Basements, being the lowest room in a home, have a tendency to collect water. Aside from the weather, damp and wet basements are also caused by hydrostatic pressure from the water table below ground, and when sewers back up.
To prevent water from permeating through your basement walls, you’ve no doubt heard of ‘damp-proofing’ and ‘waterproofing’ as the answers to your water problems. While similar in function, the differences in effectiveness are significant and it pays to be able to differentiate the two.
Damp-proofing, in a nutshell, is usually done during construction and meets the minimal building code standards. Damp-proofing is done internally and does the job of protecting your home from moisture, though it is not completely protected from water, which can still seep through the foundation.
As for waterproofing, this is done externally and internally, thus stopping water seepage in its tracks. It provides complete protection even from hydrostatic pressure.
Perma-Seal, one of the finest basement waterproofing contractors today, offers basement waterproofing to fully protect your home from moisture and water. Aside from giving your home a permanent solution against moisture issues and seepage, Perma-Seal backs their work up with a lifetime warranty against basement and crawl space seepage.
The Perma-Seal system involves installation of a Delta MS Wall Membrane and Rigid Foam Insulation Board for complete protection, as well as exterior and interior drain tiles.
While damp-proofing can work, if you want total protection from water seepage and moisture issues, waterproofing is the way to go. Call Perma-Seal today and ask how they can help protect your home fully and completely.