People who live in somewhat dry climates often think there’s no need to do any waterproofing to the basement. They would be wrong. Water is underground in almost all areas and this water can easily find its way into your home by way of your basement. Because of hydrostatic pressure, water has to go somewhere when it begins to build up around a structure. Eventually, it will weaken the walls of your home and get inside unless you have adequate protection. The best way to protect yourself is to hire professionals to come in and do a thorough waterproofing of the entire basement. If you want to do it yourself, however, here is a good way to get started.
Basement waterproofing happens to be very beneficial for homeowners, especially for those who live in colder areas where rain and snow often appears. Plus, these problems are more prevalent around the Northeast or Mid-Atlantic regions, where rain and snow always seem to hit during winter, spring, and fall. Waterproofing your basement can prevent any unexpected expenses, because they keep your home safe at all times.
It’s one of those necessities of home ownership that most home owners would really rather forget about. Unfortunately, for those who really do forget — or just choose not to remember — the cost of not waterproofing your basement can be much higher than the cost of waterproofing it.
Basement waterproofing
Basement walls and floors are susceptible to leakage if moisture can easily pass through the lower levels of your home. And unfortunately, this is the case with most basements. Even if your basement looks dry, there’s a very good chance that moisture is continuously entering the area in the form of water vapor.
Waterproofing is the process by which the lower level of a home is refurbished in a way that prevents external moisture from coming into the basement. Depending on the condition of your lower level, this could be a multi-step process. It begins with removing all moisture and its effects from the lower level. This may include some kind of mold and mildew removal if warranted.
Basement remodeling can be more economical than building an addition, because, with the walls, floor, ceiling, and utilities in place, your space is already about 30% finished. Basements are the lowest cost living space you can add to a home. Basement remodeling is a large detailed project. Make sure to hire an expert for your basement remodeling project.
It is unhealthy and unsafe to live in a house where the basement floods on regular or annual bases. If you have a flooding problem you need to address it immediately, the safety of your family is at stake. Where there is moisture there is mold and mildew there are health risks that can cause all kinds of health problems not to mention potential structural problems with your home down the road.
Floor drains can be made to drain out the excess water from under the basement. An overhead sewer can be used to act like a standpipe to hold the overflowing water. A backwater valve can be used to prevent sewer lines from overflowing into the basement. However, you may need to get a permit from the local municipal authority to get a backwater valve installed. The valve closes automatically and works with an ejector pump to push the waste water into the sewer lines.
Designing your home is a big deal. Not only it is a financial investment, but there is a lot of time and patience that comes along with any home improvement project. For example, if you are interested in finishing your basement, then you have a lot of decisions ahead. Just think about the possibilities you have for your blank basement canvas. Here are some important things you may want to consider when laying out your newly finished basement…
Lots of home owners have basements as part of their storing space, a space which comes in handy to store old discarded items and sometimes this is also used a wine cellar. Due to such uses, most basements end up being dimly lit or very less ventilated. This makes the entire conversion process slightly complicated as you need to not only ensure more lighting and air movement, but also to make sure that the space is safe enough for use, as constant use as store has made the room very damp and claustrophobic. Some very common conversions that basements are effected to are kitchens, study area or children’s play room, living room or even office area.
The next thing to consider is if you will need to remove any pillars or walls that form part of the houses structural support. If you decide to remove indispensable basement walls or supports you will require a structural engineer to redesign the support system so your house doesn’t fall down into a pile of rubble. This may also be essential because no reputable basement remodeling company or contractor will knock down walls or take out basement pillars if he is not absolutely sure they will not affect the overall stability of the house.
