| There are many different types of materials | | | | the home to an area that is no longer going |
| you can use when waterproofing your basement. | | | | to cause a problem. |
| The area that you live in affects the amount | | | | |
| of moisture that you will be expecting. Some | | | | Sump pumps can be ran on electricity and some |
| waterproofing materials are better suited for | | | | have a battery back up in case of power |
| some areas than others. | | | | failure. Routine maintenance should be done |
| | | | on sump pumps annually, more often if you |
| One of the most important things to remember | | | | live in an area that is prone to water |
| when waterproofing a basement is to have the | | | | problems. Maintaining the drainage system |
| land graded properly so that water can | | | | pipes to prevent clogging is also important. |
| channel away from the house. For | | | | Gutters and downspouts should also be checked |
| approximately ten feet from the house the | | | | to make sure there are free of debris. |
| land should be graded so that the ground | | | | |
| level reduces by one inch per foot. This | | | | Other basement waterproofing materials |
| should be sufficient in most cases to invite | | | | include on sealants. Painted on sealants is |
| water to drain away from the home. | | | | one way of waterproofing a basement. This |
| | | | shouldn't be your only method of |
| When it comes to basement waterproofing | | | | waterproofing. Sealing the concrete so that |
| materials, you need to decide what type of | | | | water doesn't push through works best in |
| waterproofing system you're going to use. | | | | areas that don't get as much moisture. The |
| French drains, also known as land drains, can | | | | sealant is painted on to the interior of the |
| be used to drive water away from the home. | | | | basement. This means that water can get all |
| French drains include a system made of | | | | the way up to that point but not seep the |
| gravel, ditches, and pipe that invite | | | | rest of the way into your basement. Having |
| groundwater into the pipe and away from the | | | | your concrete have to deal with that much |
| basement or foundation of the home. Dirt and | | | | hydrostatic pressure continuously without any |
| routes can clog this type of drainage system. | | | | other system in place to assist with |
| | | | waterproofing is asking for a problem. |
| Drainage systems, including having a main | | | | |
| floor drain in the basement, are effective in | | | | Special channels can be installed along the |
| routing water out of the basement. These | | | | interior walls of the basement. Along the |
| systems should be put in place when the | | | | base of the wall, close to the floor, a |
| basement is first built. Piping can be | | | | series of small holes invites the water into |
| placed along the basement walls and under the | | | | the channel. Inside these channels small |
| basement flooring before the concrete floor | | | | piping carries the water away by using a sump |
| is poured. This type of system can use a | | | | pump type system. This type of channeling |
| sump pump to continually remove water from | | | | water out of the basement can be hidden |
| the basement. Water is then routed away from | | | | behind walls in finished basements. |