Basement WaterproofingLooking into Property Basements Waterproofing

Overview Of Exterior And Interior Waterproofing

If you are looking at basement waterproofing. The two different approaches are exterior and interior.

Exterior waterproofing

1. The earth is excavated to below the bottom of the wall to the footer (this is what the wall rests on). The cleaned concrete wall is either tarred, or covered with a vinyl sheet.

Tarring the wall is the most common. Builders do this originally. It, unfortunately does last. Tars problem is that it very quickly gets brittle and will crack at the seams where the wall and footer meet (this seem is the primary movement point). Becuase of tars failure rate vinyl sheeting has been a poplular replacement solution. Vinyl never cracks and wter cannot penetrate it. Still, the problem with the vinyl, if it doesn’t tear, is it will not completely adhered to the wall. This means that water just goes around it right through the footer/wall seam.

2. Exterior footer drains. This solution also has the same digging as tarring, which is full wall. Then a drainage pipe is installed that drains the water to another area (if one is available). These are the most common builder systems. The number of these install that simply survive the backfill process is very low. The amount of earth, mud and pressure from above is too much for any open drain pipe and so the pipes clog. Here in Virginia basement waterproofing the clay prevents any exterior systems.

Last is interior waterproofing, a very reliable system.

A trench is dug around the interior perimeter. A pipe is then placed in the bottom of the this trench that will collect water that builds up around the foundation and floor. The pipe terminates into a well. In this well is a sump pump that ejects the water out and away from the building. These types of systems are much more reliable and predictable. They are also a lot easir to warranty and service.

About the Author

Anthony JS
Virginia Waterproofing
Basement Waterproofing Fairfax