The Reality of DIY Waterproofing
If you’re the kind of person that would venture to take on a DIY waterproofing job in your basement, then I think I understand who I’m talking to right now. You don’t want to wait for someone else to fix it; you don’t want to spend money on a solution you think you can accomplish; and you’re probably skeptical about contractors. I applaud your DIY efforts because at least you’re not sitting around waiting for the issue to get worse. However, if you choose the DIY route, there are some cautionary tales to be told about what not to do but also what you should do if you decide to go it alone.
Don’t Use DIY Sealants
We all want to save money and fix things that are within our wheelhouse. However, those DIY sealants you’ll find at the home improvement store may promise you miracles, but it will only be a temporary fix. We’ve seen many signs of DIY fixes when we are finally called in to fix the issue once and for all. You can skip to the end of the story and let us come in and do a free inspection.
Don’t Make Repairs With Standing Water
Standing water provides the perfect cesspool for the growth of mold and mildew. But more importantly, doing any repairs in 2-3 inches of water could be dangerous. Working in a flooded basement puts you at risk of electrical shock and electrocution. You want to turn off the power to the basement and use a shop vac to remove all water before doing any repairs.
Don’t Ignore Water Leaks
We often say “where there’s smoke, there’s fire”. Well, where there are leaks, there’s a water source. When you encounter a leak, do not ignore it. Find the source and get it fixed. If your walls are wet, you would need to determine if the water is coming in from outside, or if the water is inside the basement. One thing you can be sure of, it will get worse if left untreated.
Don’t Forget Your Window Wells
We tend to forget the basement window wells when waterproofing the basement. They are a common source of water leaks especially if they do not have a drainage system connected to it. Water entering the well pools up and can cause significant damage. Good news is that we are certified to install egress window wells!
When you call us for a free inspection, we will be transparent about what we find. The goal is to give you a permanent solution.
