What Basement Waterproofing Products Should My Home Have?

Creating a dry and healthy basement means keeping water and moisture out of your home. And that isn’t difficult if you know what options you have for waterproofing your basement. Just so you know what products exist and what they do, here’s a rundown of the most popular products used by basement professionals right now.

• Interior Drainage

Is water intruding into your basement? Install a drainage channel around the perimeter of your walls. It’ll keep groundwater from gathering momentum and flooding your basement floor. A contractor will open up a trench, lay down a specially designed perforated pipe then fill it up with drain gravel before applying concrete on top. Water is going to be channeled to the drain tile and then fed into the sump pit, where it’s pumped outdoors.

• Sump pumps

During rough weather, storm floods hit many Cincinnati, OH, neighborhoods, leaving homes with several feet of water. Installing a sump pump can help you eject water and regain control of your basement. Water collects in a sump pit, and when it reaches a certain level, the pump starts draining it out. Some models come with backup batteries, which means they can continue running whenever there’s an outage.

• Basement dehumidifier

When moisture levels go through the roof, the dehumidifier is the first product your contractor will recommend. It’s effective in controlling humidity and stopping problems such as dampness and its twin sister, mold. Several brands exist. Be sure to get an energy-efficient dehumidifier with a humidistat as it will detect moisture levels and turn itself on. Some units are self-draining and can be directed to drain into your interior perimeter drainage system or sump pump.

• Gutters and downspouts

And then there’s water that spills over your roof and onto the perimeter of your home. Left unchecked, this can get into the foundation of your home and ultimately the basement, where it will cause dampness. Exterior drainage solutions such as gutters and downspout extensions will shield your basement from rainwater and ice that falls from your roof. Ensure the gutters are free of debris and downspouts are buried and extend away from your walls.

• Anti-freeze discharge line prevention

During winter, it’s possible for sump pump discharge lines to freeze. When this happens, the backed-up discharge line could render the sump pump ineffective. This could cause problems as water will collect in your basement. To prevent this from happening, consider installing a special FreezeGuard attachment right on top of your discharge line to create a secondary exit for water. Water will escape through slots on the drain pipe.

• Plastic vapor barriers

Keeping your basement dry means stopping moisture and water from penetrating through your concrete walls. A plastic vapor barrier is useful for this purpose. Not only does it lock out water, but it also keeps the basement insulated and warm. Polyurethane sheeting is the choice material for local basement contractors. Our CrawlSeal™ liner is normally used for crawl space encapsulation, but it also can be used as a protective vapor barrier on basement walls that help with waterproofing.

Are you looking for a professional and dependable basement waterproofing company in town? Schedule a free basement waterproofing inspection with us and get lasting solutions for your basement.