Waterproofing Basement Walls
Using your basement only for storage is a hideous waste of space. These days, many homeowners are looking into converting their large basement space into something more useful than storage space.
In fact, converting basements into dens and entertainment centers is a popular trend among homeowners. As a homeowner, you should look into converting your basement to something more suitable for living and see what it can do for you.
Converting A Basement
Converting a basement into something other than storage space requires a lot of work but, once you see the end result of the work, you will be quite glad that you did it. One major task that you will have to face is waterproofing your basement. After all, you can’t use your basement very well if you have water coming in it every time it rains.
A lot of the work done in basement waterproofing has to do with treating the walls to make it resistant to water leakages. Most times, the job will require plugging cracks in the wall and dealing with water seeping through the walls. Waterproofing basement walls should definately be a priority.
Sealing Basement Wall Cracks
Cracks in the basement wall are the most obvious ways that water can get into the basement. Cracks in the wall usually go right into the walls of the basement. This means that the problem cannot be solved if the wall is plugged merely on the surface. You have to plug the crack not only on the surface but into the wall as well. There are several methods to do this. One method is to plug the crack with some cement. You will have to jam the cement into the crack to make the plugging effective.
Another way to plug basement wall cracks is through the use of a construction grade epoxy which is “injected” into the crack. The epoxy will get into the crack and harden in there so that it effectively plugs the wall from water in-flow.
Water Seepage
Aside from cracks, water can also get into the basement by seeping through the walls. Concrete is not completely water proof and a sufficient amount of water can seep in through it even though there are no visible cracks to be found. To solve this problem, you can paint the walls of your basement with a waterproofing paint.
Waterproof Paint
A waterproofing paint can help seal up the walls of your basement from water seepage. There is also a stronger solution, a wall water sealer. A wall water sealer is applied to the wall similar to paint. However, it is specifically designed to seal the walls from water seepage. Usually, water may seem to seep after a new coat of water sealer. However, the product is designed to improve through several cycles of water seepage and, given time, it will ultimately make your basement waterproof.