Wet Basements and Waterproofing

Why Waterproof your Basement?

Wet-basement problems are found in 75 percent of U.S. houses. The most typical causes are condensation, runoff, and groundwater swelling. A home is often the largest financial investment you'll make in your lifetime. Therefore, it’s critical to protect this investment by doing basic and preventive maintenance.

The problem of “wet basements” is common. However, many homeowners are not aware of the damage constantly being created and accumulated in their homes. Other than the nuisances and smell of damp or humid basements -- which some may tolerate more than others! -- many homeowners are oblivious of the damage that is perpetually being done to the structure and integrity of the house or building they occupy.

A dry basement is a comfortable location for work, hobbies, storage -- and extra living space is a superb asset to the value of a home. But a wet, humid and smelly basement significantly reduces the investment (property) value of the house, and is a perpetual cause of worry, annoyance, and frustration

Introduction to Basement Waterproofing

The most common type of basement leak is at the joint where the floor meets the wall. The source of the water can be rain or melting snow which collects around the foundation. As it does so, hydrostatic pressure builds up and, hence, pushes water in through leaky joints.

The basement floor itself is rarely the source of water leaks, but may contribute to some condensation which appears as a "wet spot".

Basics:

• Intro to Do-it-Yourself Basement Waterproofing



• How to Select the Perfect Sump Pump



• Basic Checklist of Basement Water-Damage Indicators



• Fundamentals of Keeping Water Out of a Building



• "Guarantees" offered by Basement Waterproofing Contractors



• Pricing and Costs of Basement Waterproofing



• Basement/Crawl Space Air-Sealing



• Foundations



• Insulating Foundation Walls



• Exterior Walls:
  • Intro
  • Brick
  • Concrete Masonry Units
  • Stucco
  • Natural Stone
  • Commercial Stone
  • Adobe
  • Metal Exteriors
  • House Siding: Steel versus Aluminum versus Vinyl
  • Exterior Wood Siding
  • Log Exteriors
  • Exterior Paint

Comprehensive Guide to Basements:

• Assessing the Scope of Your Basement Project:
  • Surveying your Basement
  • Finding Potential Health Hazards
  • Planning for Utilities
  • Who'll Do the Work?
  • Building Codes and Permits



• General Preparation:
  • Repairing a Joist
  • Eliminating Moisture Problems
  • Stairs
  • Concealing Mechanical Equipment



• Basement Floor Prep:
  • Repairing a Concrete Floor
  • Painting a Concrete Floor
  • Installing an Insulated Subfloor



• Basement Walls:
  • Fastening Objects to Masonry. Partition Walls
  • Insulating Walls



• Basement Openings:
  • Windows
  • Doors



• Power & Water in Basements:
  • Wiring
  • Wiring in Masonry Walls
  • Plumbing



• Basement Finishes: Working with Beams & Posts • Painting Masonry Walls • Drywall • Finishing Drywall • Suspended Ceilings • Finish Flooring



• (coming soon) Basement Glossary

Home and Building Water / Moisture Problems, Solutions and Prevention

• Basements
  • Wet Basements
    • Common Sources of Wet Basements
    • Understanding the Water Table
  • Managing Water
  • Rain Gutters
  • Inspecting The Gutters
  • Grading The Basement Perimeter
  • Correcting the Grade
  • Waterproofing an Existing or New Basement
• The Rest of the House
• Water in Your Home

Tip of the Week

For a fast, but non-permanent fix, use Hydraulic Water-Stop Cement to stop active (but minor) leaks in cracks that are over 1/4" wide. Make a golf-ball-sized quantity of product and force it in the crack with a gloved hand. Hold in place until it hardens (less than 5 minutes).

A Three-Tier Sump-Pump System: Is it Worth Installing?

This three-tier system, from Basement Systems, claims to safeguard a basement from flooding or dampness from three possible sump-pump system failures:

1. Sump-pump 1 fails (then, sump-pump 2 is engaged)
2. Sump-pump 1 cannot keep up with the amount of water entering the system (then, both it and a more powerful 2nd sump-pump run simultaneously -- allowing more than double pumping capacity).
3. Electrical power outage (then, a battery-backup sump-pump automatically engages)

About Us:

We at wet-basements.net are all current or former contractors, and some of us were editors or contributors for leading home- and building-construction/-maintenance magazines. Over the years, we've noticed that over 70 percent of homeowner queries involved water problems: wet basements, leaking roofs or plumbing, mold and mildew, and excess moisture or humidity.

Statistics note that the fourth most common house problem is wet basements. And 50 percent of houses with basements have basement water problems. The eighth most common problem, damaged or missing roof gutters, affects 34 percent of all houses.

The University of Minnesota Department of Public Service echoes these estimates: wet basements plague 50 percent of houses in Minnesota; in our own work as housing inspectors, 75 percent of queries from clients have involved basement water problems. In a press release the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) named wet basements as the problem most often found by ASHI inspectors.

An increasingly common problem concerns home humidity and its attendant problems. To reduce air infiltration and conserve energy, many current building codes call for tight construction, including full wall and ceiling vapor retarders. This requirement helps improve the energy efficiency of the house, but the lack of air entry may also raise indoor humidity levels to unacceptable or even damaging levels. The result can be a multitude of problems, including wood rot, rust and corrosion of the furnace or other steel appliances, damage to the interior plaster or wallboard, peeling paint on both the interior and exterior of the house, ruined insulation, and mildew or mold and their attendant odors.

Other home water problems involve leaking roofs or leaking plumbing, and an increasing concern for water conservation. To answer those concerns, and to offer solutions, we’ve prepared this web-based guide.

One word of caution. Most of the advice offered in this guide is aimed at moisture problems of houses in geographical areas where there are four distinct sea sons. Therefore, the advice and possible solutions given may not be applicable in all areas of the nation.

For example, the coastal states from the Gulf of Mexico to the Virginias have warm temperatures and high humidity year-round. In these areas, where air conditioning may keep interior house temperatures lower than outdoor temperatures, the “cold side of the wall” will be the interior side. Any vapor barrier should be placed between the wall sheathing and exterior siding, rather than between the wallboard and the studs as is usually recommended. Also, in a narrow band just above these coastal states the weather and humidity are such that no vapor barrier is recommended.

Another example is the recommendations for venting of attics or crawl spaces. In cooler climates it is necessary to vent the moisture from the crawl space to the drier air outside. But in warm, humid climates the exterior air may carry more moisture than interior or crawlspace air, so ventilation may add moisture to these areas and compound any moisture problems.