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BASEMENT WATERPROOFING
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Why live with a basement like this? It is not only unsightly and unusable, it is unhealthy as well. |
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When you can have a basement like this for storage or as an addition to your home. |
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Basements are imperfect structures built in soils that vary. Water in the soils leaking into basements is a problem that has troubled homeowners for over 100 years. This water will enter the basement through the walls, floors, and joints between them. Over the years, contractors and engineers have developed a wide variety of methods to keep basements dry. Some of these methods are more effective than others.
Pioneer Basement Waterproofing is a world leader in keeping basements dry. We have seen tens of thousands of finished and unfinished basements with water problems ranging from dampness to all out flooding. Whether you plan to completely refinish your basement for added living space or use it as a storage area, you need to prepare your basement accordingly. Talk to one of our representatives and find out how we can keep your basement permanently dry.
A wet or even just damp basement is unsuitable for finishing or even storage. Moisture will get into the building materials and/or storage and cause mold, mildew, rot, bad smells, and damage to floor coverings, furniture, and stored personal items. Unfortunately, these things never seem to get better over time. Rather, basement dampness tends to get worse over time. So even if water seepage is only a once a year occurrence, it needs to be fixed before the basement is finished as wetness will likely increase over time.
If your basement has ever experienced any ground water seepage at all, then it needs a quality basement waterproofing system. Some homeowners install a system even if they have ever had any wetness, just to protect their refinishing investment.
Pioneer Basement Waterproofing offers a variety of products and services to handle all your waterproofing needs including:
If you have any questions, please feel free to call Pioneer Basement Waterproofing and speak with one of our technical personnel who would be glad to address all your concerns and questions.
| Choosing a contractor to finish your basement |
When looking for a contractor to finish your basement, do not look for the lowest price. Instead, seek out a contractor you can trust, who has a history of reliability and finishing jobs on time. Get references and call them. Be sure the contractor is not overloaded with work and that once they start the project that they will stay on your job until it is done.
Meet with the contractor more than once, to make sure you feel comfortable with them. Also, make sure the contractor returns your phone calls and is easy to communicate with.
A complete checklist and Guide to Choosing a Contractor is available HERE, endorsed by the National Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors (NAWSRC).
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| Effective Waterproofing System |
If your basement has ever experienced any groundwater seepage at all, then it needs a quality basement waterproofing system. The idea is that basement water problem never get better, they only get worse as the house ages, as the drains and coatings that protected the house fail. Therefore, even if water seepage is a once a year occurrence, it needs to be fixed before the basement is finished, as the problem will only get worse.
A waterproofing system is a sub-floor drainage system engineered specifically to solve basement water problems effectively without worry of clogging from soils under the floor. Pioneer Basement Waterproofing has many systems designed for new and old homes.
Contact Us to review your basement and custom design a system that is right for your basement.
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| Sump Pumps |
Most basement waterproofing systems rely on a sump pump as the final mechanism to get water out of the basement. It is the HEART of the system. If the heart stops for any reason, the system fails and your basement may get wet despite all the money you paid to dry it up. That is why if you are going to rely on a sump pump, you should make it of the highest quality.
In addition to a quality sump pump and air-tight drain, these units should have alarms as well as battery backups. |
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| Frozen Discharge
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Contractors install tens of thousands of sump pumps in basements each year. A sump pump discharge pipe has to run to the exterior to discharge the water on the surface of the ground outside. What most contractors don't tell you and don't provide for is the freezing of these lines in the winter.
Snow and ice can accumulate and block the opening of the discharge pipe causing it to freeze. Your pump will be running but the water cannot get out and your basement will flood. |
| Every year, homes located everywhere it snows will have flooding from frozen sump discharge lines. | 
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| Vapor Barriers
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Water vapors can pass through concrete basement walls and contribute to a high humidity level in the basement. A durable vapor barrier will prevent vapors from entering your basement.
A high quality very durable vapor barrier on your walls will direct any water seepage down to the dain syatems below and keep it off the studs and sheetrock or paneling. It will also keep water vapor from getting into the basement environment and lower humidity levels.
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| Comfortable Flooring
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In addition to the walls, water vapor is a problem on the floor as well. Because concrete is porous, water vapor will slowly and continuously travel up through it. Carpet on top of a concrete floor causes moisture to become trapped in the carpet leading to odors, mold, and rot. The floors should be covered with a vapor barrier and matting.
Appropriate basement flooring can turn a cold, damp, hard concrete floor into a warm, dry, comfortable floor suitable for carpet or tile. On the average, proper flooring should raise the surface temperature of the floor at least 10 degrees! | |
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| Plumbing Leaks
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Some Insurance Companies claim that floods from water heater and washing machine leaks account for as much as 40% of their homeowner claims. These two common causes of flooding need to be addressed in keeping your basement permanently dry. There are easy solutions for the two most common domestic water leaks.
The average life of a water heater is 7 years and when they fail, they usually leak and flood the basement. The second most common plumbing leak is washing machine hoses, which can flood your basement even if the machines are not in the basement. Standard washing machine hoses are not made to withstand the typical 50-60 psi it is routinely exposed to. Eventually, these hoses will weaken, blow out, and flood your basement.
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| Basement Windows
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Basement windows are notorious for being hard to open and drafty. Further, the wet environment near the ground or in a window well causes a metal window to rust and a wooden window to rot. Durable and attractive vinyl windows should be installed.
Furthermore, if you have window wells, a leaking window well can cause major problems in a finished or unfinished basement. Pioneer Basement Waterproofing offers quality basement windows as well as various solutions to solve problems with your window wells.
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| Santa Fe Basement Air System |
| Does your basement smell like a basement? Is it damp and musty? The SantaFe Basement Air System is guaranteed to dry out your basement and eliminate those musty basement ordors or your money back! |
- Removes over 100 pints of water per day - Triple the performance of dehumidifiers
- 2-3 times more efficient - 5 to 8 pints per Kwh
- Plugs into standard outlet - Draws less than 7 amps
- Low temperature design - Continues performance in cooler areas
- Automatic defrost system - Operates down to 55Fo
- Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back
- Optional duct kit - Remote location for finished basement
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| Exterior Maintenance |
Since basement wetness invariably comes from the exterior of the home, certain steps need to be taken to insure that surface groundwater moves away from your house rather than towards it. Having your ground graded away from your foundation will help keep your basement dry. However, in addition, most of the water coming into contact with your foundation will invariable come off your roof, and down your downspouts.
Extended downspouts should be a major consideration. Many basement wetness problems can be traced to gutter and downspout problems. Pioneer Basement Waterproofing has many solutions to these common problems.
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