Interior vs Exterior Basement Waterproofing

Interior and exterior basement waterproofing can be done in several ways. Your location and your type of home can all affect which interior and exterior basement waterproofing is best for you and your situation. There are many pros and cons associated with each waterproofing option. The information below will discuss several ways you can waterproof your basement and help you decide if either interior or exterior basement waterproofing is the right way to go for your situation.

Cracks and Holes

Regardless if you are doing interior of exterior basement waterproofing you have no choice but to repair cracks and holes. Patching these can prove challenging to say the least. For interior basement waterproofing you have to brush away loose concrete to get a decent surface. You will need to use concrete to fill the holes and cracks and then smooth it out. The process is time consuming and complicated. Exterior basement waterproofing is done in such a way that cracks and holes are not much of a problem.

Skin Shielding

This is used only with exterior basement waterproofing. Essentially this skin is placed over the exterior basement wall after waterproofing paint has been applied. The skin acts as a moisture barrier between the cool soil and the excess water. The skin is rubberized and possesses a honeycomb design.

Waterproofing Paint

Interior and exterior basement waterproofing will always utilize waterproofing paint. The paint is applied just like any other kind of paint. It is typically latex based and does not allow water to adhere to it or degrade it quickly over time. Exterior waterproofing paint is more durable than interior waterproofing paint due to the constant bombardment of moisture and rain.

Water Drainage

Creating water drainage is an important part of waterproofing the basement. In order to keep the interior of the basement dry you need to install the drainage outside of the home. There are many ways this can be done with the simplest being pipes like downspouts. Another way is to create a trench at the base of the exterior wall and placing a drain pipe inside the trench and have it connect to the exterior plumbing line. This will keep water away from the concrete foundation and out of the basement.

Water Sock

When it comes to exterior basement waterproofing, the water sock is a likely choice among builders. The water sock is a round piece of absorbent material wrapped in a mesh. The land around the home is excavated to the base of the foundation (also the basement walls). A trench is dug and filled with an inch of sand. The water sock is placed and set in the sand and then covered with gravel. This is done around the perimeter of the property and then the earth is backfilled over the water sock and leveled. When it rains the water soaks through the ground and reaches the gravel. The water filters through the gravel to the water sock and stores the water. Over time the water is slowly released back in to the ground.