Lorain County Sewer & Drain

Information may not be reliable

Waterproofing Your Basement Foundation, Walls & Floor

Waterproofing basement walls and floors is potentially one of the most expensive projects you can undertake on your house, and there are several reasons why. The foundation is your home's most important element, and when it's in disrepair it can cause costly damages to your property such as flooding; not to mention the equity it can cost you when it's time to sell. The basement is more than just a place where you can find washing machines, hot water heaters, gas lines, septic systems & backflow preventers; it's also a potential money trap that can--if you don't prepare properly--make you spend thousands on water damage or flood cleanup.
The best way to waterproof a basement or cellar is by installing an exterior system that moves excess water away from outside masonry bricks (this is why loose or broken blocks are especially dangerous). This means excavating around the foundation and accessing the perforated footer drain tiles. These footer drains are installed to alleviate hydrostatic pressure from the surrounding soil on your basement walls and floor . . . and excavation jobs can raise the cost of your project considerably. Unfortunately, the only way to really get at the outside bricks or cinder blocks of your foundation is to dig, and that's an essential part of the installation of a an effective water barrier. When you patch or spray a coating of tar or asphalt sealant on the external cement, it provides great protection for the entire perimeter.
Do-It-Yourself Basement Waterproofing: Is It Enough?
Buying supplies for DIY interior projects can help keep things dry inside, too, but to a much lesser extent. There are great internal concrete waterproofing products, materials and acid etching supplies that can help repair a wet or arid basement--such as sealers, coatings, paints, paper roll and elastic membranes that are specially designed to stop leaks, kill black mold and prevent mildew and crystallized salt deposits on walls and flooring. And remember: the materials that were used to construct your basement have a lot to do with what methods you use to waterproof it (concrete basement waterproofing, for example, calls for different products and techniques than other newer structures).

But even if your do-it-yourself waterproofing and remodeling project gets rid of wall cracks and moisture--and gets your basement looking brand-new again--you're still only covering up the symptoms and allowing the underlying problem to get worse. If your basement walls are showing signs of dampness, damage and seepage, then that means there is a problem with your external foundation . . . and the only solution is to excavate and repair your drainage system (or, in extreme situations, to install a battery-backup sump pump crock pit, a leach field, tile field or a french drain).
How To Find Dependable Basement Waterproofing Contractors & Companies
Unfortunately, the installation of exterior systems and membranes is a job for licensed and professional contractors, even if you do know how to make your interior basement water-tight. Local American waterproofing companies have become much more common in recent years thanks to advancing technologies, however, and finding a dependable business that you can trust to provide good, healthy services at affordable prices shouldn't be a problem.
Here's some of the best advice we can give you on how to waterproof and hiring a commercial contractor to prevent a leaky, flooded basement or wet, arid crawl space: always get more than one quote, and never contact a business if they don't give free estimates and inspections. If a waterproofing company wants money just to let you know what your restoration options are, then don't go with them.
Once you've compared the costs and customer reviews of several local basement waterproofers, you should be able to make an educated decision regarding which company is best suited to complete your home improvement project. Just remember: basement systems waterproofing methods and techniques can slightly differ from one "basement doctor" to another, and there is always more than one effective way to install foundation drainage systems.

The approximate average cost of dewatering a basement can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, but researching the local options can save you plenty of money and hassle. This kind of reparation is never a cheap undertaking, but always make sure that you're gotten several estimates and that you trust the advice of the contractor who conducting the inspection.
Footer Drain Tiles: Repair, Replacement & Removing Tree Roots
Footer drains in newer homes are usually constructed of durable, strong perforated plastic PVC pipes. In older homes, however, footer drain tiles were made of clay, which over the years can become clogged and cracked. Clay pipes are also susceptible to getting blocked and broken by tree roots, which feed off of the warm, wet environment in the drains. While cutting out and removing roots from basement floor drains can be done with a drill-driven or hand-operated sewer auger, it takes a lot more when it comes to clearing roots from footer drains.
The only way to properly flush out your footer drain tiles is to use a high-pressure water jetting system to blast out the obstructions (even an industrial drain snake cable or commercial plumbing auger shouldn't be used to clean footers). If you can't find your main footer drain cleanout--or if you never had one installed--then you will need to excavate down to the base of the foundation to tap in to the pipe and clean it out.
After the footer tiles have been blasted clean by the water jet, most responsible basement waterproofing companies will use a high-tech sewer drain video camera to look at the inside of your pipes on a small television screen and check for further obstructions. These drain cameras are also usually equipped with a locating system that will give them an added benefit of leak detection. After the footers have been repaired, a smart waterproofer will backfill with #57 crushed limestone gravel (not sand, pea gravel, slag or fill dirt).
The Importance Of Maintaining Your Basement Floor Drain & Main Sewer Line

It's important to remember that flood-proofing a home basement only has a few things in common with waterproofing large structures like apartment buildings, hotels, or parking lot garages. It's true that both usually have floor drains that can be maintained by snaking a pipe with electrically-powered drain cleaning rooter machines. However, unplugging a house trap cleanout or catch basin is a completely unique project.
Unlike sewer laterals in large industrial structures, the sewer main in your home can become clogged with substances like fat, grease, food, cosmetics, shampoo and toilet paper. Regardless of how well your basement walls are waterproofed to protect against hydrostatic pressure and provide under slab drainage, you could still be susceptible to a flood from a backed up floor drain.
In order to avoid this, there are a few precautions you can take. First, if you've had problems with the main sewer line clogging in the past, it might be time to replace or repair it. Jackhammering the basement floor is the only way to reach the pipe itself, but a sewer snake or hydro jet might be able to solve the problem just as well. And don't forget: your gutter downspouts tie into your main sewer line too, which is why these are also take into consideration by many professional basement waterproofing companies.
Regardless of how well your foundation is protected against the elements, you might want to think twice before finishing your basement and adding drywall or carpeting. If you do end up suffering from an unavoidable flood, these elements can make cleaning up much more expensive.

A State-By-State List Of The Best Basement Waterproofing Contractors
If you want us to list your company on this site free of charge, please contact us with your company name, address and phone number!

About The Webmaster
Basement Waterproofing Pro is maintained by Phil Davis, the owner of a northeast Ohio home improvement company. Phil has nearly two decades of experience working on waterproofing, drain cleaning and plumbing projects.

Basement Flooding: Mold, Mildew & Waterproofing Systems
The Best Foundation Waterproofing Contractors & Companies
Basement Foundation Crack Repair & Waterproofing Tips
Basement Drain Tiles For Leaks, Floods & Waterproofing
Foundation Waterproofing Products For Basement Cracks & Leaks
Basement Floor Drains Are Important For Waterproofing
Salt Deposits On Basement Walls: Waterproofing, Cracks & Leaking
Basement Waterproofing Experts Aren’t Always Expensive
Basement Damp Smell? Waterproofing Systems For Wet Walls
Basement Damp Proofing Products & Waterproofing Systems
Basement Dewatering: Waterproofing Against Floods & Leaks
Waterproof Basement Floor Paint To Stop Leaks & Flooding
Solving Basement Dampness, Wet Walls With Waterproofing Systems
Average Cost Of Waterproofing A Basement Foundation, Walls, Floor