Effective foundation waterproofing is vital for a safe and healthy building. Underground facilities such as parking lots and basements always run the risk of water seeping in.
Damp walls and floors can cause mold and fungi which is dangerous to human health. Water ingress can also damage electrical systems that run along or inside the walls. Structural damage is also a very real threat.
The Dangers of Inadequate Foundation Waterproofing
One of the worst things that can happen to a building is for it to suffer damage to the foundations. Your foundation is the base that carries all the downward pressure of the building.
Waterproofing on its own won’t protect the building from structural damage. The engineers must build a water drainage system under the building to ensure that the water can escape.
Water can enter the basement area either in vapor or liquid form. The relative humidity of soil in most areas is close to 100%. Water vapor can move through brick and mortar very easily. Unless the wall has been treated with some type of waterproof membrane or coating, the basement will get damp.
If the building has inadequate drainage the liquid water can accumulate around the foundations. This will apply hydrostatic pressure to the surrounding walls and water will soak into them. Even in the absence of this pressure, capillary action will ensure that the water moves into the walls.
You can often see symptoms of moisture in the white residue left on the walls and floor of the basement. These are caused by salts that the water leeches from the concrete as it travels through the wall.
Foundation waterproofing can be applied at any time. Still, it makes sense to waterproof the foundations when construction takes place. Click for more info about foundation waterproofing.
Deep foundations have become far more common in recent years as space in our crowded cities becomes scarcer. The deeper the foundation the more complex the waterproofing job becomes. It takes skill and experience to apply foundation waterproofing that you can rely on.