Do It Yourself Basement Waterproofing – Keep The Basement Dry AND Save Money

It's wonderful to have a house with a basement.  Basements give you more storage and living space.  But, basements can also be a pain.  Most homeowners, at one time or another, have to deal with water seeping into the basement, and it's amazing how much trouble a little water could cause.  Wouldn't it be great if you could do your own waterproofing and not have to call a contractor?

Well, strap on your tool belt and get ready, because it can be done.  There are a couple simple things that you can do yourself to waterproof your basement.  Before you give the waterproofing guy a call, give you handyman skills a test!

Effective Landscaping Can Keep The Water Out

One of the reasons why basements leak is the build-up of water underground.  This is called hydrostatic pressure.  It's a big, fancy word that means... water building up underground.

This naturally happens when there are rains or snow.  The water goes into the ground and, for some reason, can't escape to the nearest stream or lake.  This may be because of the soil type, or other natural features like a rock shelf under the earth somewhere.

This is a concern for us because even without a massive build-up of water, the weight of all that earth around the house will put lots of pressure on your house's foundation.  Over time it will crack.  But, with water trapped underground that has nowhere to go, it gets even worse.  That water will follow the path of least resistance and end up in your basement.

There are some landscaping things you can do in your yard to minimize this.  First off, look at the build-up after a heavy rain or snow.  Does the excess moisture (pools of water or piles of snow) stick close to your house's foundation?  That's a sure indication that it's leaking through.  What you need to do is get that water to run off somewhere else.  The main tool you need is already there for you - Gravity.

Two things you can do...

1. Build some gutters to divert that water away.  Your local home improvement center should have all the tools you need and it's not a difficult job.  You just need some gutters to run through your yard so that the water will drain away.

2. Slope the yard away from the house.  This might be a little bigger job, but it will be more effective.  The problem is that your yard slopes down toward the foundation.  With some planning and digging, you can have it slope the other direction.  This might mean disrupting a flower garden, but it is well worth it.

Install Your Own Waterproofing

Another do-it-yourself project you can do to keep the basement dry is to install your own waterproofing.  It's not as tough as it sounds. 

There are two approaches...

1. Using a waterproofing sealant.  This is by far the easiest.  They make liquid rubber waterproofing products that can be sprayed on, brushed on, or rolled on, depending on your preference.  They are safe, non-flammable, environmentally friendly, and cheap.  They're easy to apply, but you may have to do some excavating around the edges of the house.  You might also have to wait for it to dry, then check for weak spots and apply another layer.

2. Waterproofing membrane sheets.  This is a slightly bigger job.  Here, you are putting sticky sheets of rubber-like material around the foundation of your home that will completely prevent water from entering.  For external application, you will have to do some digging just around the house.  It's a two-person job.  This way, you can be sure that no water will enter your basement.

You don't have to be a super handyman to do your own waterproofing.  A great resource for any do-it-yourself project is your local home improvement store.  Not only will they be happy to give you tips, they may also offer workshops for home renovation projects.  But, it is a big job.  Don’t expect it to be done in a few hours.

If you’re not sure, let a professional do it for you.  Aqua Seal USA is a company with years of waterproofing experience.  They use the newest methods and offer a wide range of waterproofing products at an affordable price.