Basement Waterproofing

Basement Waterproofing ProductsFoundation Armor concrete sealers and repair kits are the strongest, most versatile concrete products on the market. They are used by industrial, commercial, and residential clients globally.• Concrete Sealers. The Foundation Armor concrete sealers comes in

concentrated form and requires you to dilute the sealer warm-hot water. The warm-hot water opens up the capillaries in the concrete to allow the sealer to penetrate up to 2-4″. The silicate reacts with the free lime to form a crystalline barrier within the pores of the concrete. This barrier strengthens the concrete by up to 45% and will stop water, moisture, and vapors. It will never peel, flake, or fade. You apply the Foundation Armor concrete sealer once in a lifetime.

• Concrete Crack Repair. How you repair a basement crack depends on the type, condition and location of the crack. Learn more about basement crack repair.

As a homeowner, you can be proactive or reactive in waterproofing your basement. If you are proactive, you take preventative measures to protect your home. If you are reactive, you wait until your home has a problem before coming up with a solution. This basement waterproofing article will go over proactive and reactive measures to waterproofing your basement.

Basement Waterproofing – A Proactive Approach

Whether you have owned your home for a while, are just moving in, or just poured your foundation, the most preventative measure you can take to protecting your home is to seal your basement – and not with just any basement sealer. There are dozens of types of sealers and hundreds of brands, but all sealers can be grouped into one of two categories: 1) surface sealer or 2) penetrant sealer.

• Surface Sealer. A surface sealer (epoxies, acrylic, silane/siloxane, latexes, etc.) is a sealer that coats the surface of the concrete. Most surface sealers don’t bond to the concrete and simply create a layer that rests on top. Surface sealers can protect the surface of the concrete, but they don’t stop water, moisture, or vapors. Surface sealers will flake or dissolve once water or moisture is present, and in some cases simply hydrostatic pressure alone. Almost all surface sealers have to be applied every 1-5 years. In sum, surface sealers look nice but are not effective as a basement waterproofing sealer.

• Penetrating Sealer. Penetrating reactive concrete sealers, like the Armor S2000 sealer penetrates deep into the concrete and reacts with the free lime and calcium. This chemical reaction forms a crystalline barrier within the pores, beneath the surface. This barrier, which is a permanent barrier, reduces the penetration of water, moisture, and vapors. Because Foundation Armor sealers do not coat the concrete, the concrete can be painted or stained after to achieve a desired look.

Taking a proactive approach to basement waterproofing will save you time and money down the road.

Basement Waterproofing – A Reactive Approach

Wet basements, damp basements, basement seepage, and basement cracks usually come as a surprise to many homeowners, especially because there is no way to determine when, how, or if it will happen to you. Basement problems can be a result of many things including poor construction, hydrostatic pressure, porous concrete, location of the water table, surrounding soil, etc. Having an understanding of the problem can help with finding the right solution.• Basement Seepage. Basement seepage is the result of hydrostatic pressure pushing water from the

surrounding soil or water table through the pores of the concrete wall or floor. In some cases, water will be gushing through the concrete and in others, water will be slowly leaking through. If you have a crack in your basement wall or floor you need to repair the crack with a concrete crack repair kit that uses a water-activated polyurethane resin. Once the crack is repaired – or if you don’t have a crack – you need to seal your basement with a penetrating concrete sealer.

• Condensation on Basement Walls. Condensation on basement walls is a clear sign you have a moisture problem. Moisture is coming in from the surrounding soil in through the pores of the concrete – leaving behind water droplets. The only way to stop condensation on basement walls is to use a penetrating concrete sealer.

• Basement Walls “Sweating.” This is identical to condensation, only in larger quantities. With condensation, water droplets are formed on the walls. With “sweating,” water is dripping out of your walls. The only way to stop basement walls from “sweating” is to use a penetrating concrete sealer.

• Efflorescence. Efflorescence is a deposit of soluble salts, usually white in color, which can appear on the surface of masonry or concrete. Three circumstances must take place for efflorescence to form (without all three, efflorescence can not form). The circumstances are as follows:1. Soluble salts must be present in the concrete or masonry.2. Moisture must be present (moisture can be present in the air, on the surface, or in the concrete) to pick up the soluble

salts and transfer them to the surface of the concrete or masonry.3. Evaporation or hydrostatic pressure must cause the solution (salt and water) to move to the surface.

• Mold and Mildew In Basement. Without moisture, mold and mildew can’t grow. If you have mold and mildew, you have a moisture problem. The best way to stop further mold and mildew growth is to use a penetrating concrete sealer.

• Hairline Basement Wall Crack. A hairline crack is a crack that is around 1/8″ or less (length doesn’t matter). Hairline cracks in your basement wall are very common. The thing about hairline cracks is you don’t know how deep they are and you don’t know how dangerous they are. You may have a hairline crack for 10 years and never have a water problem. On the other hand, you may have a hairline crack and 5 years later, water starts gushing in through the crack after a rainstorm. If you have a hairline crack, repair it with a high pressure polyurethane resin kit that uses aluminum injection ports. Aluminum injection ports are injected into the concrete and intercept the crack. The high pressure from the gun will push the material to the back of the crack and the crack will be repaired from back to front. If you use a kit with plastic ports, you will only partially repair the crack – which means in 1-5 years, you will find yourself repairing it again. If the entire crack isn’t repaired, the crack isn’t repaired at all!

• Large Basement Wall Crack. A large crack is a crack that is wider than 1/2″ (length doesn’t matter). Large cracks can be tricky. The larger the crack, the larger the problem. Again, you want to avoid low pressure injection kits that use plastic ports. They can’t repair the crack completely, therefore they can’t repair the crack. If the crack is leaking, use a high pressure polyurethane with aluminum ports. You can even use this kit on a dry crack so long as the wall is not in need of structural repair. With large wall cracks, you want to make sure the wall isn’t separating or breaking down. If you have any doubts with large cracks, call a professional for a second opinion. Most wall cracks are caused from shrinkage, expansion, settling, and minor movements.

• Hairline Basement Floor Crack. If you have a hairline floor crack and the crack is dry (not leaking and has never leaked), more than likely you want to use an epoxy. If the hairline floor crack is damp, wet, or leaking, you want to use a water-activated high pressure polyurethane resin with aluminum ports.

• Large Basement Floor Crack. If you have a large floor crack and the crack is dry (not leaking and has never leaked), more than likely you want to use an epoxy. If the large floor crack is damp, wet, or leaking, you want to use a water-activated high pressure polyurethane resin with aluminum ports.

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