Two things to do BEFORE you spend money – First thing: Check your downspouts and gutters. A clogged gutter or broken downspout can be the bane of any basement. Imagine pointing a fire hose at your basement wall…yes, it’s that bad. Make sure your downspout is about 5 to 10 feet away from the house and beyond the point where your slope slopes down. If you can’t stand his appearance, take your strongest son, take a shovel and have him buried; because taking it off is not an option. Second thing: check your rank. If your yard slopes toward your house (even in one area), all of the rainwater will head straight for it and pool against your foundation… even if the wind is blowing the other way. You do not believe me? Ask Murphy. If you have a problem with the slope of your sidewalk or driveway, there is a process called “slab raising” that will raise these areas by pumping material under them.

Do you still get water? Alright, so it’s time to call in the professionals. There are two ways water can enter a basement (and I’m not including a leaky water pipe). The first thing you need to do is determine, “Where is that damn water coming from!?!” Your two options: Through the wall or through the floor. If you don’t have Irish blood, you could be getting both. Sometimes it’s easy to spot, but SOMETIMES it goes in right where the floor and wall meet and it gets a little tricky. Go downstairs during a storm and watch him enter. Look for signs of water or significant moisture on the wall or floor. Note that if a puddle forms on the floor, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s from there (you’d be surprised…)

If you’re going through the wall, count your blessings, well, sort of. Don’t get me wrong, it still sucks, but the solution is much less expensive and doesn’t require breaking up the concrete floor. If it’s coming through your flat, well, keep religion out of it.

Wall water/moisture: about 90% of people with problems (this percentage is not based on any real statistics, just my experience)

Sometimes it’s been there since you moved in 10 years ago and you’re sick of the puddle on the floor. Sometimes it just popped up randomly and incomprehensibly, like Katy Perry’s fame. Either way, it’s time to put an end to it (we’re back to talking about wall water… I think)

Dampness in the wall: If you only have a little bit of dampness that produces a musty smell, FIX IT YOURSELF. There is no point in spending thousands of dollars for a waterproofing sales rep to sell and sell you something that he doesn’t need. Grab a bucket of dry oil-based paint from your nearest Lowe’s, Menards, or Home Depot store and apply a thick coat to the wall.

Wall Crack / Wall Water – There are a couple of ways to solve this, depending on the severity of the problem. One way is to use the aforementioned oil-based drylock paint. But note that this is still “Paint”. It’ll hold water through a couple of heavy storms, if you’re lucky. Some companies recommend an “epoxy injection” and they work great…for about 7 years. The problem with epoxy is that it crystallizes, and as changing weather temperatures cause it to expand and contract, it will crack again, leaving you with the same headache. Even worse if you finished your basement and have to tear down the drywall and expose moldy insulation. Another “solution” is to excavate the entire exterior wall and apply a layer of tar along the foundation. This thin layer crystallizes in about 5 years and everything has to be done again. “But wait a second, we’re in the 21st century and that sounds inefficient and ignorant.” Yes it is. But some people still do, especially new construction companies. It’s cheap and lasts longer than the home warranty. My favorite way is with bentonite clay (Dr. Seuss beware). Bentonite clay is one of the oldest products on the market and has been used in structures such as the hoover dam and when oil rig drillers come across an underground lake. The way bentonite works is that it absorbs as much water as it can handle and then rejects the rest. For example: a thin layer is spread on the bottom of artificial lakes to prevent water from penetrating into the ground. Now take this principle, flip it over, and then glue it to the outside of your wall. Creates a waterproof membrane barrier that blocks water. The best part is that it can be injected into the wall outside the foundation through silver dollar sized rods, going every two feet along the outside… That’s right, no digging required. Other advantages: prevents water from entering the wall from the OUTSIDE, which helps increase the longevity of the wall; it never fully crystallizes, so you won’t have any problems within 5 years; helps block radon; it will become flexible (yes, yes, I know) every time the water hits it, so it will actually embed itself in any future cracks that could create a problem. The process is called “bentonite clay injection”. Unfortunately, not many companies do this because the equipment is very expensive and may require a second application if there are large voids under the floor; which implies that the company pays twice the costs of labor, gas and materials (the owner usually only pays for the initial treatment and the rest is in guarantee).

Hydrostatic Pressure (Water rising from the ground) – The unlucky 10%

When it comes to hydrostatic pressure, there is only one way to solve it. A drainage tile system. Whether it’s an indoor or outdoor system, there’s one thing to keep in mind: they’re all the same. Every company will try to sell you how their system is better, but at the end of the day, it’s just an underground pipe leading to a sump pump or drain field. This system is not ideal because it involves cutting the soil. Ultimately, you are jeopardizing the strength of your foundation. It’s not like your house is going to collapse or anything like that, but you should avoid it if possible.

So how do you choose a company? The only thing this is based on is online reviews and time in business. Keep in mind that all businesses will get a bad review from some owner who called them at twelve o’clock at night when a pipe in the ceiling was leaking and got upset about having to pay a service charge, but for the most part they are quite reliable. Time in business is crucial because the average waterproofing business only lasts about 15 years. What if you try to sell your house and they have closed (voiding the warranty), or they close and you develop a minor problem that would be easy to fix but ends up costing you $2,500? Exactly…spend a little more now and stick with the company you trust.