How To Stop Basement Flooding

There are four ways you can stop basement flooding. The easiest and best way is to start with new construction. If you take the appropriate steps when the foundation and basement are being built, you can eliminate the problem. Many new home builders use two methods. They use a French drain system at the bottom of the foundation and apply a waterproof coating on the exterior of the basement walls and footings.  Once the home has been built, the basement floor can be coated with a waterproof substance and a sump pump installed.

How to waterproof the foundation.

A French drain is an 8 to 10 inch perforated pipe that lies at the base of the foundation on the outside of the house. This is placed on gravel and is covered by gravel. The pipe extends into a drainage area or the sewer. When water comes against the house it drips down along the basement walls and into the gravel surrounding the pipe where it is collected and removed. It does not damage the basement; it does not get inside the house.  You now have a waterproof foundation.

There are many products used to waterproof the exterior walls of basements and foundations. These can last for the lifetime of the building and are not damaged by the soil pH. The foundation and basement exterior can be brick, block, concrete, or even wood. The waterproofing materials must be the correct one to use on the basement and footings. Common waterproofing materials are asphalt, rubber, urethane-based coatings and polymer-based products. They can be applied with a brush, roller or a sprayer.

It is easy to waterproof the floor of the basement. There are the products designed for this purpose.  One is called Dry loc, for example.  This interior waterproofing material works very well. The process is easy to do. You need to clean the floor, sweep, vacuum and mop. Holes or cracks need to be patched.  If there are any cracks in the basement floor that are very deep, they will need to be filled with hydraulic cement or epoxy material. The epoxy will weld the cracks together and stop the damage from getting worse. They help restore the original strength and structural qualities of the floor.

You take the primer that comes with waterproofing material and follow the directions. Some of these are used straight and some need to be diluted. You apply the primer as instructed. You can use a paint roller and paint brush.  Once that is dry you apply the waterproofing material. Some require two coats.

If you have water that continues to accumulate in the basement, you may want to install a sump pump. This is a special pump that will run when water reaches a certain level. It is installed in a hole that the water is drained into. The sump pump will move the water from the basement to a different location, usually the sewer or septic.

With some work and some investment you can stop the basement flooding.