Crawl Space and Basement Waterproofing
There are millions of homes in the United States that are built with a crawl space. In fact, there are over 27 million homes that have one! Furthermore, nearly 20% of new home builds, contain crawl spaces but may not necessarily have basement waterproofing in place.
This is usually because they do not contain a basement and you have got to have a method to get under your house to service various items such as plumbing, electrical, gas, etc.
With so many crawl spaces being in existence, there are some that will, over time, develop various issues and problems.
Things like rotting wood, mold or mildew, insect and pest problems, and corrosion can be a problem that needs to be addressed.
They can cause things like cold floors on the floors above, excessive loss of energy, high utility bills, and greater wear and tear on appliances and items such as HVAC equipment.
Many of these issues can be traced back to the way the house was built and cost cutting construction practices, as well as ‘one size fits all’ building codes can be to blame in many instances.
You will find inadequate water proofing, as well as not enough insulation and poor air sealing.
Fortunately, there are solutions and various methods and applications have been invented to eliminate or at least combat these problems.
Basically, there is a science behind the building of homes on top of crawl spaces.
Building homes on dirt crawl spaces with open vents is an older, out-dated way of constructing a home with a crawl space.
The technology behind crawl spaces has improved a ton over the years and they are no longer built in this manner. (although if you have a very old home that was, there are still solutions that you can seek for various problems.)
Many newer homes are constructed with crawl space encapsulation, which reflects a new and improved way of home building when a crawl space is involved.
Crawl space issues can affect the health of you and your family and also the indoor air quality in your house, so it is important to know what your crawl space is like, how it was constructed, and how you can combat any issues that may arise.
So, how do you know if and when your crawl space needs waterproofing?
There are several obvious signs to look for that will indicate that a waterproofing system may necessary for your crawl space.
The most obvious one being if there is standing water on the floor of your crawl space. If yours has a dirt floor, wet soil is also a pretty good indicator that a waterproofing system should be installed.
The next question is: What do you get with a waterproofing system?
- Perimeter drains. Just like the name implies, a drain system is installed around the perimeter of your crawl space. This drainage system is designed to capture seepage from the walls and floor of your crawlspace.
- Drainage matting. This consists of a plastic sheet of material that is generally dimpled, to promote good drainage over the floor of the crawl space and into the perimeter drains.
- Sump pump. The old basement standby. A good sump pump will include a backup battery in case the electricity goes out, so that it will keep working to pump water out of your crawl space no matter what.
- A good, heavy-duty dehumidifier will not only dry out a damp crawl space, but it will also work to insure that it maintains pre-set humidity levels. Controlling the humidity is how you control mold and mildew from accumulating in your crawl space. Mold and mildew can greatly affect the health of your family (some people are particularly sensitive to it) so this is something that you want to make sure you can in check.
These are just some of the options that you may want to check into when you decide to have your crawl space waterproofed.
Waterproofing can be done as part of an encapsulation or independently of it.
Make sure top quality products are always used to take care of these issues and your house will be better off for it and you will sleep better at night knowing you don’t have problems taking place underneath your home.
For most people, their home is the largest investment they will make during their lifetime. It is a good idea to take care of it by waterproofing your crawl space.
Not only will it help protect your investment, it will also protect the health of you and your loved ones.
Basement Waterproofing
Water in the basement is a problem that many homeowners have to deal with from time to time.
In both the spring and the fall when heavy storms hit, your basement can become inundated with water.
The hurricane-like storms that we get occasionally can really play havoc with your lower level.
A great way to combat this problem is to waterproof your basement. The question that most people have is: will waterproofing actually keep my basement dry?
Like many other fields in today’s marketplace, technology has come a long way when it comes to things like basement waterproofing.
This was something that was not as reliable in the past, but now even houses in low-lying areas can benefit from basement waterproofing that really works and really makes a difference.
Here are some of the advantages for homeowners who purchase basement waterproofing:
- Expands your habitable space. Instead of having hundreds of square feet in your basement that is just wasted space, waterproofing gives you back that space and makes it useable again. If you are afraid your basement may flood, you can’t even use it for storage, let alone anything more substantial. Once you have waterproofed you can quit stressing about the things that you put down there getting wet.
- Do the home remodeling job that will add value to your home and make it more livable. Maybe you have been thinking of moving because you need more space? Waterproofing your basement can open up that office space that you need or that spare bedroom that makes your house big enough that you don’t have to move. Even if you are not in need of the space at the moment, you will add value to your home by making the space within it more useable. It doesn’t matter whether its an arts and crafts room or an entertainment room, you will open up space that you never had previously.
- You can gain a much healthier living environment. If there is one thing that accompanies water in your basement, it is mold and mildew. If your basement has flooded, especially multiple times, it can be really tough to even see and identify the mold. In many cases people will start to experience breathing issues and other health problems and not even know why. If you waterproof your basement it will be evaluated for mold. If it turns out there is mold in your basement, it can be professionally removed before the waterproofing takes place, to insure that the health concern is eliminated and will not be coming back. You and your family will gain a much healthier living environment.
- The end result of water in your basement can ultimately be cracks in the structure or foundation. Once your basement is waterproofed, any foundational repairs will be made and you will not have to worry about dealing with them again. A dry basement keeps your house structurally sound which is not only good for you and your family, it helps protect your investment.
- The most valuable benefit to waterproofing your basement is the added value it gives to your home. You may plan on living in your house for many years to come, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be cognizant of the value of your house. You’re probably going to want to sell it at some point and making it more livable by waterproofing the basement is simply a no-brainer. You protect your investment and add value to your home and no matter how you look at it, that is always a good thing.
Do what you can to take care of your home and you will reap the rewards when you go to sell your house.
