Groundwater in the basement: what to do, the implementation of waterproofing, the choice of materials, the features of the work, reviews

Along with the onset of spring, many owners of suburban buildings begin to experience difficulties associated with the flooding of basements and cellars. This is due to a rise in groundwater level. The earth takes on the likeness of a foam 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 not turn into a pool, a source of mold and fungi, then you should timely worry about protection. Next, you will learn how to escape from groundwater in the basement, what to do for this.

Basement interior waterproofing

Basement insulation provides protection to 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 it is much more difficult and expensive to do. So, what is it important to pay attention to when conducting waterproofing of the basement from the groundwater inside?

1. On the boundaries between surfaces, or rather, places where floors and walls, walls and ceilings are connected, as well as areas where the sides are joined together.
2. On working seams that are formed during the concreting of the upper layer or in the places where the formwork is installed.
3. On plots of communications.
4. On faults and cracks resulting from 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 there is groundwater in the basement, what should I do? Vertical isolation will help to solve the problem. It is necessary if the basement walls are at the level of groundwater and if the drainage system is not equipped.

In this situation, internal waterproofing of the basement walls is carried out along the basement of the building. As a rule, it is combined with horizontal type insulation.

Internal horizontal waterproofing

When is waterproofing the basement floor from groundwater? Work is necessary if the base of the room is located at the level of these same waters or the clay layer interferes with the leakage of liquid. Installation takes place on the floor.

The basement floor is waterproofed 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 occurrence of water, how much precipitation will fall and so on.

Types of waterproofing

Different types of insulation are distinguished depending on the humidity level in the room:

1. Pressure head. It is used when the groundwater pressure reaches 10 meters, and the basement is waterproofed from the groundwater outside and there is no drainage structure. In this situation, only a solid barrier will help. The principle of operation of pressure isolation is the use of water pressure, under the influence of which the insulating material adheres tightly to the plane. It is attached to the outside of the basement during the construction process. For this purpose rubber, web seals and membranes can be used.
2. You drown the basement with groundwater, but what to do, you don’t know? Anticapillary waterproofing will help. The system provides protection against moisture and moisture.
3. Pressureless. An effective device against temporary flooding resulting from a large amount of rainfall or seasonal floods. To protect the surface, bitumen mastic is used.

Waterproofing Technologies

In terms of materials used, the following waterproofing methods are considered the most popular today:

1. Painting / coating of the surface using bituminous or polymer mastic.
2. Surfacing.

However, these methods have a big drawback - even under low pressure, an unfavorable hydrostatic pressure is formed. 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:

1. Penetrating method.
2. Mineral / cement based coating technology.
3. Membrane insulation.
4. Waterproofing with water glass or rubber.

In order to choose one of the listed methods, it is necessary to proceed from the following factors:

1. Rainfall and groundwater level rise.
2. The presence of a drainage system around the foundation.
3. Appointment of the premises.
4. Foundation material and the quality of its insulation.

Waterproofing Materials

A huge assortment of materials is presented on construction markets. Quite often, groundwater penetration is accompanied by leakage of communications. In order to choose the right material, you need to know that penetrating protection helps well from underground / melt water and capillary flow. And in case of public accidents, mastic and coating solutions work more efficiently.

Drowns a basement with groundwater? What to do in this situation, do not know? The following materials effectively protect against leaks:

1. Roll waterproofing.
2. Penetrating emulsion.
3. Liquid rubber.
4. Membrane film.
5. Liquid glass.

Roll Technology

To save floors from groundwater in the basement of the house will help waterproofing, made according to a roll-up scheme. The material on the basis of bitumen is glued to the surface with an overlap, and the joints and joints are melted using a blowtorch. Instead of glue bituminous mastic is used. All further actions are carried out depending on flood conditions. If flooding occurs frequently, then bitumen is laid in four layers, with infrequent water rise - in two. After the material has completely dried, a concrete floor screed is made and the room is ready for operation.

For the roll method can be used:

1. Ruberoid.
2. Hydrosol.
3. Linocrome.

Penetrating Insulation Technology

The penetrating waterproofing of the basement from the inside of the 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 deeply (up to 10 cm) into the wall and turns into crystals. This protection method provides the following:

1. Does not allow water to rise through the capillaries.
2. Reduces the level of corrosion of structures.
3. Increases resistance to high temperatures.
4. It can be used in rooms where food is stored.

Membrane insulation

Membrane material for waterproofing the basement from the inside of the groundwater 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 coating can be presented in the following variations:

• PVC - does not allow groundwater to enter the room, provides fire safety.
• TPO membranes - are made of rubber and propylene, the material has significant disadvantages - poor protection and high price.
• EPDM membrane made of synthetic rubber. It can protect the room even at low temperatures.

Injection waterproofing

Do not know what to do when raising groundwater in the basement? Effective protection is provided by injection insulation, not only on the surface, but also on the structure as a whole. The process of processing the premises is very time-consuming - it is necessary to drill a large number of holes, which are subsequently filled with a special composition. For this purpose, a special injector device is used. The following solutions are used for work:

1. Cement - increases the strength indicator.
2. Polyurethane - pushes fluid from the inside when expanding.
3. Epoxy - applied zonally, only at the place of leakage.
4. Methylcrylate - fills the cavity and penetrates deep inside.

Liquid rubber

If the basement is flooded with groundwater, and what you do not know, then try liquid rubber. It is made on the basis of bitumen with the addition of a certain amount of latex. After applying the composition on the surface, a strong film is formed. An elastic coating is applied with a coating method, it can be used on walls and ceilings. A layer of 2-3 millimeters thick is sufficient for effective protection. The waterproofing technology is as follows:

1. A special solution is applied to a clean surface, which contributes to a better setting.
2. Next is a coating of liquid rubber. The process must be accurate so that all cracks and flaws are filled.
3. Drying out.
4. The top layer is plaster. This is a very important step, allowing the main coating to not be destroyed during operation.

Liquid glass

If groundwater has risen in the basement, what should I do? Cope with the problem, applying to the surface of liquid glass will help. This method is considered the simplest and most affordable. The material consumption is small. Before applying the composition, it is diluted with water. In the process of solidification, the pores are filled and crystals form. Thanks to this, the following occurs:

1. Increases resistance to mold and mildew.
2. Increases structural strength.
3. Moisture absorption does not occur.
4. Increases resistance to mechanical influences.
5. Effective protection of decorative coatings is provided.

Waterproofing "Penetron"

In order to waterproof the lower floor, you can use the Penetron solution, which provides effective protection. Dry powder is diluted with water to a liquid state and applied to the work surface with a brush. The composition penetrates to a depth of 20 cm and completely prevents the penetration of liquids, but passes steam. Penetron can be used to protect stone and brick surfaces. The mixture has some features:

1. Simple application technology.
2. No need to prepare the walls.
3. Environmental Safety.
4. It can be applied exclusively to a damp surface in two layers.

After choosing the method and material for waterproofing the basement, you must go directly to the work.

Features of the work

Basement with high groundwater requires the installation of waterproofing floors and walls. 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 unforeseen level rise.

To work, you will need:

1. Purchase materials: as a penetrating waterproofing, you can use any product in accordance with the conditions. In addition, sand, cement and a metal mesh for plastering will be required.
2. Collect the necessary tools: a stiff brush, a spatula for applying the composition, a metal brush for grouting, a construction mixer and a container for preparing the composition.
3. To prepare the room for work: collect water - a special “baby” pump equipped with a lower suction hole can help with this. After that, the surface of the floor and walls is necessary from dirt, paying special attention to seams, corners and cracks.

The process consists of the following steps:

1. Processing of floor and wall surfaces with penetrating waterproofing. This solution penetrates deeply and fills the cracks through which moisture previously penetrated.
2. Greasing corners, seams and cracks with bituminous mastic. Application of the same solution on the surface of walls and floors. The layer must have a thickness of at least 2 centimeters.
3. Fastening to the wall of an iron grate. This is necessary to create a hard layer of plaster. Prepare a solution of cement of medium viscosity and apply it with a layer of at least three centimeters with a spatula.
4. Laying metal mesh on the floors, pouring liquid concrete mortar and drying. This is the final stage of creating a basement waterproofing.

Reviews

On the Internet you can find many forums with reviews on basement waterproofing. The opinions of users 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 fairly costly undertaking. But be that as it may, everything comes down to one thing - work must be done in a timely manner, this will avoid many problems in the future.