Basement System Waterproofing - Can You Effectively Waterproof Your Own Basement?

Owning your own home comes with its fair share of problems at times. One of the biggest problems confronting homeowners in any part of the world is water in the basement. It never fails to happen it seems. After a big rain you often find water seeping in through the cracks in your foundation and making its way down the walls and floor. Not to mention the fact that if you are planning a basement remodeling project, you have to have a dry basement. For these reasons, basement system waterproofing has become a big business. But, can you do this yourself and do it effectively? Here's a look.

No one will argue that water coming into the basement is much more than a nuisance. It can cause severe damage to the foundation and walls; in some cases even compromising them to the point of a basement collapse. That's in addition to the damage it causes to your furniture, carpets, and everything else you have in your basement.

There are waterproofing companies everywhere that will come in and completely waterproof your basement, but you need to be prepared for the costs involved. Waterproofing a basement is not cheap by any means. It can easily cost between $10-$20 a square foot to have your basement professionally waterproofed.

For this reason, many homeowners turn to waterproofing the basement themselves. The most common way of doing this is to use a special waterproof paint on the walls. The paint is designed to lock out the moisture and water, but it generally always requires 2 coats to have any effect at all. You will also need to be sure that the paint dries completely before re-coating a second time or even third time.

Other things that people will try in waterproofing their basement include the special cement that you mix with water and apply over the areas that leak. It sounds like an easy fix. Simply spread out the cement on the wall and the leaks will stop. Unfortunately, it doesn't work. The water will simply go to another weak area and come out there. It's kind of like the boy trying to plug the dam. When he fixes one hole, another pops up.

The bottom line to basement system waterproofing is to leave it to the professionals if you want a permanent fix. If you only have a little moisture or condensation, then painting the walls with a waterproofing paint may be all you need. Anything more than that should be done the pro's if you are wanting to turn your basement into a living area and do things right.