Believe it or not, your basement is not wasted space. It can turn to a warm and dry haven if you willed it to. One typical problem that basements have is the cracks and gaps on floors and especially on walls. The holes may be so wide that you can trace the length of your fingers inside.
Cracks on basement walls are not uncommon. Usually, the cracks can be seen in the middle third of the wall or near windows because these sites are the weakest for most walls. The thing to know about concrete walls is that they move, they expand and shrink and with time, they tend to crack. This, in turn, can cause water to seep through and that’s a scenario that you don’t want to start happening.
An Initial Step
Prior to doing any drastic plans to keep your basement drier than the Sahara, you need to assess and make plans first. Mainly, the thing to know is look for all the cracks on your wall or even the floors and then see if they have dirt, dust, oil, salt build ups that needed cleaning. This is sort of a favorable chance to clear up the basement walls before applying any sealing compounds or substances. After removing the deposits, apply a commercial compound, such as those used in masonries, as a base to set the cracks for the sealing material. Without this formulation, any sealing solution will not set and it will not completely waterproof the walls or floors.
Sealing Through
To be totally waterproofed, use a sealer that deep seal the poured walls and strengthening them as well. Generally, waterproofing the basement walls involves main materials namely masonry parts, hydraulic putty or coatings and the application depends on water involvement. RadonSeal, for instance, deeply penetrates any thick walls and hardens as a mineral. It seals against liquid water and withstand hydrostatic pressure on both ends. It preserves the concrete and averts any fungi, molds and mildew to grow at a retail price of $24 for 5 gallons. Another pemixed sealer that works wonders is the Drylok. Just remember that when applying it against the masonry preparation on the wall, the temperature must be elevated so that it’ll stick and that a second coat, the following day, can be applied for good measure so that the pores are entirely covered and can tightly seal the holes and cracks. The product is available for a fee range of $30 to $100, depending on the type and amount.
A number of concrete sealers are out there and they are essential to cure concrete cracks and keep your basement dry and moisture free. After application, all you need to do is wait and let these sealers work their stuff.