Tips on Why You Should Waterproof Your Foundation
After the choice has been made to waterproof your home, care needs to be taken throughout the entire waterproofing process. Many people view concrete as a solid, indestructible mass, but they do not understand that even though concrete is solid, it still absorbs water. Therefore you should still be very mindful of any potential water damage. Pores can be found on even the smoothest concrete, which means that moisture, mold and mildew can decay the concrete underneath it.
When building your home it is very important that you learn all that you can about the different waterproofing methods that are available for your home foundation. Not only is it recommended that you have it done, it is also advisable that you take the time to learn what goes into the process.
In the past most builders thought that spreading asphalt onto a house’s foundation was a sufficient enough remedy for waterproofing the home’s foundation. Then roughly about ten to fifteen years ago, Owens Corning added a rubber compound to the asphalt, which gave it more flexibility. Since that time many other improvements have been made to his simple solution, such as compounds that add a greater amount of elasticity than the compounds being used just a few years ago.
Bentonite, a special product made of natural clay that swells when it comes into contact with moisture, is another beneficial product that can be used in the fight to waterproof your home. When the water and moisture is on its way to the cracks in your foundation, it passes through the clay, which breaks off in little bits, which then falls into the cracks in the foundation and swells, plugging up the cracks, and keeping the rest of the moisture out.
When you are making a decision about which company to employ, make sure that they are properly educated in the use and installation of drain tile, because drain tile is another essential element that is very useful in the fight to waterproof your home. While there are a multitude of builders and contractors who know what it is, there are only a few who know how to properly install it in your foundation. Make sure that you take the time to do the proper research beforehand.
Last but not least, make sure that the concrete that is used in your foundation is given enough time to set, which will enable it to reach its optimal strength. There are many companies in business today who will talk you into allowing them to backfill your foundation as soon as possible so that they can move on to the next jobsite. This can be very dangerous, because it usually takes up to a month before your foundation has reached even three quarters of its strength.
