What Are You Building?

When you have a basement foundation, it is vulnerable to a lot of problems with moisture and water damage. Therefore, you want to make sure you have the best foundation waterproofing systems installed to protect the basement from damage. Here is a guide to help with the exterior waterproofing to protect your basement foundation from water damage:

Drainage and aggregate for exterior waterproofing

The first component of an exterior waterproofing for the basement foundation is drainage. The French drain system that is installed by a waterproofing contractor has several components, which include:

• Drainage canal below structure level
• Base of aggregate materials
• Drain tile drainage pipes
• Top layer of aggregate materials

The right waterproofing drainage system is important to keep the water out of your basement foundation. Installing a well-designed French drain system helps protect the foundation and waterproofing from the problems that are caused by water against the foundation. 

The primary layer of impermeable sealant to keep water out

After the French drain system has been installed, the next step in foundation waterproofing is to apply the primary layer of sealant. These are asphalt-like products that are sprayed on concrete foundation walls to seal them and keep the water out. There may be a different sealant used to seal other materials that are above the soil elevations, such as clear sealants for masonry and other finish materials. 

Membranes and geotextile waterproofing systems to reduce stress

After the primary sealant is applied to the exterior of foundation walls, it is going to be time to complete the layers of waterproofing systems. These should be layered systems of padding or geotextile materials to prevent the problems with static water pressure that causes stress and damage. Some of the geotextile membranes are specifically designed to protect the foundation from static water pressure that can cause damage. 

Final exterior waterproofing and drainage improvements to keep water away

The final step of the exterior waterproofing systems should be applying the sealant to any exposed areas that are vulnerable. After the last of the waterproofing is done, you are also going to want to improve landscaping watershed and drainage around your home to ensure runoff stays away from the foundation. In your landscaping, you may want to add drain lines or canals to help direct water away from your home. You can also use the landscaping drain lines for things like gutter downspouts that need to have somewhere to direct runoff from the roof away from the foundation of your home. 

These are exterior waterproofing solutions that will help provide your basement foundation with the maximum protection against water damage. If you need foundation waterproofing repairs and improvements, contact an exterior waterproofing service for help.