Do-It-Yourself Home Basement Repair
If you're lucky, you have a basement.
If you're really lucky, it's finished and is considered another room in your house.
But whether you entertain in your basement or just use it for storage, you definitely want it in good shape, which means no leaks during a notorious Philly summer storm or extra-snowy winter.
Do it yourself home basement repair is easy and cost-effective.
If you have a foundation leak, your first step is to find the source of the leak.
Oftentimes, your basement will appear to be crack-free, but the water in the soil outside gets into the foundation from the ground near it.
So look very carefully for cracks that are moist-even hairline cracks in your basement walls and floor.
Once you find those rascals, it's very important that you clean them.
It's understandable wanting to get right to the repair of a hairline basement wall crack, but it could end up hurting you because dirty cracks will not hold the filling.
Wouldn't you rather repair a crack just once? After cleaning the crack with a wire brush and air pump, fill it with epoxy resin (for hairline and small cracks), or concrete (for larger cracks), minding the directions that correspond with the material.
If your basement has many large cracks (or even one or a few very serious cracks), it's a good idea to call a specialist.
He or she will examine the foundation of your basement, and may suggest you make more serious repairs, such as install insulation between the ground and the foundation, to keep water out and prevent more corrosion.
These fixes are DIY-able too, so if you're up to it, go for it! Five ways to waterproof your basement include installing: a rubber membrane; bentonite; cement; asphalt; or tar.
Installing a rubber membrane does not require any priming, and all you do is spray or paint it into either the interior or exterior surface of your foundation! Bentonite is non-toxic and creates a permanent shield from water once is had expanded to its maximum size from water absorption.
Cement is inexpensive and easy to use, but can also crack over time (and from pressure), while asphalt and tar act as protective film for the cracks.
Whatever method you choose for waterproofing your basement or creating leaks, you can rest easy knowing that your basement-dwelling prized possessions are safe if you work carefully and constantly check for cracks.
If you're really lucky, it's finished and is considered another room in your house.
But whether you entertain in your basement or just use it for storage, you definitely want it in good shape, which means no leaks during a notorious Philly summer storm or extra-snowy winter.
Do it yourself home basement repair is easy and cost-effective.
If you have a foundation leak, your first step is to find the source of the leak.
Oftentimes, your basement will appear to be crack-free, but the water in the soil outside gets into the foundation from the ground near it.
So look very carefully for cracks that are moist-even hairline cracks in your basement walls and floor.
Once you find those rascals, it's very important that you clean them.
It's understandable wanting to get right to the repair of a hairline basement wall crack, but it could end up hurting you because dirty cracks will not hold the filling.
Wouldn't you rather repair a crack just once? After cleaning the crack with a wire brush and air pump, fill it with epoxy resin (for hairline and small cracks), or concrete (for larger cracks), minding the directions that correspond with the material.
If your basement has many large cracks (or even one or a few very serious cracks), it's a good idea to call a specialist.
He or she will examine the foundation of your basement, and may suggest you make more serious repairs, such as install insulation between the ground and the foundation, to keep water out and prevent more corrosion.
These fixes are DIY-able too, so if you're up to it, go for it! Five ways to waterproof your basement include installing: a rubber membrane; bentonite; cement; asphalt; or tar.
Installing a rubber membrane does not require any priming, and all you do is spray or paint it into either the interior or exterior surface of your foundation! Bentonite is non-toxic and creates a permanent shield from water once is had expanded to its maximum size from water absorption.
Cement is inexpensive and easy to use, but can also crack over time (and from pressure), while asphalt and tar act as protective film for the cracks.
Whatever method you choose for waterproofing your basement or creating leaks, you can rest easy knowing that your basement-dwelling prized possessions are safe if you work carefully and constantly check for cracks.
