Basement Waterproofing
How to Waterproof a Basement
While basements and cellars are not typically built into newer homes today, they might be a common feature in several older properties. A basement can be turned into a very useful space in your home whether you use it for storage, as a utility room, or convert it into a fully-functional room in your home to use as a living area or a bedroom. However, since the basement is located so close to the foundations of your home, it’s often the coldest area of the house and may not always benefit from the ventilation systems that are present in the rest of the property, such as windows that can be opened. Because of this, it’s no surprise that the basement can often be the room in the house that is most susceptible to suffering from damp problems. Damp in the basement can be caused by a number of different factors, some of which could indicate a more serious problem that will need to be dealt with quickly. The good news is that waterproofing and damp-proofing your basement is entirely possible with several treatments, strategies and products available.
Basement Waterproofing – How to Deal with Damp in the Basement
If you have noticed damp in your basement, the first step to dealing with the issue is to determine what is causing the problem and how to repair the root issue. This will ensure that your basement is at a lower risk of having the damp return and cause further issues in the future. There are several products, such as damp-proofing paints or insulation, that you can use to prevent damp in the basement. However, if you already have a damp problem, these products are unlikely to be as effective until you have dealt with the underlying issue that is leading to the damp occurring. There are several common causes of damp in the basement that might be the reason behind the problem in yours. These include cracks in the foundation, poor basement ventilation, internal leaks within the home, guttering problems that result in water being drained towards rather than away from the foundations of the home, faulty grading, and a lack of insulation.
Deep Basement Waterproofing – How to Damp Proof Your Basement
Whether you have found and dealt with the cause of damp in your basement or simply want to ensure that you have done everything possible to avoid damp from occurring in the basement in the future, the good news is that there are several different things that you can do to reduce the risk of several different types of damp in your basement in the future. Whether you use your basement as storage, want to turn it into a main room in your home or you’re living in a basement flat, damp-proofing the space is the best way to ensure that you can avoid serious damp-related problems like mould and wet rot. Some of the best options for waterproofing and damp-proofing your basement include:
Ventilation
Ensuring that your basement is adequately ventilated is one of the most important steps to take when it comes to preventing condensation damp. This is especially true if you want to use your basement for regular living activities or are going to be using the basement for activities that produce a large amount of moisture, such as washing and drying your clothes with a basement utility room. Vents, extractor fans, a heat recovery system or even a dehumidifier can reduce the amount of condensation in the basement and ensure that warm air has somewhere else to go other than the colder wall surfaces.
Repair Foundation Issues
Before adding any damp proofing or waterproofing treatments to your basement, it’s important to make sure that any problems with your foundation have been fully repaired. Issues with the foundation and grading can often lead to damp problems in the basement since it is the first place that water is likely to reach if it’s able to get through cracks in the foundations or is being drained towards, rather than away from the foundation due to bad grading. It’s a good idea to have a professional check the foundation of your home to find any issues that could potentially be causing damp in your basement right now or are a serious risk factor for basement damp issues in the future.
Repair Faulty Guttering
You could be forgiven for thinking that since the gutters are close to the roof of your home, they might not have much impact on the basement. But the truth is that gutters and downspouts that are not working as effectively as they should, could be the root cause behind damp appearing in your basement. This is because gutters and downspouts are designed to direct rainwater away from the foundations of your home. If they are not working correctly due to damage or other issues, the rainwater could end up being directed right towards your foundations, where there’s a higher risk of it entering the basement.
Pipe Insulation
Another major cause of damp in the basement is leaks. Leaks in the basement will often occur due to pipes that have reached a freezing temperature and cracked or burst as a result. Along with damp patches, this problem could often lead to more serious water damage that can be very expensive to repair. To prevent dampness and moisture occurring due to leaking pipes, insulation can help to keep the pipes at a warmer temperature and prevent them from freezing over.
Basement Insulation
If the basement isn’t insulated, it will often be the coldest room in your home – significantly increasing the risk of condensation damp and all the problems that are associated with it. Good basement insulation is important to ensure that the basement can stay at the same temperature as the rest of the home and doesn’t become the most attractive place in the property for warm air to travel and condensate. You can find insulation that is specifically designed for basements and cellars.
Why Get Basement Waterproofing in London?
Many of the older homes in London are properties that include basements. If you want to make the most of the additional space in your home that is provided by the basement, having it waterproofed and dealing with any current signs of damp is the first step in turning your basement into a functional and liveable area, or even a safe and dry storage space for your belongings. Basement waterproofing will not only give you the chance to find out more about any damp issues in your basement that you might not have been aware of otherwise, but can also help you prevent any damp issues from occurring in the future and spreading outside of your basement into other areas of your home.
Should You Hire Basement Waterproofing Specialists?
Whether or not to hire basement waterproofing specialists to damp proof your basement is entirely up to you, and will depend on the type and extent of work that you need to be carried out. If your basement is suffering from a lot of damp issues currently, working with a specialist can often be the easiest and most effective way of figuring out the causes behind the damp in your basement so that you can prioritise which jobs need to be tackled first. In addition, a damp proof specialist may be able to carry out more advanced damp proofing jobs that you may not feel confident to do yourself such as installing basement insulation, insulating hidden pipes, or fixing issues with the foundation of your home.
On the other hand, a basement that isn’t dealing with a lot of damp problems or has no damp issues at all right mow might be something that you want to tackle on your own. However, it’s still a good idea to work with a damp proofing or basement waterproofing specialist before you get started, since they can help you determine if there are any issues or faults present that could be a major cause of damp issues in the future. Once you have determined that there are no necessary repairs or large jobs necessary to waterproof your basement and reduce the risk of damp, you can go ahead and add necessary treatments to the walls and improve ventilation to keep the basement dry and comfortable in the future.
Whether you’re living in a basement flat in London or have a house with a basement that you want to make better use of, it’s important to be aware that since basements are so close to the foundation of the building, they will often be at a higher risk of damp compared to the other areas of the home. Condensation damp is often one of the most common types of damp to be found in a basement since they often have poor ventilation systems. Understanding the risk factors for basement damp is important before getting started with the damp-proofing process. Alternatively, get professional help to determine what could be causing damp currently, or what poses a high risk of damp to your basement in the future.