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Interior Waterproofing
Interior waterproofing systems can be equally as effective as exterior waterproofing at keeping water out of your basement living space. Internal waterproofing systems will not stop water from entering your foundation wall, but will re-route it in order to keep it out of your living space. This method is a good choice when digging is difficult on the outside of the home due to obstacles or a lack of space. To install an internal waterproofing system, a trench will be broken out of the basement floor along the wall in the affected area. This trench will be big enough to allow for a weeping tile to be placed next to the internal side of the footing. An air gap drainage membrane is then fastened to to the wall in the area up to grade level, and overlaps the top side of the exposed footing. This will force any water that is coming through the wall to be directed downwards toward the newly installed weeping tile, which will then drain to an existing or newly installed sump pump. The weeping tile is then covered with 3/4 clear gravel and the cement is restored on top.
Exterior Waterproofing
Exterior waterproofing systems are always the best option for keeping your basement dry if the problem area is in an location where digging on the exterior of the house is possible. This method will seal the outside of the foundation wall, stopping any future water from entering through the foundation. There is a multi-step process undertaken to ensure that the foundation wall is sealed properly. After excavation, the foundation wall itself will be cleaned of any excess debris in order to ensure that any imperfections are clearly visible. Once any cracks or imperfections have been located, they will be sealed with water-stopping hydraulic cement as a first layer of protection. The entire wall is then coated with a layer of trowel on liquid rubber. Although the product does solidify, it stays malleable, and will stay sealed if there are any minor shifts in the wall in the future. The final layer installed is the air-gap drainage membrane which is fastened over the entire span of the wall below grade. This is a rigid plastic material which directs any ground water down toward the new 4" weeping tile that is installed to replace the existing weeping tile along the footing. If there was not an existing weeping tile and connection for a drainage point, it may be necessary to install a sump pump as a drainage point.
Wall Crack Repairs
For poured concrete foundations, there are instances where a single crack may be the problem that is causing water to enter the basement. In these situations it is sometimes possible to repair just the single crack instead of completing a larger span of work. Wall crack repairs can be completed from both the inside and outside in almost the same way that larger repairs would be completed. Internally a trench will be broken out along the wall approximately 1.5 to 2 ft on either side of the crack, exposing the footing. Extra debris and and dirt will be removed in front of the footing and filled with new gravel creating a dry well or drainage pocket. The crack itself on the wall will be chipped out and filled with hydraulic cement, and air gap drainage membrane fastened to the wall. Termination bars or end strips will be added on the wall on both sides where the membrane ends, in order to keep any potential future water contained. New gravel is then added on top of the footing up to floor level and the concrete is restored. If by chance, due to future shifting, any water manages to get through the sealed crack, it will be directed down below the floor to the dry well where it will disperse naturally under the floor itself where gravel is already in place at the time of home construction.
External crack repairs, follow the same process as complete external waterproofing, just at a shorter length. An excavation of approximately 5 linear feet will be completed all the way down to the footing as to assess the entire crack in that area. We then follow the same steps as our external waterproofing system in order to ensure the crack is completely sealed.
Sump Pump Repairs
There are numerous situations in which a sump pump can be helpful or necessary with regard to keeping your basement dry. When digging older homes there is a possibility that there is no existing weeping tile. In these situations a sump pump will need to be installed as a drainage point for the external weeping tile. For internal work, a sump pump would also be a necessary addition in order to give the new internal weeping tile somewhere to drain. In areas where homes are situated in saturated soil, a sump pump could help alleviate one of the water that can potentially be building below your floor.