Exterior or Interior Water Proofing...

Exterior Or Interior Waterproofing...Which One Is The Best Fit For Your House?

Your home was not planned or build to leak. It was built with the idea that the water outside will remain outside. Therefore, a leak is a clear indication that something in your home isn’t functioning properly and has to be fixed. Unfortunately, It is not uncommon that after some years homes will begin to leak due to wear and tear. 

That is why keeping your home protected with proper waterproofing is one of the most significant things you can do to ensure that your home stays dry and in good condition. Research shows that more than 90% of basements in the US will have some water damage sooner or later, so don't go on thinking that water damage just won’t happen to you, and start proper waterproofing today! Water damage can be an expensive ordeal and so taking the proper prevention steps can save you a lot of money.

Waterproofing your home can be done interiorly or exteriorly. You may even decide to combine both methods if needed. Keep reading for more details on both methods and for a better understanding of the kind of waterproofing your home needs.  

Exterior water proofing

Because of our extensive experience in the construction and the water damage industries, our first recommendation is to do everything possible and keep water out of your property!

Exterior waterproofing is a permanent solution that deals with the outside of your home to make your foundation walls impervious to water. This method is highly effective and guarantees that water doesn’t reach the inside of your home or your foundations.

Here are some examples of common exterior waterproofing solutions: 

• Installing a new drainage system: If your leakage issue is brought on by improper drainage then you will have to replace the drainage system.  Ensuring that in the future, future water will be properly drained, and won’t leak into your home.

• Partly rebuilding your foundation – this process involves around-the-house digging which could be quite costly. However, this process will allow you to save a major amount of capital in the future.

• Hydro-static mastic – special rubber sheets can be administered to the outer part of your house, which in turn would cover cracks thwarting water from entering. This is a less intrusive method but is still quite effective.

• Perhaps the simplest solution for exterior water proofing is to fill the cracks using dry sodium bentonite clay. Sodium bentonite clay expends when wet, retaining up to a few times its dry weight in water. This makes it an ideal “sponge” to absorb the extra water in your cracks. And when it hardens the sodium clay becomes a permanent seal.

Interior water proofing 

Interior waterproofing method can be utilized alone or in a combination with exterior waterproofing method for keep your home dry. Unlike exterior waterproofing, interior waterproofing takes care of the problem once the water is inside your home. Interior waterproofing systems work to remove water that have seeped into your home to ensure that the water does not cause any damage.

Here are some examples of common interior waterproofing solutions:

• Interior waterproofing includes filling in any cracks or gaps in the ceiling and walls. After the cracks/gaps have been filled, a latex-based waterproof paint would be applied to the interior walls and ceiling. A plus to interior paint is that it is less likely to deteriorate over the years.

• Crack injection is another interior waterproofing technique used to protect your home. Injecting cracks in your foundation with polyurethane is the fastest method to avoid future issues. This technique will ensure no new cracks develop from the original crack, therefor guaranteeing water will not have a new access point.

• Before you make any significant investments a simple but important first step is to ensure that rainwater runs away from your house’s foundation. Installing an interior drainage system inside your foundations footing will alleviate pressure and enable water to be diverted from your foundation.

• Sump pump installation is a good choice if your basement floods frequently or if your water table is above the foundation of your house. The sump attempts to remove water from a sump bowl in the basement of your home, decreasing the risk of flooding in your home. The water from your sump will typically be sent to storm drain or sewer where it can no longer an issue.

Summery 

With both methods there are of course some advantages and some disadvantages. The main distinction between the two methods is that interior waterproofing extract water that has already entered your home while exterior waterproofing doesn’t allow water to enter in the first place. In order to decide what method is the best fit for your home it’s best to have a professional waterproofing contractor examine your home.

While exterior and interior waterproofing utilizes different techniques to keep your home safe from water damage, they both have the same ultimate goal, to keep you home dry! Seeing how none of us can escape the rain, storms or floods waterproofing systems are a great addition that every home owner should invest in.