Basements that are consistently wet (not just damp, but wet) after a storm may have some structural issues. If you cannot see where the water is coming in because there are no major cracks in the wall, then you might be able to take a simpler approach to a drier basement. The following three steps will make your basement drier, but you will still need the help of damage contractors.
Step 1: Brace up Sinking Walls
Although you may not be able to see it, there may be a wall or two in your basement that has sunk a little lower into the ground than the rest of your walls. This can create minute cracks in the wall that let in a lot of water. A damage contractor can locate these walls and brace them up from underneath. The added support will keep the minute cracks from turning into very serious cracks. It is also best to support these sunken walls before you and your damage contractor move on to steps 2 and 3.
Step 2: Apply a Thin Coat of Concrete to the Basement Walls
Applying a thin coat of fresh concrete to your basement walls helps fill in any cracks or holes you cannot see and seals these areas up. If you have a mid-sized to large basement, this is a very tedious and technical process that requires more than one person to accomplish the job, and possibly a wooden support or mold to hold the wet concrete in place until it dries (remember, you are applying this to a vertical surface, and you want it to stay put). Even if you hire a contractor and his/her crew to help you with this process, it will still take a handful of people and the contractor's technical know-how to accomplish this step.
Step 3: Apply a Waterproofing Sealant to the Thin Layer of (Mostly) Dry Concrete
Once you get to this step, you could probably do it yourself, but this final step should be completed within a short time. You will need a waterproofing sealant for concrete, and an application roller or a very thick, very wide brush. "Paint" every square inch of the basement walls and corners of your basement with this stuff, and be sure to wear a mask to protect against the fumes. If you can, open any basement windows to allow for air to circulate through the basement. Let it the sealant dry. Now your basement should remain quite dry for some time to come.
For more information on basement waterproofing, check with a damage contractor in your area.
Share11 June 2016
Hello, I am Toby Massey. A storm raged through my neighborhood last year, knocking down trees and power lines. Several trees landed out my outbuildings and crushed the building materials in one fell swoop. Since I relied on these outbuildings to protect my farming equipment, I immediately called a damage contractor to come rebuild. The damage contractor helped me tear down the damaged materials and restore the units. I want to share information about the demolition and building process from start to finish. I hope you will visit my site often to learn about the benefits of hiring a damage contractor to perform this work for you.
