Interior Waterproofing Vs. Exterior Waterproofing: What Methods Are Necessary For Your Home?
Do you want a second family room, man cave, or guest bedroom? Basements are ideal for adding extra living space to your home. Unfortunately, basements are vulnerable to water and mold, making it a challenge to take advantage of this extra space. Waterproofing your basement is an important step to ensure safe use of your basement. However, which steps should you take to ensure your basement is kept safe and dry? Here are some of the options and benefits of both interior and exterior waterproofing so you can make informed decisions on which methods with be best for you and your home.
Interior Waterproofing Methods
Before you make any major investments, one of the first steps you can do to ensure the longevity of your foundation is to make sure rainwater runs away from your house’s foundation. If it is not possible to obtain a slope of 1” per foot for the first 4-6”, other measures may be necessary. Installing an interior drain tile inside your foundation’s footing will alleviate pressure and allow water to be diverted from your foundation to your sump pump and away from causing damage and cracks to your foundation. Interior drain tiles are easy to maintain once installed and will last the lifetime of your home. Crack injection is another interior waterproofing method to protect your home. Injecting cracks in your foundation with expanding polyurethane is the fastest way to repair a future problem. This method will prevent any future cracks from developing from the original crack.
Exterior Waterproofing Methods
One of the simplest ways to fill a crack in the exterior of your foundation is to fill it with dry sodium bentonite clay. Sodium bentonite clay expands when wet, absorbing up to several times its dry weight in water. This makes it a perfect sponge to absorb the excess water hiding in your cracks and then it hardens to become a permanent seal. Another way to protect your exterior foundation walls from water damage is to install a membrane with a drain tile. The membrane is a coating of asphalt-modified polyurethane installed against the foundation wall to create a seal against groundwater. The exterior drain is then put into place outside of the membrane to direct water to the sump pump.
AA Action Waterproofing can help you to decide which waterproofing methods are best for you and your home. Our friendly, professional experts are here to help keep you safe and dry. So call us today for a free consultation to see how you can make the most of your basement space!