How To Stop A Wet Basement: Steps For Basement Waterproofing

The Home Waterproofer’s Manual – Home Waterproofing A to Z” easy to follow guides, show you exactly where the water comes from, where it should go and how to make it go there, without spending a lot of money.

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Basement waterproofing is a must to avoid damage to your home and possible related illnesses due to mold caused by a wet basement. This type of situation gives a perfect breeding ground for basement mold which can be very unhealthy. If you have water leaking in and causing a flooded basement then the following steps will help you stop this annoying problem.

Really the first order of business here is locating and pinpointing exactly where the water is coming in and target those areas first. It is highly possible that the floor along a whole wall or more could have standing water but it may only be leaking at one or two locations along that basement wall. The best thing to do first is have a wet/dry shop vac handy during the next rain event. You will also need a few dry towels.

Sweep the area real good making sure all dust and debris is gone beforehand. This area will need to be clean anyway before the actual wet basement waterproofing begins. This will also help you pinpoint the areas where the water is entering the basement.

When the rain begins it is very important that you focus your attention on the areas of the slab and basement walls where the water usually stands. Have some good lighting set up in the area. You will be able to see the water seeping in and those will be your target areas for repair first. The dry towels will really help when you first see the water seeping in along the wall or where the wall and slab meet. Wipe those areas dry and watch closely for the water to reappear.

DRYLOK Waterproofing Products works real well for these types of basement waterproofing repairs. You will need a fast setting hydraulic cement to get the water leaks stopped but I have found that it is a good idea to apply a waterproofing sealer or paint on the entire wall first. Once that has dried then you can focus your attention on any remaining leaking areas and apply the hydraulic cement to get those areas stopped leaking. Then for added security you could add another coat of waterproofing paint or sealer to prevent future wet basement problems and damage.

DRYLOK Fast Plug is the hydraulic cement that I use for these basement waterproofing jobs. It comes in a powder form and you mix it with water at a 3:1 ratio. 3 scoops of powder to 1 scoop of water makes the right amount to spread quickly before it begins to set up. You have about 3 to 5 minutes to spread it on your target areas before it begins to set up. Some good tools to use for this would be a plastic or metal putty knife and a small masons trowel. The trowel works good in corners and tight areas by using it's point.

The hydraulic cement can be applied with the wet basement water present or it can be applied to a dry basement after the rain and  leaking water have stopped. If you want to apply it while the water is leaking it is best if you use the wet/dry vac to remove most of the standing water first. It will still set up but it takes it longer if there is lots of standing water present.

Most times you will find your leaks being due to a chip or crack in the wall or either where the basement wall and floor meet. When you mix and spread the hydraulic cement on the  target areas you can get it somewhat smooth upon the first application but you will probably have to wait until it sets up a little before actually getting it smoother. By dipping your trowel or putty knife in the water before smoothing the hydraulic cement seems to really work better at getting a nice smooth finish.

It may take more than one application before you actually stop all the leaks but that depends on the severity of the problem. Once the first application dries good you can take a hammer and tap the high spots to smooth those down some along with any ridges that you may end up with from the edges of the putty knife. Pay close attention to any chipped or cracked places in the block too and spread some over those areas even if they are not leaking water at present. This could save you from having potential problems down the road. Follow the links above and below for the best basement waterproofing products to help you enjoy a dry basement.
 

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