Right products to water proof the basement

That musty smell in your basement is most likely the result of mold and mildew caused by water which as seeped through the concrete walls.

A little bit of moisture is all a mold spore needs to begin growing. While most healthy people will not be bothered by most common molds, those which respiratory conditions such as asthma or allergies could end up with a host of health problems including coughing, runny nose, skin rash, eye irritations, and congestion. You can prevent these health problems by waterproofing your basement.

You could choose to hire a professional contractor to waterproof the basement of your new or older home. A quick talk with a few professionals will tell you that it is an expensive proposition. Many home owners choose to save money by doing the job themselves. Below are some helpful tips for the do-it-yourselfer.

You will want to apply a rubberized asphalt sealer to the exposed foundation. You will then want to apply some R-10 insulation panels while the sealer is still wet. These panels are available at most hardware stores and home improvement centers.

To prevent water from collecting at the bottom of the panels you will need to run drain tiles around the outside of the footings and then backfill around the foundation. Another key point in keeping your basement dry is having gutters and downspouts which are clean and in good repair that take water away from your house.

Finding the Right Product:

Liquid Membranes
You can use either a spray, roller, or trowel to apply this liquid coating. After it cures it will become a rubbery coating on your basement walls.

Sheet Membranes
These rubberized membranes are self-adhering. A waterproof polyethylene film is coated with a rubberized asphalt to make the sheets.

Cemenititious Waterproofing
This coating gives you a very durable and solid coating which adheres well to the wall. This cement product will need to be combined with an acrylic additive and then mixed and applied to the wall with a long handled brush.

Built-up Systems
This system is composed of asphalt and felt. Your first step with this system will be to use a concrete primer. Heat tar in a large asphalt kettle and then apply a layer of hot tar to the wall. A layer of perforated felt will need to be immediately applied to the hot tar, and extend all the way out to the footing. You will need to build up three staggered layers of felt and then cover the entire wall with a final coat of tar.

Surface Preparation
Your walls need to be clean and dry before you begin applying any of the types of waterproofing. The footings will need to be thoroughly swept and all damp spots dried with a torch. Any loose material on the footings and walls will also need to be scrapped off. Since it is quite common for puddles of congealed slurry to form on the footings during the basement pour you will want to pay special attention to them. You need to have a clean dry surface for the waterproofing materials to stick.

Waterproofing Curing
You will need to see the concrete curing times listed by the products manufacturers. The concrete itself will need to cure between 7-14 days prior to applying any type of waterproofing membrane. Concrete does not dry all at once, but takes several days of drying after it is poured.

Your best bet is to find someone who has experience completing this project to assist you. The dirt will already be removed from the concrete in new construction projects, whereas those with older homes will need to use a backhoe to remove the dirt from around the foundation. This makes this project more challenging on older homes, but still doable.

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Finding the right product to water proof the basement