Tuesday, June 23, 2020

3 Solutions for a Wet Basement

Did you notice your basement getting damp or having runoff water? If left unchecked, it can cause a huge blow to your bank account as repairs can get expensive. Get rid of this problem quickly by following these tips:

Water Problems

Clear the Gutters
Also, clean gutters so they won’t overflow. (If your home is not equipped with gutters, install them.) And make sure the soil around the foundation slopes away from the house 1 inch per foot for a distance of 4 feet. And add downspout extensions if needed so gutters drain 4 feet away from the house onto splash blocks.

Many homes have an existing underground drainage system. Unfortunately, the system often breaks apart or fills with silt after several decades. You can call in a drain-and-sewer-cleaning contractor who will use a long power snake to try to clear the lines. But often they just have to be capped off at the surface and abandoned. Source: ThisOldHouse

Fix Footing Drains
If water is leaking into your basement low on the walls or at the seams where walls meet the floor, your problem is hydrostatic pressure pushing water up from the ground.

First, check whether you have footing drains, underground pipes installed when the house was built to carry water away from the foundation. (Look for a manhole or drain in the basement floor or a cleanout pipe capped a few inches above the floor.)

If the drains are clogged, open the cleanout and flush the pipes with a garden hose. Source: HouseLogic

Use Waterproof Paint
Waterproofing materials that go on like paint fill the pores in the concrete or masonry walls and prevent water from leaking in. To be effective, these coatings must be applied to bare concrete or masonry walls. Start by removing loose material with a wire brush. Then clean off any white powdery “efflorescence” with masonry cleaner. Follow the safety and application instructions carefully. A common mistake when using masonry waterproofing products is to spread them too thin. The goal is to fill every pinhole to create a continuous waterproofing membrane. Brush the coating in all directions to completely fill every pinhole. Add a second coat after the first dries. Source: FamilyHandyman

If you have any drainage or roofing issues, don’t hesitate to call the pros.

 

Contact:
Kerrisdale Roofing & Drains
8296 Ross St, Vancouver, BC V5X 4C6
(604) 360-2114



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