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Three Steps to Water Proofing Your Basement

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Basement cracks and leaks don’t have to create structural problems to be big problems. Repairing cracks in foundations isn’t easy, but it’s absolutely necessary, no matter what. These fractures can cause water damage, invite termites and other pests, and even foster mold growth.

1. Fixing the Outside of Your Home.

The ground beside your home has to slope away from the walls, to ensure that there’s proper drainage. Your gutters also have to be clear, and the downspouts need to discharge water five feet away from your home, too. The water proofing solutions to these issues is to add mounds of dirt against the wall, to keep the gutters clean, and adjust downspouts accordingly.

2. Repairing Cracks.

As mentioned previously, the cracks in your basement are going to cause you problems, and need to be rectified with water proofing solutions if you want to avoid the damages they cause. Hairline cracks can be fixed with a simple waterproofing mix, but cracks that are bigger than 1/8″ need to be cleaned and patched. For these small repair jobs, you can get a special epoxy and cement formula for mortaring or for brushing on. For larger repairs, you’re going to have to mix your own mortar to patch the holes and cracks.

3. Applying Compounds.

After you’ve done patches and repairs (if you needed to), now it’s time to apply compound waterproofing mix. Ironically, many compounds require you to first dampen the walls before application. They shouldn’t be dripping, but need to be moist. You can purchase water proofing solutions at your local hardware store, and then follow the directions from the manufacturer.

Even if it’s just a hairline fracture, you’re going to need to do basement foundation repairs, because it could expand and create even more woes for you as a homeowner. The easiest way to do repairs is to prevent the cracks from forming in the first place with water proofing solutions. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments.

WRITTEN BY

Austin Werner

Austin Werner is the Owner of The Real Seal LLC, a basement waterproofing and foundation repair company. Austin believes that having a highly trained and happy team is the key to success. This is reflected through hundreds of 5 star customer reviews his company has received online.

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