Effective Cost Measure to Waterproof the Foundation

Making sure your foundation is waterproof will save you money because a waterproofed basement foundation will not get water damage or erosion or corrosion of the walls. Here are some ways to go about making sure your basement foundation is waterproof. 

Concrete Must Be Cured

Make sure the walls of the concrete foundation are fully cured before treating it with any waterproofing surface applied material like specialty paints or asphalt. You'll end up wasting your money if you apply the treatment too soon since the material will either peel or improperly adhere and allow leaks in the future. All form ties must be removed and the holes caused from the ties need to be filled in with non-shrink grout or hydraulic cement before waterproof treatment. Clean concrete will help treatments adhere and back fill with soil only after treatment has dried and the foundation is waterproof.

Build a Gutter System

Make sure water is diverted away from the foundation walls to keep your basement dry. This can be done cost effectively by simply screwing flexible extensions to all gutter downspouts so the water is diverted further away from the house. Save yourself some more money by investing in a rain barrel to collect the diverted water to use to water plants, wash a vehicle or wipe down patio furniture.

Use Plants to Divert Water

Plants and shrubs will not waterproof a foundation, but they are a cost effective way to keep your basement dry and not strain the waterproof treatment you've placed on the concrete. Plant flowers, bushes and shrubs three to five feet away from the foundation wall to reduce standing water. The plants will use any standing water that gets naturally accumulated from rain. Big trees should not be used since the roots could cause cracks in the foundation wall.  They should be at least 20 feet away from the foundation.

Urethane Sealant

Increase the effectiveness of any previous waterproofing treatments of an older basement by spraying the outside wall of the foundation with a urethane sealant. Buy the sealant and a pump sprayer from any home hardware store. Saturate the walls and all to completely dry. Make sure there is at least 48 hours of no rain after application to make sure the sealant dries completely.

Protect Window Wells

Window wells can cause water to pool and seep around window frames allowing water to enter your basement. Protecting these wells will not make the foundation waterproof like applied treatments, but doing so is a cost effective way to reduce the chance of water getting into your basement or sitting against the concrete foundation. Make sure window wells have properly set up bottoms with gravel for drainage. Or you can buy clear plastic bubbles to cover the whole window well so no water enters.

Exterior Injection of Waterproofing Treatments

Another way to make sure a foundation is waterproof is to inject sodium bentonite, sold under a variety of brand names, between the soil and the concrete wall. As it dries, it turns into a slurry form that plugs any cracks in the exterior of the basement foundation that might cause water seepage into the basement. This method typically needs to be done by a professional. It can be expensive, but it's more cost effective than completely evacuating all soil from around the foundation to access the wall to fix any holes.