Waterproofing your basement walls is one of the smartest and most cost-effective ways to add value to your home and protect your most valuable investment. If the foundation of your house is in poor condition, the problem can quickly worsen if it is affected by a bad rainy season. You may not think there’s a big problem right now, but basement flooding is one of the costliest disasters that could hit your home.
Basement wall waterproofing, especially internally, is not as difficult or expensive as you might think. If your walls are in relatively good shape, you can find all the materials you need to waterproof them at your local home improvement store. It shouldn’t cost much to get the job done right, nor should it take too long.
Here’s a quick disclaimer: Don’t even attempt to waterproof foundations if there is severe bending in the wall, substantial cracks, or serious leaks. This means only one thing: very bad foundation problems. The only way to really repair these types of problems is by digging around the foundation of the house, repairing or replacing the footer drain tiles, and repairing the basement wall.
However, if your problems are limited to damp walls and mold, then it’s entirely up to you to fix the situation yourself. There are many DIY products on the market that make waterproofing foundations a breeze, and they aren’t too expensive either.
A weekend should be given to properly waterproof foundations and ensure furniture and valuables are moved or covered. Be sure to wear a respirator mask before you clean and scrape any peeling paint off the walls as well.
