Basement waterproofing - superficial vs. legitimate solutions

Posted: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 12:00 am

Any home or building that is built at ground level or contains floors below ground level is a good candidate for basement waterproofing, although there are superficial, cosmetic solutions for waterproofing a basement that really won’t solve the true problem.

Depending on the climate and geography surrounding a building, most structures need basement waterproofing to ensure that water stays out of the lowest levels and to protect the structural integrity of the building. When it rains or snows, moisture slowly seeps into the ground and accumulates in the soil surrounding the outer walls of the structure. As this soil becomes waterlogged, the pressure caused by the weight of the soaked soil pressing against the outer walls of the building starts to increase. This pressure is called hydrostatic pressure, and as it increases, water outside the building finds its way inside the building through cracks and buckling walls.