3 Questions To Ask Your Basement Waterproofing Contractor To Find The Right Waterproofing Method
A wet basement can cause a lot of problems for you and your home. If nothing else, you can't use the space for anything since it's always damp and musty. If that sounds like your basement, talk to a basement waterproofing contractor. A contractor can figure out a way to keep your basement dry.
A dry basement could eliminate odors and bugs. Plus, you could use your basement for storage or to put in a pool table for the kids. Your contractor has a few options for dealing with a wet basement. Here are three questions to ask your contractor to determine the waterproofing method right for you.
1. What's Causing Your Basement To Be Wet?
Your basement might be wet or damp due to excessive condensation, poorly sloped soil near the foundation, or hydrostatic pressure of underground water. These problems need different solutions. One important step in drying out your basement is for the basement waterproofing contractor to figure out why your basement is having a water problem.
2. How Do Interior And Exterior Drains Compare?
Your basement waterproofing contractor may want to install a drain system inside or outside of your house to keep water out of your basement. Both methods are somewhat messy, but they're both effective. An interior drain installation involves cutting a trench in the concrete floor to bury a drain. If your basement is finished, this involves cutting through flooring and maybe drywall too.
In addition, a sump pump has to be installed along with a collection well so water can be collected and pumped out of your basement. This might require electrical work for adding the sump pump.
Exterior drains are placed under the ground outside. This involves digging a trench next to your house to bury the drain. This could require removing some siding and tearing out landscaping.
Exterior waterproofing also includes putting a membrane or coating on the outer foundation wall to keep water from seeping through. Exterior waterproofing often costs more than putting in an interior drain.
3. Would Coating The Interior Walls Work?
Part of the exterior waterproofing process usually involves coating the exterior of the walls. The interior walls can also be coated in some situations. Since this is a less expensive option, you might want to ask your basement waterproofing contractor if coating the walls would work for the water problem your basement has.
Coatings don't always work as well or last as long, although they can sometimes be useful. If you want a dry basement so you can finish it as a living space, your contractor might recommend a permanent method such as installing a drain over using a coating.
Contact a company like J & D Waterproofing to learn more about basement waterproofing.
