When you’ve got basement cracks and leaks, you have got to perform the repairs ASAP, lest they do extensive water damage and ruin your foundations. Aside from preventing property damage, fixing basement leaks can also prevent the growth of dangerous molds. Here are a few tips to help eliminate these threats to your home.
1. Inspect.
When fixing basement leaks, the first thing that you’ve got to do is to identify the source of the leak, like a wall crack or busted window. Carefully check every organic surface, like wood, drywall, and carpets in a finished basement. Dampness will be a clear indicator of where a leak is coming from, and can help you locate it.
2. Start Digging.
Next, dig about six feet down to the foundation around the outside of the house. This trench should be wide enough that you can continue working in, as you’ll eventually need enough space for patching the foundation, fixing basement leaks , and installing draining pipe.
3. Pressure Wash.
Now, it’s time to pressure wash your foundation and let it dry. You want to use a heavy duty brush to clean the surface of the foundation if you couldn’t clean all the dirt from the wall.
4. Waterproofing Time.
Now, patch the cracks and apply small amounts of cement into the areas that have become chipped-out and smooth them over using a trowel. It’d be a good idea to make a slight incline in the patched area, slanting it from the floor upwards toward the wall, which will provide extra strength to the patched area. This helps to drain away any moisture that might accumulate. Then, apply a waterproofing paint seal for fixing basement leaks. Most hardware stores have an epoxy or a latex waterproof mix meant to treat walls. These mixes are pretty easy to use, and need only for you to add water. Install the waterproof membrane.
5. Run Drainage Pipe.
The last part of fixing basement leaks is to run some drainage pipe around your home’s foundation to insure that the ground waters stay far away from the walls. The pipe is most often times laid in a bed of loose gravel, which keeps dirt from entering it. Once you’re done, fill the trench with the soil you’ve taken out, and compress it.
If you have any basement water leaks, it’s absolutely vital that you do the necessary foundation repairs to protect your investment. You’ll have less trouble fixing basement leaks if you follow these steps, even though sealing foundation cracks isn’t easy. If you have any questions about fixing basement leaks, feel free to ask in the comments.
