Basement Waterproofing

Anyone unfortunate enough to have walked down your stairs to discover water in their basement knows the sinking feeling you get in the pit of your stomach — and the immediate desire for basement waterproofing.

You can look forward to a long day of cleanup ahead of you. Anything on the floor is at minimum waterlogged and possibly even destroyed.

And if you have a finished basement, the workload and price tag are even higher. Carpeting must be torn up. Pieces of drywall might even have to be replaced. And every time there is a heavy rain, the same question goes through your head: Is it going to happen again. If this describes your situation, it is time to consider your basement waterproofing options.

Waterproofing Solutions

One of the advantages of hiring an experienced technician to solve your waterproofing problems is that they will not only be able to diagnose the cause of your water issues but also identify the right solution to fix the problems.

In some cases, this means focusing on keeping water away from your house in the first place. In others, it means ensuring that any water that seeps into the basement gets directed to a sump pump and back outside without even coming into contact with your basement floor.

Interior Basement Waterproofing

When you think interior waterproofing, you probably immediately think sump pumps. And sump pumps are an integral part of a basement waterproofing system.

Having the sump pump, though, is only half the battle. You also have to get the water to the sump pump in a way that keeps the rest of your basement dry.

That is where the use of interior drain tile comes into play. Drain tile placed around the perimeter of your basement under the concrete floor can direct any water toward the sump pump where it can be discharged into your yard.

Interior waterproofing is generally less costly and invasive than exterior waterproofing.

Steps for Installing an Interior Drainage system

1. First, we must excavate the area around the interior perimeter of your basement in order to lay the drain tile
2. We lay the drain tile and make sure the water will flow into a sump pit, from which the sump pump will pump it outside. Depending on the type of basement wall you have, weep holes may need to be drilled to let water drain into the tile and a drainage membrane may be used.
3. After the entire system is complete, concrete is poured over the top of the tile and leveled to the rest of the basement floor.

We also sometimes install a vapor barrier to ensure no water is entering the basement through the walls.

Exterior Basement Waterproofing

There are two methods to exterior waterproofing: Direct water away from the house or prevent it from entering the house.

Drains

When it comes to directing water away from your house, the most common method is by using channel or French drains. These drains use slotted drain piping with either a gravel overlay or a different method of directing the surface water into the drain pipe and away from the house.

These, along with properly maintained gutters and downspouts can keep pooling water from reaching your foundation.

Waterproofing membranes

Waterproofing membranes are in many ways like vapor barriers, except they are placed on the exterior of your house rather than the interior.

The area around the perimeter of your house where water is entering will need to be excavated. Waterproofing membranes are the attached to the outside of your basement walls to prevent any water from penetrating them and ending up in your basement.

Choose Reliable for Basement Waterproofing

We serve as a resource of information to remedy water problems in basements and crawl spaces, no matter the cause. We also offer free basement and whole-home waterproofing estimates. To receive a free estimate, contact us online now!

We have the experience to answer any questions you may have and also provide you with the very best workmanship using the highest quality sealed systems in the industry.

Come to us for all your basement waterproofing solutions in Richmond, Virginia and the surrounding area.