As a homeowner, waterproofing your basement is one of the most important projects you could undertake to insure the value and safety of your home, especially if you live in an area that is prone to large amounts of yearly rainfall. Basement waterproofing helps protect against water damage and flooding that might not seem likely now, but become more and more of a possibility as the foundations of your home age and hydrostatic pressure builds up against your basement's walls and floor. Especially in older homes, getting your basement inspected for potential water damage problems and fixing them as quickly as possible could save a good deal of financial stress in the future.
Unfortunately, completely waterproofing your basement and installing components like footer drains, sump pumps, internal and external flood proofing measures can cost a significant amount of money. While some homeowners may have the budget immediately available to complete the entire gamut of waterproofing requirements, in today's economy it's much more likely that you would rather save your money than spend it on unnecessary projects. This is where the concept of "phased" basement waterproofing might save you a good deal of cash, while still ensuring that you deal with all your your potential water damage problems in due course.
Phased basement waterproofing allows you to concentrate on one specific component of your waterproofing project at a time and put off more expensive aspects for a time when you have more money in the bank. By breaking up your waterproofing schedule and stretching the project over several months or years, you will still get the same benefits and protection without wiping out your savings account.
The most inexpensive and easy phase of basement waterproofing is using an interior sealant on your basement walls. Interior sealants protect your basement walls from water damage caused by humidity in the air inside of your home, which can cause significant damage and even mold problems over the decades. Especially if you live in an area with high humidity levels, the air in your basement can be damper than in other parts of your home. By using an interior sealant, you provide your basement walls with a barrier that will prevent them from gradually soaking up this moisture.
After you've completed interior waterproofing on your basement and have saved up enough funds to move on to the next phase, you may want to consider interior basement water drainage. While this technically isn't really considered waterproofing, it does help fend off emergency flooding situations by automatically moving large amounts of excess water away from your home if needed. Footer drains can be installed around the basement foundation or under the floor, resulting in a far smaller likelihood of flooding during rainy seasons. Because this phase of the project is a bit more expensive, make sure that you get estimates from several companies before beginning.
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