Waterproofing Basement Walls - Make Sure You Don't Commit These Critical Mistakes



Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008

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For one reason or another your basement wall has cracked and water is now flowing into the basement. Perhaps it was the fault of the person who constructed the basement. He did a bad job and now there are cracks and holes in the walls. Or maybe it's due to the house has settling.

In some cases, the water pressure has become so strong that it has created cracks itself. In any of these scenarios, waterproofing basement walls is desired. In this article, I will show you how to avoid committing mistakes which do not adequately waterproof the walls.

Depending upon the crack or hole, you will go about waterproofing in one of two ways. Sometimes you will be able to directly seal the crack with a waterproofing compound. In some cases, there is just too much water pressure built up or the crack is too big. Here you will need to clean out the area where the seepage occurs and patch it properly before using a waterproofing product.

For some cracks, a simple mortaring cement formula will do. Oftentimes you can buy an epoxy or latex formula that you simply brush on to the area to patch it. If there are larger holes, or there are many of them, then you may consider mixing your own mortar for patching the holes.

It's really simple to create a mortaring compound to do this. Just take one part cement and mix it with two parts of fine sand. Then add in water to make it stiff and apply to the areas where the cracks and holes are. For the finer areas, you can use a putty knife or trowel to force the mortar into the crack.

However, there will be some instances when waterproofing basement walls with patching and waterproofing compound won't work. This is because there is still too much water pressure on the outside. In these cases you're going to need to use a weep pipe temporarily, so you can divert the water into a nearby sewer drain or to a sump pump.

To do this, take the weep pipe and insert it where the wall and floor join together in the area where the greatest pressure occurs.

In conclusion, the number one mistake people make when waterproofing basement walls is they do not adequately seal the cracks and holes. Make sure you apply the patch and sealant properly and that you find all cracks and holes when doing the job.
 
You can find out more about Waterproofing Basement Walls as well as much more information and tips on everything to do with basement waterproofing at http://www.BasementWaterproofingTips.com
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