Having concerns over a basement that leaks is common for homeowners around the country, especially those living in regions with significant rainfall or living, living in a flood zone, or having an older home. If you have a home with a basement and worry about this problem, remember that even a small leak can cause serious damage. Therefore, at the first sign of a leak, it is imperative that you start the waterproofing process immediately. Even if no leak has occurred, if you begin to see small cracks, this would be the time to take action.
Of course, a professional basement remodeling contractor may need to be called in for more serious issues but often waterproofing the basement would be something you could do. The first step is to determine the source of the moisture. An old trick that works amazingly well is to tape a 12×12-inch square of foil on a foundation wall on the inside of the home. After leaving the foil in place for three days, remove it and look at both the wall and the foil. If only the wall is wet then moisture is coming in from the outside but if the foil facing the room is wet, moisture is from inside. On rare occasions, both the wall and foil would be wet, meaning that moisture is coming from both inside and outside.
In the case of moisture originating from the outside as depicted by the foundation wall being wet, a number of things on the outside of the home should be checked. For starters, make sure your gutter is not clogged and water is draining properly. Additionally, the downspout may need to be repositioned to face away from the home or if cracked or broken, you should purchase a new downspout, again making sure water flows away from the home’s foundation.
This would also be the ideal opportunity to look at the foundation from the outside around the entire home. If you see any gaps between the dirt and foundation, or dirt is sloping toward the home instead of away from it, this would certainly be a huge issue. In this case, when it rains the water is going to go into the gap, causing the problem of moisture in the basement. The solution is simple, involving pouring washed sand into the gap to help stop moisture but also adding top dirt around the foundation and then making sure it slopes away from the home.
Next, walk around the basement, paying close attention to the area were the wall and floor meet. Any gaps found could be the source of the moisture. For this, purchase hydraulic cement from a local home improvement store and with a trowel, apply it to the area, pressing into the gap and then smoothing out. If you notice an actual crack, the best method would be to use a chisel to open the crack a little further in the shape of a “V”. By doing this, forcing the hydraulic cement deep inside would be easier and more effective so you end up with a permanent fix and not just a Band Aide. To remove any excess cement, a trowel works best.
Before using masonry paint, the first goal would be to eliminate the source of the moisture. Always wear eye protection and rubber gloves when working with this type of product, and open windows for proper ventilation. As you begin going around the basement, you may notice a white powdery deposit called efflorescence. This substance is formed when naturally-occurring salt compounds are pulled to the surface of masonry via seepage of water.
Before applying the masonry paint, the area would need to be cleaned and then allowed to dry overnight. If some of the deposits are more stubborn to remove, you could use muriatic acid and a stiff wire brush. Just as with the paint, make sure you have eye and hand protection, and good ventilation. By removing these deposits, the paint would stick better, thereby serving its purpose of stopping further seepage more effectively.
