Bloomington Basement Waterproofing
Water is responsible for so many types of basement and foundation trouble, either in the form of leaking, of damp that itself leads to mold and mildew, or more significantly through hydrostatic pressure which moves the groundwater and the soil and can exert huge stress on the walls of your basement. Which means that waterproofing, if it is going to work, has to take into account broader drainage issues. Treating damp patches alone is only a small part of the answer: we also have to look at the subsoil drainage, gutters, and pipes of the building to ensure that any issues we repair now aren’t simply going to come back again in a short period of time.
Waterproofing Paint and Sealants
The DIY’ers preferred approach and one that we are often asked to do and have to decline. Yes there are some sealants that can ensure the surface of the basement walls and floors feels dry and yes there are some unusual damp cases where that is all you really need to worry about. But for many cases just slapping on some waterproof paint from the hardware store is not only short term and will need to be redone regularly but also ignores the root cause behind the damp. So while we come armed with sealants, we don’t seal and paint until we’re sure that the damp issue has been addressed.
External Water Management
This means everything from the way your gutters work to the grading of the soil near the property. It can mean a sump pump or sub foundation water management systems and while this can all add up to serious work you’d be surprised how often a simple thing like upgrading the gutters will be all it takes to let us get on with fixing cracks and sealing surfaces.
Interior French Drains
In many cases while the hydrostatic pressure issues are coming from outside the walls, the only access is internal and so the best answer is an interior french drain to alleviate hydrostatic pressure and combat damp. Essentially a gravel filled trench this can be combined with perforated piping depending on the nature of the damp problem before taking care of the more visible problems like damp patches, mold, and cracks. As damp treatment professionals we never paper over a problem but always look to treat the cause before we make good on the surface.
Exterior Basement Waterproofing
This is potentially the most disruptive and expensive of all the waterproofing options although it doesn’t have to be prohibitive. There are a number of procedures including digging all around the property to install external drains, inserting waterproof membranes, and applying waterproof coatings after exposing foundations by excavation. The digging alone means that this is likely to take longer and be more expensive than other approaches but if it’s necessary then any other approach is likely to be wasted effort until the exterior waterproofing is done. Call us for a thorough assessment of what your basement waterproofing Bloomington needs really are and the most cost effective way of arriving at a true long term solution.
