Crawl Space Waterproofing Services

Water–something no homeowner wants to see in their basement or crawl space. Whether it’s occasional flooding, small leaks here and there, or high humidity, water in your basement or crawl space usually means there’s a bigger problem–and can cause serious problems as well.

Even if you don’t store belongings in your crawl space or your basement isn’t finished, you still need to waterproof your foundation to prevent a number of problems, including structural damage. Here are just a few things that can go wrong if you don’t waterproof your basement:

Flooding

Even if you don’t live in an area that floods regularly or experiences heavy rainfall, your basement or crawl space may still be at risk of flooding if there are cracks or fissures in your foundation’s concrete.

Humidity

A humid basement or crawl space may seem like merely an inconvenience or discomfort at first glance. But high levels of humidity under your house can lead to dry rot, mold and mildew, humidity upstairs, and poor air quality throughout your home–even leading to possible respiratory illness or aggravation.

Structural damage

Water seeping through your basement or crawl space can lead to structural damage throughout your home. Warped boards, dry rot, and even termite damage are just a few possible results of ignoring high moisture levels under your home.

Although the first line of defense is diverting water away from your foundation in the first place, sometimes rainfall or groundwater enters your basement regardless. In that case, you’ll want to make sure your basement or crawl space is waterproofed.

Waterproofing your basement or crawl space includes three basic methods: interior, exterior, and drainage.

Interior waterproofing

Interior waterproofing usually happens once a problem has already been identified, such as water damage or dry rot. Interior waterproofing includes strategies like sealants, coatings, and crawl space encapsulation.

Exterior waterproofing

Exterior waterproofing is usually a preventative measure, blocking water from ever entering your home in the first place. Certain drainage systems in the yard can divert water away from your foundation. Additionally, there are sealants that can be applied to the outside of your foundation.

Drainage

Proper drainage is both an internal and external strategy and can include systems like French drains and sump pumps.

Crawl space waterproofing can be expensive. So is it really worth the time and money?

Depending on the extent and frequency of water damage, water damage repair can cost thousands of dollars. But water damage left unchecked can actually cause structural damage throughout your entire house, causing even more damage and expense–not to mention inconvenience–than fixing the root problem by waterproofing your crawl space.