There is simply nothing as frustrating to a home or business owner as a wet, leaking basement. Even minor leaks, such as seepage in the area where the basement wall joins the basement floor, can cause incredible damage to any wooden framing, freestanding shelving, sheetrock or carpeting. Waterproofing contractors are trained to install sump pumps, drywells and drainage systems that keep water from entering a basement.
Why Do I Need to Hire a Waterproofing Contractor?
During winter, a frost line forms deep within the ground, but often frost lines fail to form within a few feet of basement walls. When the snow melts or heavy rain falls, the water winds up settling in the lowest spot it can find, but the frost lines prevent water from soaking into the ground away from a home. Instead, it puddles underground near basement walls and then can find its way inside through even the tiniest of cracks or holes.
One way to prevent water from entering the basement is by installing a series of pipes and pumps that keep the water away from basement walls. These system installations require plenty of digging and skill at knowing exactly where to place the drywell, sump pumps and piping.
What Will a Waterproofing Contractor Do For Me?
A waterproofing contractor generally has some training in general plumbing. He or she also understands how water drains and where it would be most likely to come into a basement. Sometimes, a strip of waterproof putty is enough to seal up the minor gaps that occur where a basement floor and wall join. Other times, a more advanced waterproofing system is needed.
Tools are required for any waterproofing contractor job. To install a sump pump, a hole must be cut into a basement floor using cement saws. A hole is then dug down and a large bucket is placed in this hole for water seepage. A sump pump is placed in the hole and attached to a hose that goes outside the home or is attached to the septic/sewer lines. Once the bucket is in place, fast curing cement is used to seal up any gaps and hold the bucket securely in the hole. A drywell is similar but placed outside, away from the house in a low spot for water to collect and be pumped away in a similar fashion.
