Foundation Waterproofing | Water Management

Basement Water Management is a waterproofing method that is used once water has already found its way inside. This specific method is conducted from the inside of the structure. The type of foundation you have will determine which specific interior water management method will be necessary. The concept of water management remains equivalent whether or not you have a monolithic slab, however, monolithic slab is not to be broken.

A monolithic slab foundation will require a baseboard drain system. Frist, the wall of the basement is cleared of all debris and any cracks will be sealed and repaired with the proper sealant- as we learned above it is imperative to avoid lime being pulled from the concrete, using the wrong sealant can cause the wall to weaken, becoming unable to stop water.  Once the wall has been properly sealed, a vapor barrier is installed with a wall shield to keep all water and moisture inside of the waterproof panels. The wall panels and baseboard drain will then be secured together. The baseboard drains are directed to a sump pit, this is where water will gather. A sump pump is installed which pulls the water from the sump pit and transfers it through PVC pipes to be released in the designated release area. 

Basements that are not built with a monolithic slab opposingly require a small concrete breakout along the basement wall on top of the footer. The breakout out will reach 8" in depth to allow for an interior water guard drainage system to be installed. The basement will first be cleared along the interior wall in preparation of the breakout. Once the concrete is broken and cleared from the basement, the wall of the basement will be cleaned of all debris. Any cracks will then be sealed and repaired with the proper sealant- remember, this part is very important. Once the wall is properly sealed, a vapor barrier is installed with a wall shield to keep all water and moisture inside of the panels. The wall panels and water guard drain are now secured together. Drains are to be directed to a sump pit under the basement floor, which is where the water will gather. Concrete is poured over the sump pit and finished. A sump pump is installed to transfer the water to the outside of the structure through PVC pipes that release in the designated release area.

No matter the type of slab you have, or which method is conducted, you're still able to finish out your basement- meaning you are still able to install drywall and/or flooring in your basement after the water management process is complete.

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