wall waterproofing

A Toronto Plumber Talks about Wall Waterproofing Solutions

Every homeowner with a basement knows that the added space for living when a basement is finished is invaluable. It can be used as an extra bedroom, a living space, a home business center, or even a separate apartment for some extra income. But what many homeowners also know are the woes that come with a basement that has not been built and treated correctly for moisture. Moisture in your basement can be anything from a small nuisance to a sign of a much larger problem in your foundation. But fear not, Cheap Plumber Toronto is here to tell you how to get off on the right foot for a dry and comfortable basement living space!

What to Consider

It is important to consider that the waterproofing of your basement is not just an inside job. It encompasses both interior and exterior work.  Because of this, it’s important that it be done correctly, and for some stages of the work, it is highly recommended that a professional be used.

The Exterior Space and Foundation

The point of this precaution is to keep the moisture from outside from coming inside. There are a few methods of how to waterproof the foundation from the outside of the house. If you are lucky enough to be building a home, it’s as easy as specifying in the building plans that you want a proper moisture barrier or membrane to be installed before the foundation is buried. If you are moving in or simply renovating the house that you already own, then you will need to dig down to expose the foundation in order to installed the moisture barrier. The second may seem like an expensive endeavor, but the money that you will be saving in future repairs from water damage is well worth it! When the soil is back in place, make sure that there are shields on all downspouts to prevent over saturation of the soil.

The Interior Space and Finishes

Now that water is less likely to seep in from the exterior, it is important to move inside and take care of the interior. Moisture can come from many other places, including the air itself, and in places like Toronto where extreme temperature shifts are experienced, condensation can be seen on basement walls quite frequently. It may not be a large amount of moisture, but it is just enough in a cool space like a basement, for mold to grow quite easily. So here are some steps for turning a damp interior basement into a cozy living space:

Step 1.

Apply a damp-proofing sealant to the interior foundation wall. The performance of this product is determined very closely with how well the product adheres to the wall, so follow the product directions very closely.

Step 2.

To prevent condensation from forming on the walls after the damp-proofing layer has cured, add a layer of spray foam insulation directly to the wall and tape the seams to prevent any air from touching the cold wall surface.

Step 3.

Build an uninsulated wood framing system around the walls for the purposes of having something from which to hang the sheetrock.

Step 4.

Hang the sheetrock and finish out the space as desired.

Some other items that would make the space more comfortable and help prevent moisture issues would be to keep a dehumidifier in the space, and to install a sump pump in case of any seepage that was not caught!

For any further information on waterproofing in Toronto, or any other plumbing needs, simply visit our website.