Add Living Space to your Home with a Dry, Safe Basement
You hear us talking a lot about basements. How to waterproof them; how to prevent leaks; how to make them safe for your family and pets. Most people stop at fixing an immediate problem like a basement flood or a foundation crack. That’s understandable, most of us feel like we accomplished something by stopping water from entering our basement or stabilizing foundation walls. If you’re willing to think long-term with me, once those major issues are fixed you now have a great base for finishing your basement. Yes, that underground utopia where your imaginary game room, playroom and movie hub live are now within reach. If you’re sitting in your basement home office with pink insulation hanging overhead, keep reading.
Walls
You may not realize it, but your walls are major culprits of water intrusion. That damp and dank smell in your basement is caused by water entering through those porous block walls. If you run your hand along your basement walls, they probably feel cold and damp especially during the rainy season. Our WaterGuard system takes this into account and captures water that has drained down from your walls and transports it to your sump pump. So many of us add drywall to untreated, damp basement walls. The problem is that drywall is often made of organic material that is not mold resistant. Once your wall absorbs that water vapor, you’ll start to see mold and mildew creep up your walls. We have an incredible series of basement wall systems that are inorganic, waterproof and provide insulation. Our wall panels help you maximize available light and really give your basement a clean, bright look. Aesthetics aside, you now have peace of mind that you can store items down in your basement and stack them against those new walls and never have to worry about mold or water vapor destroying your valuables.
Floors
Your basement floor is the only layer separating your home from the dirt and fill underneath. That’s 4 inches between saturated soil and your home. Your floor should serve as the gatekeeper to your home and guard against any intrusive water. It’s the bouncer to your nightclub, turning away destructive water that’s searching for a weak spot in your home’s flooring or foundation. That’s a lot to ask of a 4-inch thick slab. This is why we not only waterproof your basement floor with our perimeter drainage systems, we also then install a range of highly engineered inorganic, waterproofed flooring. Our floor systems are made specifically for concrete basement floors. The interlocking floors are quick and easy to install and if water does enter your basement, they’re easy to pick up and reinstall. This is a super way to make a huge impact in your finished basement.
Ceiling
Your basement ceiling is most likely the main reason you don’t like to go downstairs to do washing. It’s comprised of floor joists that allow quite a bit of air into your basement and where there’s air, there’s spiders and their creepy webs. . . lots of them (like how many webs do you really need?) Keep a mental note of this for future reference that the presence of a draft means water vapor is making its way into your basement and could cause rot and promote mold growth. The spiders are trying to tell you something! Most homes have fiberglass insulation installed between the ceiling joists. However, this only insulates the floor above and does nothing to keep your basement comfortable. This insulation also acts like a sponge and absorbs water and grows mold right on your basement ceiling. We offer a range of solutions that include thermal insulation which is key if you want to start moving the family, the dog, and your entire home school and remote working operation below ground.
If you’re ready to increase your living space by finishing your basement, contact us. We’ll provide you with a permanent waterproofing solution to help your basement become beautiful.
The two go hand in hand.
