HOME BASEMENT SYSTEMS

Many citizens of Pennsylvania worry of the rain forecasts. These are usually caused by their fear of the flooding of their basements. Thus waterproofing of basement is very important for Pennsylvanians. The rainy weather, combined with humidity and high moisture levels at times, contribute to wet and leaking basements problems.

Basements are usually about 1/3 of the total floor area of houses. Basements are used as den, home theater area, and most often times as a storage area. Thus in Pennsylvania, where the frequency of rainfall is high, waterproofing of basements is important. For some families, having a basement is considered as a luxury. But coupled with this luxury, is an obligation to maintain the basement in good condition.

A well-maintained basement also adds value to the house, due to added usable area and beauty. Usually maintenance and repair costs are adequately compensated by the advantages of having a functioning basement.

There are many problems in maintaining a basement in Pennsylvania’s wet weather. Moisture due to high humidity aggravates woes in maintaining basement. This wet weather is sometimes due to melting of snow that cause frequent flooding. This situation is a big challenge to Pennsylvania basement waterproofing companies, and for the individual home owners who want to do basement waterproofing themselves.

Exterior walls of basement gradually deteriorate due to high water content of the soils near basement walls. Waterproofing compounds applied on the exterior of basement walls and floors might have deteriorated due to dampness of the surroundings. This necessitates a superior quality waterproofing compound has to be applied on the interior of the basement walls.

Existing basements that have leaking problems need several corrective measures. Wrong placements of roof downspouts near the basement walls might contribute largely to basement flooding. In these cases, these downspouts must be drained farther away from basements walls. And also, slopes of the surrounding grounds might cause the flow of rain and flood waters toward the walls of the basement. Making these surrounding grounds near the basement walls higher will help a lot in minimizing basement flooding. Constructing a drainage system around the basement walls will also be a great help in making basement walls and floors dry. And finally, basement interior drainage system, coupled with a sump pump, will free us of basement worries, even if the exterior corrective measures are overcome by unexpected grave weather conditions.

Sometimes, common sense and some simple corrective measures will save us from a lot of basement woes- and let us enjoy the comfort of our basements.

Home basement, being below street level areas, are susceptible to water flooding due to seepage of drainage water. Thus, homeowners must have an effective basement waterproofing system to prevent this from happening.

There are three kinds of commercial basement waterproofing systems:

1.TANKING- this is done by water sealing of the walls of the basement, to prevent seepage of water from higher levels. This is usually done during the construction of the house. Bonding or waterproofing materials are applied on the basement walls and floors to make them water proof.

2.CAVITY DRAINAGE SYSTEM- this can be done even after the house construction is finished. A plastic based membrane is laid on the walls and flooring of the basement. This will prevent seepage of drain water from the outside of the basement. Furthermore, the floors are slanted so that all the unwanted water inside the basement will gravitate toward a drain, leading to a sump pump, which will eventually pump the water out of the basement. But the disadvantage of this system is if and when the sump pump has an electrical or mechanical break-down. This will give you a dirty pond inside your house.

3.EXTERIOR FOUNDATION DRAIN- this is done by constructing a drainage system outside the basement walls, which removes ground water outside the basement. This system is ideal for those areas with frequent heavy rains.

Of the three systems, tanking and exterior drain systems are frequently recommended by commercial waterproofing companies.

Aside from the commercial basement waterproofing systems, homeowners can use a simple do-it-yourself system. This done by looking for the areas that causes the flooding of your basement. These are usually the low level areas near your basement walls. Fill these areas with concrete mix. Check gutters and downspouts for debris clogging it, especially those within 8 feet from the basement walls. Clear them and if possible redirect there water flow away from the wall. Hydrostatic pressures caused by the water saturated soils forces water to enter thru the cracks where the basement walls and floors meet. This could be prevented by applying sealants on these problem areas.

Basement has many uses and advantages, but coupled with these are risks and obligations of maintenance by the home owner. Poorly maintained basement can result in having a pool of dirty stagnant water. This can become a breeding place for diseases carrying insects and microorganism, which can cause harm on the health of the home occupants, as well as those living in the vicinity.

Almost every basement at one point had or will have a basement problem that is caused by water damage. This is because when a house is built, a hole was dig into the soil to have room for the basement. So when the ground becomes saturated which often occurs after a long rainy season, water tends to fill this hole. When this happens, water directly or indirectly damages the house. Direct water damage affects the house by creating pressure around the foundation’s walls and floors. This in turn causes the settling of the foundation materials that can cause problems such as uneven floors and cracks in the interior and exterior walls. In extreme cases, water damage can cause structural breakdown. Indirect water damage includes damages to wood and other construction materials caused by water infiltration. This in turn causes termites and other species of mold to gather.

To prevent these damages, many home owners rely on basement waterproofing. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are some of the states that is advised or required to do so. Since these states usually have a relatively high level of humidity. Basement waterproofing is not all about driving water away from the basement, but is about making the basement dry regardless of the amount of water surrounding it since a dry basement has its own set of rewards. Not only does it protects the house and the investments inside it but also makes a house useful. A dry basement can be used as a storage area or as a new living space such as a home office, an entertainment area, or as an additional bedroom. All of these are made possible with the help of basement waterproofing. New Jersey and the other states that usually suffer from leaky basements could not be anything but happy because of this. Although basement waterproofing can be expensive, it is important to remember that waterproofing basement walls before any damages become significant will definitely save both time and money in the future. To make sure that the basement is correctly waterproofed and to avoid potential future water problems, ask the services of a professional or a company that specializes in basement waterproofing- New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts luckily have these. However, keep in mind that choosing the right professional for the job is not something to rash; a lot of research must be done to ensure that only the truthful and dependable will do the job.

Basements serve different purposes depending on the need of the house’s owner. It can be used as a damp space for keeping vegetables, fruits, and other items that needs to be cool, a storage area to store items that are no longer needed on the main floor of the house, an extra living space, a recreational room where the family can get together, or a place for guests to stay. But whatever purpose it serves, the basement like any part of the house should be properly maintained. One way of doing so is by basement wall waterproofing. Basement wall waterproofing helps in the prevention of the occurrence of leaks. Leaks can create all kinds of problem from unpleasant smell due to standing water that causes molds and mildews to appear to damages in the basement’s floorings and walls. Before waterproofing is done, make sure the walls are smooth and clean. Clean any dirt and remove excess concrete in the walls. The first step that is to be done in basement wall waterproofing is to inspect for leaks or possible places for leaks. The most common cause is through cracks in the basement’s walls and foundation, but there can be other reasons. Some other reason that causes basement walls to leak is the settling of the house and underground water pressure.

The next step in order to properly waterproof the basement’s walls is the restoration of cracks. Small cracks in the basement walls can be filled in with a waterproofing compound while larger cracks should be patched by quick dry cement designed for basement walls prior to the application of the waterproofing compound. If there are no cracks found, a waterproofing compound is directly applied to the wall. But remember that before applying any waterproof compound, the wall should be polish with a sandpaper to remove any paint. Then spray the wall with little water, since the waterproofing compound will not stick on to a dry wall, but will also not set on a wet wall. Begin applying the waterproofing compound with a brush at the bottom of the wall moving up in a right to left direction. Let the compound dry overnight. After the wall has dried, spray the wall again and apply a second coat of the waterproofing compound in the same way as the first. Always use two coats to keep the moisture out, as one coat will not do the job and may result in starting over again.