Make Your Wet Basement Dry in a Week!

Help! I Have a Wet Basement!

Did you know that most new homes develop basement leaks within 10 to 15 years and that "Over 60% of basements have moisture seepage, while 38% experience mold and fungus growth due to an elevated moisture level"? (The American Society of Home Inspectors.) Traditional, decades-old basement waterproofing methods have not passed the test of time and wet basements have become the most frequent complaint of homeowners.

What to do? If your basement is already leaking, you could hire a waterproofing contractor to install the standard interior French drains and a sump pump. Or, the contractor may recommend excavating down to the footers and waterproofing the foundation walls on the outside.

Sounds good but these waterproofing methods are not cheap. On average, exterior waterproofing will run you $15,000 (not to mention having to replace landscaping) while interior perimeter drains cost around $6,000. You may be asking yourself, "Well then, how the heck can I possibly do this myself? I am not what one would call a do-it-yourselfer."

You Can do It Yourself – for Le$$!

Whether you need to waterproof a new or old basement, crawlspace, concrete floor, concrete or block walls, stone foundations, or brick walls, RadonSeal provides the most advanced professional-quality products not only for contractors but also for easy installation by homeowners. You will get long-lasting results without having to break the bank.

Instead of buying a cookie-cutter waterproofing system, which may not perform well or very long, do-it-yourself basement waterproofing can be more effective by using the best products for your specific basement leaks.

First, find where the water is coming from. Then, your do-it-yourself waterproofing project may be surprisingly simple and inexpensive:

BASEMENT LEAKS	D-I-Y SOLUTIONS
Water seeping through concrete or block walls	Waterproof the concrete permanently with RadonSeal Concrete Sealer.
Cracks in poured concrete walls	Repair the cracks permanently with Foundation Crack Repair Kit. Seal the walls with RadonSeal Concrete Sealer.
Cracks in concrete or cinder block walls	Repair the cracks permanently with ElastiPoxy Crack Filler Kit. Seal the block walls with RadonSeal Plus Concrete Sealer.
Water seepage through clay brick walls	Waterproof the bricks permanently with LastiSeal Brick & Masonry Sealer.
Water seeping through basement floor	Waterproof the concrete slab with RadonSeal Concrete Sealer and/or LastiSeal Concrete Stain & Sealer.
Leaking cracks in concrete floor	Repair the cracks permanently with CrackWeld Floor Repair Kit. Seal the floor with RadonSeal Concrete Sealer.
Leaking floor-to-wall joint	Route out 1/2" deep and fill with ElastiPoxy Joint Filler. Seal the walls with RadonSeal Concrete Sealer.
Wide gap between the floor and walls	Stuff with foam backer rod and fill with ElastiPoxy Crack Filler.
Expansion control joints (saw cuts)	Fill with ElastiPoxy Joint Filler.
Leaks around pipes or penetrations	Fill the openings with PipeTite Gap Filler Kit.
Seeping wire ties in concrete walls	Inject with PipeTite Gap Filler Kit.
Sump pump or power failures	Install Hi & Dry battery- or water-powered backup sump pump.

Leaking Basement Walls

Concrete usually starts seeping water only intermittently after heavy rains. Or you may notice efflorescence ("white powder") – a telltale sign of starting capillary seepage. Act now before it gets worse and more difficult!

If the walls are already leaking, let the concrete dry out for best results. To speed things up, you can drill weeping holes in the bottom of concrete blocks.

Seal the poured concrete walls or concrete block walls with RadonSeal Deep-Penetrating Concrete Sealer. This is not your average concrete sealer like from a big box store. Waterproofing paints or cementitious coatings will eventually crack and peel, as they are pushed off by hydrostatic water pressure and efflorescence. After several years, you would have to remove your finished walls as well as any remaining paint or coating, and re-apply it again.

RadonSeal is different! It penetrates deep into the concrete (up to 4"), chemically reacts with lime and alkalis, expands inside the pores, and hardens as a mineral. It seals concrete internally against water seepage, water vapor, and even radon gas. RadonSeal combines concrete waterproofing, damp-proofing, concrete preservation, and radon mitigation in one! Water pressure or efflorescence cannot budge it. The internal seal is PERMANENT which is backed by a limited lifetime warranty!

"Sounds to good to be true. What's the catch?" There is none. RadonSeal does not change the appearance or profile of the concrete, contains no chemical solvents or VOCs (bonus!) and its spray-on application with a hand-pump "garden" sprayer) is quick and easy for contractors or homeowners alike.

In case of stone foundations, the weak link is usually the mortar. Dig out any loose or broken mortar and seal the walls with RadonSeal Plus. This will strengthen and waterproof the mortar, as well as limestone or sandstone.

If you have a leaky brick wall, allow it to thoroughly dry out and spray on LastiSeal Brick & Masonry Sealer. This waterborne sealer penetrates 2–4 inches into pores and cures as a hard plastic. It's like injecting epoxy into the capillaries in bricks and masonry. Like RadonSeal, LastiSeal does not form a surface film and cannot peel or crack or wear off. It strengthens and waterproofs the substrate internally. The seal is permanent. Backed by a limited 10-Year Waterproofing Warranty.

Leaking Concrete Floors

Waterproofing paints or cementitious coatings are not suitable for floors – they would soon wear off. If you apply epoxy coating, which is quite expensive, it will start cracking and peeling after several years because of the water vapor pressure coming through the pores in concrete.

RadonSeal Deep-Penetrating Concrete Sealer provides the waterproofing solution for concrete slabs. It stops water from coming up due to hydrostatic pressure or wicking.

Crack Repair with the Do-It-Yourselfer in Mind

Most homes, both new and old, develop some floor and foundation cracks. If the cracks aren't leaking, it is only a matter of time till they do as the exterior waterproofing coating gradually deteriorates. So, if your basement cracks are already leaking, now is the time to repair them to avoid further water damage and the growth of molds.

When it comes to making repairs homeowners have learned the hard way that temporary repairs do not last. Caulk will peel. Hydraulic cement does not bond well to concrete and will get loose.

Repairing cracks yourself may appear to be a daunting task but surprisingly, it is quite easy. RadonSeal contractor and do-it-yourself crack repair kits allow you to repair cracks in concrete walls or floors like a pro. You can save $100's and the repair is permanent! Just select the appropriate crack repair kit for your basement cracks:

Cracks in poured foundation walls – DIY Foundation Crack Repair Kits

Cracks in block basement walls – ElastiPoxy Crack Repair Kits mixed with sand

Cracks in concrete slab – CrackWeld Floor Repair Kits

click for a larger image!

That Leaky Floor-to-Wall Joint!

The most common complaint from homeowners – "Water is coming up from the corner floor-to-wall joint!" "There is lots of water pushing up from underneath the slab!" But this is usually not true.

1. In most cases, while the water moves through a poured concrete wall, it sinks and comes out at the bottom of the wall. In case of blocks, the hollow cavities fill up and the highest pressure is at the bottom of the water column. This seepage makes it appear like the water is coming up from the floor-to-wall joint. The solution is usually easy – seal the walls with RadonSeal to stop the water migration.
2. Sometimes, water building up outside the foundation seeps through the joint where the wall sits on the footing and then up through the floor-to-wall joint. Grind out the joint 1/2" deep with a hand-held grinder and fill with our ElastiPoxy Crack Filler (this joints must be flexible). Or avoid the grinding and inject the joint with our Easy-Peel Foundation Crack Repair Kit – more expensive but the expanding polyurethane will also seal the leaky wall-to-footing joint.
3. In rare cases, water actually comes up from underneath the slab and at the same time, it will also seep through any cracks or expansion control joints in the floor. It may push through the pores in the concrete and in extreme cases, form hissing mini-geysers on the floor. The solution is installing a sump pump to relieve the hydrostatic water pressure and sealing the floor with RadonSeal.

Comparison of Basement Waterproofing Methods

Each method has its pluses and minuses. None provides solutions for both basement walls and floors, and all cost much more than the RadonSeal method:

Hollow baseboards:

A plastic channel system ("interior gutters") glued around the perimeter of the floor to collect water seeping through the basement walls and route it to a sump pump. Instead of keeping water out, it works after the water has entered - a bad idea! You cannot finish the basement walls because it would trap all the moisture evaporating from the channels, causing molds and mildew. It does not do anything against water seepage through the floor. Usual cost $3,000 to $5,000.

Floor perimeter drainage gap:

A "floating slab" design with a wide gap (1/2" or more) around the floor in order to allow water seeping through the walls run down below the slab. A bad concept! The walls should be constructed waterproof in the first place and the gap will let in tons of soil gas saturated with moisture and radon gas. Framing the walls would trap water vapor and lead to molds and mildew.

Sump pump:

Sump pumps relieve excessive water pressure by draining the gravel bed underneath the slab. Not effective for leaking basement walls. Digging the pit and installing a sump pump costs up to $1,000. Install an airtight cover to prevent the release of water vapor and radon into the basement. Complete reliance on a sump pump is unwise – it may fail or the power may go off. If the basement is finished, make sure to install a backup sump pump to protect your investment.

Interior footing drains:

The perimeter of the floor has to be jack hammered, a perforated pipe laid in gravel next to the footings, and the concrete filled back in. The French drain carries water to a sump pump. Do not leave a gap next to the walls because it would let in vapor and radon. Usual cost around $6,000, including the sump pump. It will reliably drain the gravel bed underneath the slab. But if there is no gravel or it is silted up, the center of the floor may still wick water. And it will do little for seepage through basement walls.

New exterior waterproofing:

This requires removing landscaping, excavating down to the footings, laying new perimeter footing drains in a bed of gravel, cleaning and waterproofing the walls, and backfilling. Since tar coating on concrete walls cracks and breaks down, use a rubberized (polymer) membrane waterproofing coating. Usual cost well around $15,000. But it will do little for water seeping through the basement floor and it is not permanent.

Surprising Solutions that Might Save You a Bundle!

Leaking water pipes:

Is your basement leaking or sump pump running in rain or sunshine? Suspecting a spring under your basement? Call your water company to check it! The water main to your curb box or the pipe to your house may be leaking, particularly if made of plastic. Usually, you can hear slight hissing in the pipe entering your basement.

Clean the footer drains:

Footer drains, which are crucial to relieving the water pressure on your foundation may get clogged by silt or tree roots. If there is access, hire a drain cleaning contractor to clean them with by high-pressure water jetting or with an auger snake. Old clay tiles may have collapsed and just a small section may need replacement.

Clean the floor drains:

Make sure the floor drain is not clogged. Some experts recommend getting the entire drain cleaned by a drain cleaning company on an annual basis. Make sure that the drain has a U-trap, so that it does not let in soil gas saturated with water vapor and radon gas.