Below ground waterproofing is the most critical and technical process. There are a lot of the factors involved and issues to be taken care of for perfect basement waterproofing. Basements are prone to water leakages and in some cases even water flooding. Unfortunately, some ignore the basement leakage problems and some shut down the basements completely due to prolong water leakage problems. There are plenty of utilities that basements can provide irrespective of its size and we should not underestimate the importance and usages of basements.
Though, it is advisable to have a full-proof basement waterproofing while construction the buildings, but even if there is basement waterproofing failure happens, it can be treated with the right treatments, quality products, and proper workmanship. It is very important to identify the water sources and to understand the causes of basement leakages before recommending waterproofing treatment.
Common causes of dampness and water leakages in the basements:
- Rain and groundwater: This is the most common reason for basement leakages and it also exposes or intensifies some of the other causes. Some basements seem to be leak-proof in the whole year but in rainy seasons, it becomes chaos.
- Leakage through the underground public drain system: Basements that are along with the public drain system often get leakages due to this. This intensifies if drains get choked somehow or in monsoon. When drainage is overflow or gets choked, water tries to enter in other vulnerable areas that can be the nearest basement walls.
- Leakage through drainage or pipe: At times, this is not identified if proper inspections are not done. A small drain pipe can ruin the whole basement area and if it is not repaired, it can damage any waterproofing treatments.
- Construction joints in retaining walls or structural cracks: In new constructions, construction joints should be treated well; else it can create a lot of water issues in the future.
- There are some other reasons as well such as humid air that comes in the basement and condenses on cooler surfaces and Interior moisture coming from the bathroom, kitchen, etc
Basement Waterproofing Methods:
There are various types of treatments depending upon the causes and basement status. It is best to waterproof the basements from outside that we call positive side waterproofing (Read more: positive-vs-negative-side-waterproofing). But in some cases, there is no feasibility and accessibility of the outer surface of the basements. We always recommend waterproofing treatment only after site inspection. Here are some of the very common and effective processes.
Waterproofing for damp walls: If there is no water flooding in the basement but there are damp patches, this is the most economical and effective process. The main cause of such damp patches is rising dampness. In these cases, we need to remove the plaster from damp areas and to apply appropriate chemical coatings on brick or concrete walls after repair and proper filling of cracks. We also recommend anti-salt chemicals to be used in plastering after chemical coatings.
Step-1: Removing plaster from the surface to reach brick or concrete surface where treatment is to be done.
Step-2: Surface preparation, joint filling, and chemical coatings to be applied
Step-3: Plastering with an anti-salt chemical.
Waterproofing where water is flooding: if there is water flooding in the basement, the only chemical coating would not be sufficient. As we recommended above, it is always best to treat the basement from outside, especially in these cases. However if it not available and water is flooding inside, it is still doable. It requires injection grouting before applying any waterproofing coatings. The number and placement of nozzles depend on the state of the structure and it is difficult to explain here. The process would be as follow:
Step-1: After removing plaster from the surface, injection grouting with cement slurries of different viscosities & expansive plasticizing agents. The prime motive to do this step is to provide the required strength to the concrete structure and to fill the porosity of the concrete that had been developed due to water movements. In new constructions, cold joints or construction joints are also be treated by this.
Step-2: Surface preparation, joint filling, and chemical coatings must be applied
Step-3: Plastering with an anti-salt chemical. In some cases, the protective layer needs additional comprehensive strength that a normal plaster can not provide. Hence, stones or marble should be fixed over the coatings with slurry (cement+chemical) with greater adhesive strength.
(Read More for detailed explanation: how-to-do-basement-waterproofing)
Common causes of waterproofing failures:
Below grade products: There are various kinds of basement waterproofing treatment and in each type, there are plenty of products available in the market. Earlier, there are not many options available. Though with the time better products and processes have been developed but with the escalation of competition in the market lots of companies are compromising on the quality of product to generate the cheaper product or to enhance the margin.
Inappropriate treatment: In basement repair work where either basement waterproofing had not been done or it has been failed, the selection of the right treatment process is at-most important. Generally, the unprofessional or less experienced workforce does not execute the required treatment due to various reasons.
Poor workmanship: Even if appropriate treatment is being used, it can still fail. The workmanship is a vital pillar in any type of waterproofing. If unskilled or inexperienced workers are performing the treatment, it is likely to be failed. Proper supervision is required to get the work done perfectly.
Unattended causes: In various instances, dampness or water leaking problem does not rectify even after several attempts. Apart from the above-listed reasons, there might be a chance that the right cause has not been identified.
Basement waterproofing cost:
Cost varies depending on the treatment, area size, and civil work involved in it. Please schedule a visit with our site supervisor to get the estimated prices.
Please schedule a Free site visit with our site supervisor to get the estimated prices. Call us at +91-9873305008 or email us at abhishek@waterproofers.in for any query.
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