Together with the onset of spring, many owners of suburban buildings begin to experience difficulties associated with flooding basements and cellars. This is due to rising groundwater levels. The earth takes on the likeness of a foam rubber sponge that absorbs liquid and holds it in itself. If the water rises above the base of the house, then moisture penetrates through the cracks into the room. If you do not want the bottom layer of the house to turn into a pool, a source of mold and fungus, then you should worry about protection in a timely manner. Next, you will learn how to escape from groundwater in the basement, what to do for this.
Internal basement waterproofing
Insulation of the basement provides protection for the building from the outside and inside. However, it is not always possible to carry out work of this kind in full and at the right time. Practice shows that after flooding, this is much more difficult and expensive to do. So, what is important to pay attention to when carrying out basement waterproofing from the inside?groundwater?
- On the boundaries between surfaces, or rather, the places where floors and walls, walls and ceilings are connected, as well as the areas where the sides join together.
- On the working seams that are formed during the concreting of the top layer or at the places where the formwork is installed.
- To the communication areas.
- On the faults and cracks that appeared as a result of shrinkage of the building.
Depending on the area on which the work will be carried out, vertical and horizontal waterproofing is distinguished.
Internal vertical waterproofing
So, if groundwater appeared in the basement, what should I do? Vertical insulation will help solve the problem. It is necessary when the basement walls are at groundwater level and if the drainage system is not equipped.
In this situation, internal waterproofing of the basement walls along the basement of the building is carried out. As a rule, it is combined with horizontal type insulation.
Internal horizontal waterproofing
When is basement floor waterproofing necessary? Work is necessary if the base of the room is located at the level of these same waters or the clay layer prevents the seepage of the liquid. Installation occurs on the floor.
Waterproofing of the basement floor is carried out regardless of whether it is needed at this stage or not. This is a mandatory procedure, since no one can predict what changes will occur at the level of occurrencewater, how much precipitation will fall and so on.
Types of waterproofing
Depending on the level of humidity in the room, different types of insulation are distinguished:
- Antipressure. It is used when the pressure of groundwater reaches 10 meters, and there is no waterproofing of the basement from groundwater from the outside and there is no drainage structure. In this situation, only a solid barrier will help. The principle of operation of anti-pressure insulation is the application of water pressure, under the influence of which the insulating material fits snugly against the plane. It is attached from the outside of the basement surface during the construction of the building. Rubber, roll seals and membranes can be used for this purpose.
- Your basement is flooded with groundwater, but don't know what to do? Anti-capillary waterproofing will help. The system provides protection against moisture penetration and dampness.
- Non-pressure. An effective device against temporary flooding caused by heavy rainfall or seasonal floods. Bituminous mastic is used to protect the surface.
Waterproofing Technology
From the point of view of the materials used, the following waterproofing methods are considered the most popular today:
- Painting / coating surface insulation using bituminous or polymer mastic.
- Built-on.
However, these methods have a big drawback - even under a small pressure,adverse hydrostatic pressure. As a result, the surface layer swells and peels off, and the insulation becomes unusable.
Therefore, other, more advanced methods of waterproofing the surface were invented:
- Penetrating method.
- Coating technology based on mineral/cement.
- Membrane insulation.
- Waterproofing using liquid glass or rubber.
In order to choose one of the listed methods, it is necessary to build on the following factors:
- Precipitation and groundwater rise.
- The presence of a drainage system around the foundation.
- Purpose of the room.
- The material of the foundation and the quality of its insulation.
Waterproofing materials
The construction markets offer a huge range of materials. Quite often, the penetration of groundwater is accompanied by leakage of communications. In order to choose the right material, it is necessary to know that penetrating protection helps well against ground / melt water and capillary leakage. And in case of utility accidents, mastic and coating solutions work more efficiently.
Flooding the basement with groundwater? What to do in this situation, do not know? The following materials effectively protect against leaks:
- Roll waterproofing.
- Penetrating emulsion.
- Liquid rubber.
- Membranefilm.
- Liquid glass.
Roll technique
Waterproofing made according to a roll scheme will help save the floors from groundwater in the basement of the house. The material based on bitumen is glued to the surface with an overlap, and the joints and joints are melted with a blowtorch. Bituminous mastic is used instead of glue. All further actions are carried out depending on flood conditions. If flooding occurs frequently, then the bitumen is laid in four layers, with an infrequent rise in water - in two. After the material has completely dried, a concrete floor screed is made and the room is ready for use.
For the roll method can be used:
- Roofing material.
- Hydrosol.
- Linochrome.
Penetrating isolation technology
Penetrating basement waterproofing from the inside from groundwater is very effective when arranging a cellar in it. In the process of processing the walls, a mixture of cement, fine sand and chemical compounds is used. Due to its viscous properties, the composition penetrates deep (up to 10 cm) into the wall and turns into crystals. This security method provides the following:
- Does not allow water to rise through the capillaries.
- Reduces structural corrosion.
- Increases resistance to high temperatures.
- Can be used in food storage areas.
Membrane insulation
Membrane material for basement waterproofing from insidegroundwater has a thickness of not more than 2 mm and an adhesive layer. The first property is useful in that the foundation structure is not overloaded, and the second facilitates the work process. This cover is available in the following variations:
- PVC - does not allow groundwater to penetrate into the room, provides fire safety.
- TPO membranes - made from rubber and propylene, the material has significant drawbacks - poor protection and high price.
- EPDM synthetic rubber membrane. Can provide room protection even at low temperature.
Injection waterproofing
Don't know what to do when raising groundwater in the basement? Effective protection is provided by injection insulation, not only of the surface, but of the building as a whole. The process of processing the premises is very laborious - it is necessary to drill a large number of holes, which are subsequently filled with a special composition. For this purpose, a special injection device is used. The following solutions are used for work:
- Cement - increases strength.
- Polyurethane - pushes out liquid from the inside when expanding.
- Epoxy - applied zonal, only at the site of leakage.
- Methyl acrylate - fills cavities and penetrates deep inside.
Liquid rubber
If the basement is flooded with groundwater, and you don’t know what to do, then try liquid rubber. It is produced on the basis of bitumen withadding a certain amount of latex. After applying the composition, a strong film is formed on the surface. An elastic coating is applied by coating method, use on walls and ceilings is allowed. For effective protection, a layer 2-3 mm thick is sufficient. The waterproofing technology is as follows:
- A special solution is applied to a clean surface to promote better adhesion.
- Next, liquid rubber coating is performed. The process must be careful so that all cracks and flaws are filled.
- Drying.
- The top layer is plaster. This is a very important step that allows the main coating not to collapse during operation.
Liquid glass
If groundwater rose in the basement, what should I do? To cope with the problem, applying liquid glass to the surface will help. This method is considered the simplest and most affordable. Material consumption is small. Before applying the composition, it is diluted with water. In the process of solidification, the pores are filled and crystals are formed. Because of this, the following happens:
- Increased resistance to mold and mildew.
- Increases structural strength.
- No moisture absorption occurs.
- Increases mechanical resistance.
- Provides effective protection for decorative coatings.
Waterproofing "Penetron"
In order to waterproof the lower floor, you can use the Penetron solution, which provides effective protection. dry powderdiluted with water to a liquid state and applied to the work surface with a brush. The composition penetrates to a depth of up to 20 cm and completely prevents the penetration of liquid, but allows steam to pass through. "Penetron" can be used to protect stone and brick surfaces. The mixture has some features:
- Easy application technology.
- No need for wall preparation.
- Environmental safety.
- Can only be applied to damp surfaces in two coats.
After choosing the method and material for waterproofing the basement, it is necessary to proceed directly to the work.
Features of work performance
Basement with high water table requires floor and wall waterproofing. It provides high quality waterproof protection. Insulation, as a rule, should have three layers: penetrating composition, bituminous mastic and plaster. In height, each of them should be applied with a margin in case of an unexpected level rise.
For work you will need:
- Purchase materials: As a penetrating waterproofing, you can use any product in accordance with the conditions. In addition, you will need sand, cement and metal mesh for plaster.
- Assemble the right tools: a stiff brush, a putty knife, a metal grouting brush, a construction mixer and a mixing container.
- Prepare the room for work: collect water - this can helpspecial pump "baby", equipped with a lower suction port. After that, the surface of the floor and walls must be free of dirt, paying particular attention to seams, corners and cracks.
The process consists of the following steps:
- Treatment of floor and wall surfaces with penetrating waterproofing. This solution penetrates deep and fills the cracks through which moisture previously penetrated.
- Smearing corners, seams and cracks with bituminous mastic. Applying the same solution to the surface of the walls and floor. The layer must be at least 2 centimeters thick.
- Mounting to the wall of the iron grate. This is necessary to create a hard layer of plaster. Prepare a mortar of medium-viscosity cement and apply it in a layer of at least three centimeters with a spatula.
- Laying metal mesh on floors, pouring liquid concrete and drying. This is the final stage of waterproofing the basement.
Reviews
On the Internet you can find many forums with reviews about basement waterproofing. User opinions are different and each situation is individual. Someone notes the complexity of the work, especially if the hands reached isolation after the first flooding. Others argue that this is a rather costly undertaking. But be that as it may, it all comes down to one thing - the work must be done in a timely manner, this will avoid many problems in the future.
