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For one reason or another your basement wall has cracked and water is now
flowing into the basement. Perhaps it was the fault of the person who
constructed the basement. He did a bad job and now there are cracks and holes in
the walls. Or maybe it's due to the house has settling.
In some cases, the water pressure has become so strong that it has created
cracks itself. In any of these scenarios, waterproofing basement walls is
desired. In this article, I will show you how to avoid committing mistakes which
do not adequately waterproof the walls.
Depending upon the crack or hole, you will go about waterproofing in one of
two ways. Sometimes you will be able to directly seal the crack with a
waterproofing compound. In some cases, there is just too much water pressure
built up or the crack is too big. Here you will need to clean out the area where
the seepage occurs and patch it properly before using a waterproofing
product.
For some cracks, a simple mortaring cement formula will do. Oftentimes you
can buy an epoxy or latex formula that you simply brush on to the area to patch
it. If there are larger holes, or there are many of them, then you may consider
mixing your own mortar for patching the holes.
It's really simple to create a mortaring compound to do this. Just take one
part cement and mix it with two parts of fine sand. Then add in water to make it
stiff and apply to the areas where the cracks and holes are. For the finer
areas, you can use a putty knife or trowel to force the mortar into the
crack.
However, there will be some instances when waterproofing basement walls with
patching and waterproofing compound won't work. This is because there is still
too much water pressure on the outside. In these cases you're going to need to
use a weep pipe temporarily, so you can divert the water into a nearby sewer
drain or to a sump pump.
To do this, take the weep pipe and insert it where the wall and floor join
together in the area where the greatest pressure occurs.
In conclusion, the number one mistake people make when waterproofing
basement walls is they do not adequately seal the cracks and holes. Make sure
you apply the patch and sealant properly and that you find all cracks and holes
when doing the job.
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