Basement waterproofing can be done on the interior or exterior of the basement with large differences in the labor and cost involved.
Exterior waterproofing at the surface is much less expensive and can be done to prevent the water from reaching the walls, but will not deal with hydrostatic pressure if it is present. Exterior waterproofing at the footer level requires the installation of footer drain tiles which are usually connected through the wall to the sump pump on the inside of the home. This however requires digging a trench about 4 feet wide and 8 feet deep all around the home. This is often complicated by plants, patios, sidewalks, etc. which must be removed first. This requires a great deal of labor and is very expensive and is usually only done as a last resort.
Interior water proofing covers a multiple of solutions ranging from excavating the perimeter of the basement and installing footer drain tiles and a sump crock and pump, to installing a baseboard with weep holes to release water from the block at the floor level and channel it to a drain, to waterproofing paints and sealers, see Section R – pages 47- 51 and see Section E – Pages 20,21 in The Home Waterproofers Manual – Home Waterproofing A to Z.
If your walls are damp you may be able to seal them with waterproofing paint or sealer. The water will still be in the walls, but it will not get inside the room. It is more expensive to use waterproofing paints or sealers than ordinary wall paint because they cost more per gallon and cover less area per gallon. It also involves a lot of tedious and sloppy work.
Various aspects of basement water proofing are covered in Section E – and Section R – Pages 46-51 and in specific detail throughout The Home Waterproofers Manual – Home Waterproofing A to Z. I’ve used this same knowledge every day to fix water problems. It will work for you too. This can help you get the job done fast, at low cost for a dry, healthy and livable home again. Don’t put yourself at the mercy of high priced waterproofers. You can save thousands of dollars by learning what is going on first.
You can save thousands of dollars and many headaches by learning what is going on first. Often what looks like an expensive and serious problem may not be. Once the problem is explained, solving it is just common sense. I’ve used the knowledge I’ve put in The Home Waterproofers Manual – Home Waterproofing A to Z every day to fix water problems. It will work for you too.
But remember, when dealing with salesmen, in the waterproofing business it’s “buyer beware”. Most get a percentage of the sale and don’t consider it their job to save you money. They charge as much as they can. If they see a problem that can be fixed at low cost, or one that has a simple solution, they won’t mention it, but will only talk about “preventing serious damage” and try to scare you into signing a big contract.
