water has already flooded a basement.

Older basements that were waterproofed can still leak. The breakdown of the waterproofing can expose your basement to water. Interior waterproofing is done inside your basement and can prevent water from pouring in.

2. Exterior Waterproofing

Exterior waterproofing is an expensive venture. Exterior waterproofing involves digging out a home’s foundation. Waterproofing can then be applied to the exterior walls of a basement.

Exterior waterproofing is often done when a home is built. Over time the exterior wall is exposed to large amounts of moisture. Waterproofing can fail with age and foundations can develop cracks.

Exterior waterproofing is the most effective form if the cost is not factored. It is not always feasible, especially if you live in an urban setting. Moving heavy equipment into your yard can damage it as well.

3. Install a Floor Drain

Installing a drain can be one of the easiest ways to waterproof a basement. Installing a drain will keep standing water out of your basement.

Having a drain installed isn’t true waterproofing. It will keep standing water from remaining in your basement. Enough water leaking into the basement can overwhelm a drain.

Many drains have sump pumps installed. This helps push the water out of the drain and makes it harder to overwhelm.

4. Mortar Cracks and Splits in the Foundation

As our homes age, the foundations often crack. Foundation cracking happens when the ground around a house settles. It can also happen when moisture from the ground creates greater pressure against basement walls.

Using mortar to fill those cracks will keep water away. This method is perhaps the most common DIY way of waterproofing. Most professional waterproofing services do not use mortar by itself to waterproof.

5. Clay Around the Foundation

This approach is a classic way of waterproofing foundations. It is done by drilling holes near the foundation. Clay is then poured into the holes to create a seal around cracks.

Pouring clay into the ground around foundation cracks can seal them. This was one of the primary methods used decades ago. It is still used in some areas and works well.

It can be difficult to fully stop water leaking with this method. The more clay waterproofing takes, the more expensive this technique becomes.

6. Epoxy Waterproofing

Epoxy waterproofing is an interior waterproofing method. It involves using a chemical resin or epoxy to seal walls. This method can work well if the cracks are not too large or too small.

Epoxy can act as a fairly long-lasting band-aid to your leaky basement. Used alone, Epoxy is best used if you don’t have extensive flooding.

If there are only a couple of cracks in your foundation, this might be a cost-effective way to waterproof.

7. Rubber Sealants

Professional waterproofing often involves rubber sealants. These chemicals, when applied correctly by a professional, are among the best basement waterproofing methods.

Rubber sealants are liquid-based sealants that are applied to the walls of a basement. Sealants can be used to cover all the walls. This can create a strong, durable waterproof barrier for your basement.

Using sealants can be difficult and dangerous for the untrained. Using a professional service like ACME Waterproofing ensures that sealants are applied correctly and safely.

8. French Drain

Often called an exterior drain, French frains are an ancient technique to keep out water. A classical French drain is a trench filled with rocks and a pipe. The pipe has holes that allow water to pass.

This method works by draining water away from the foundation of your home. It can prevent both ground level and basement flooding. French drains do require space around your house.

While French drains have been used for centuries to protect foundations and basements, they are not without flaws. French drains should be used as part of a waterproofing strategy.

9. Slope the Ground Away from the Foundation

As our homes age, the ground around the foundation settles. This can create problems even if there were none to begin with. This method does not involve digging the basement out and so is less expensive.

Using dirt and other materials to build up the ground around the foundation creates a natural slope. When done correctly, this slope will cause water to flow away from the foundation.

Standing water around a home is one of the most common causes of flooding. Having your yard properly graded can keep the water from pouring into your basement.

Depending on where you live the cost and feasibility of grading your yard varies. Doing this yourself can be difficult and can require using rented heavy equipment.

Professional Waterproofing

Companies that waterproof professionally often use a combination of techniques. The best basement waterproofing is often a multi-layered approach.

Water damage does more than just destroy appliances. Water can damage a foundation, and even poses significant health risks. Do not wait until an even more expensive repair is needed.

If you are in New Jersey, ACME Waterproofing can help you. The sooner you waterproof your basement, the less likely you are to experience costly problems.

Contact us at ACME Waterproofing for a free consultation. Trying to take on the stress and work of waterproofing a basement without professional help can be daunting.