Is there a standard practice for waterproofing foundations? I was thinking of going with the peal and stick membrane with the drain board but it cost a good bit. I put in footing drains to daylight and drains inside the slab. My site does not have accessive water issues either. any thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Learn more about the benefits and compliance details for the DOE's new water heater energy-efficiency standards.
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
From experience.
I used Warm N Dri (now maybe called tuff'n'dri, to insulate and waterproof our foundation. A rigid fibreglas over bituminous coating on the block. 20 yrs, no gutters in the woods and bone dry interior. Built in the hillside, good downhill drainage, but also plenty of water uphill going by. Swaled around house footprint. We put our money below grade, rather than on the leaf collecting roof edge.
Best of luck.
There are half a dozen standard ways for different sutuations.
Given your description, I would use plain old roll on bituminous foundation coating, backfill with clean gravel ( no clay) and grade to allow surface water to run off.
If you want more, use one of the bubble drain mats on the market to channle water down to the footer drain.
In addition to the water level it depends on soil conditions and grading. If things are reasonably good then all you should need is the footer drains and "tar" on the wall.
One problem that often occurs is that the fill around the foundation subsides after several years, creating a funnel for water to run down along the foundation. Tending to the grading when needed is the biggest single thing you can do to prevent problems.
Do note whether you have a "problem site" and factor that in -- if the slope is toward the building along a significant part of the lot, or there are areas within 10 feet or so that can't be regraded and which are flat enough to allow standing water, then extra effort is probably merited up front.
WaterProofing and Dampproofing Not the Same
Waterproofing and Dampproofing are not the same thing.
Dampproofing is designed to prevent the infiltration of ground water vapor through a masonry foundation into a basement or crawlspace. It is intended only to keep a basement or crawlspace from feeling damp and to prevent minor liquid water intrusion. Damproofing is required for all basements and crawlspaces that have a floor below the existing grade.
Dampproofing can easily be accomplished using bituminous asphalt (tar) coatings, spray on water repellants, dampproofing acrylic or surface-bonding mortars, or even foam insulation placed on the exterior of the foundation.
Most apply the tar coatings.
Waterproofing, on the other hand, is designed to keep out liquid water in a basement or crawlspace when it is subject to excessively wet conditions, sites with high water tables or soils that produce a lot of hydrostatic pressure.
Waterproofing materials include hot-mopped felts, rolled roofing, PVC sheets, polyethylene sheets, polymer modified asphalt, liquid applied synthetic rubber, and so forth.
Dampproofing can also be accomplished using any of the methods approved from waterproofing, but the cost associated with waterproofing does not make economic sense in most cases if dampproofing is all one needs and is all that is required.
From your description of the generally dry soils, a brush on asphalt coating is all that should be required.