Reasons to Waterproof your Foundation

Everyone should know and realize that the Earth’s soil is in constant motion for one reason or another. Specifically, after heavy rains and flooding, the effects that these conditions have on all building structures is devastating. For instance, on an Ottawa house with a basement, when the soil surrounding the foundation shifts it causes the foundation to do the same.

When this happens, cracks form and begin to allow moisture into the structure. The moisture then begins to erode the integrity of the materials that went into building the home. In addition, any moisture entering the house will affect the air quality as well. This is why waterproofing the foundation of your Ottawa home is important.

The way moisture can affect the air quality is to allow mould and mildew to begin to grow. This same thing can happen in an Ottawa house with a crawl space. The best answer for waterproofing a foundation is with a liquid sealer that turns into a malleable membrane that will move with any shift that may occur, keeping the integrity of the membrane intact stopping any moisture from entering. 

It would make perfect sense to have this operation performed during the initial construction of any building. The reason is installing this liquid coating takes excavating the soil away from the foundation, repairing any flaws and cracks, caused by a shift in the surrounding soil and then backfilling it with an improved drainage system installed in addition. This same process is applicable for Ottawa homes with crawl spaces.

If you would like to waterproof your foundation then contact with The Foundation Guys and Foundation Repair Ottawa who specialize in inspecting foundations for signs of damage and offer effective foundation waterproofing in Ottawa.

Why waterproofing your Basement is Imperative

There are many reasons as to why it is important to get your basement waterproofed here in Ottawa, where the main reason is to avoid moisture from entering and changing the air quality of the house in general by allowing mould and mildew to manifest. On another side of the coin, waterproofing does not negate the possibility that the basement wall will not settle and crack. However, even in the event of that occurring, water will not be able to enter the basement.

There are materials that are asphalt free that, when applied by certified individuals, can keep a basement dry and moisture free. Part of the waterproofing process, along with the treatment of the exterior walls of the foundation, is to inspect and ensure that the storm drainage is sufficient for the house in addition to the slop of the landscape that surrounds the house. This means that water should be directed away from the house.

Surprisingly, for most of us, concrete is not as solid, as we think it is. On the contrary, concrete is porous and therefore prone to absorb moisture, allowing it to affect the level of humidity in the interior of a building.

Unfortunately, for most residential properties built with basements or crawlspaces the opposite happens, meaning that sealing the foundation is something done by the homeowner and generally after some form  of foundation damage has occurred. This is why, as a home owner in Ottawa you should have the foundation of your house waterproofed before any damage takes place.

There are reputable companies like The Foundation Guys and Foundation Repair Ottawa who specialize in inspecting foundations for signs of damage and that offer waterproofing that is environmentally friendly here in the Ottawa area.