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Basement Waterproofing
Basement Waterproofing, Are you having problem keeping the water away from the basement outside walls? There are 4 post covering steps you can take, that will help keep your basement dry. Because this can also raise the value of your home it will be a good investment. Basement Waterproofing involves inside and out.
Basement Waterproofing
IMPORTANT OUTSIDE PROBLEMS REQUIRE REPAIRS FIRST, see step1 at end of this post. Any non-painted and old concrete block walls, especially in basements can show signs of cracking, dry mortar joints and holes. Regardless, if these problem areas are on the inside or the outside of your basement you need to repair them. Because failure to make these repairs is an invitation for water to enter your basement. This post is about basement waterproofing the inside of the basement, there are four steps to doing the process correctly. Links to each post are located at the end of this post. Also link to my YouTube channel, basement video.
Basement Waterproofing
FOR YOUR PROTECTION, PLEASE USE GOGGLES AND A MASK
Efflorescence (white powdery substance) which is also known as a mineral salt to remove. This is a sign of water seepage through the walls. Must be wire brushed to remove any loose residue. Areas like in the following photos should also be wire brushed.
When you wire brush, you may have to brush hard in some areas to remove the buildup. Once you have finished wire brushing remove all loose dust from the walls by using a stiff brush. You can also use a good, filtered vacuum to remove the dust. The reason, you need to remove the dust is because the water sealer will not hold as well.
MORTAR INSTRUCTIONS
Once you have the dust removed you can mix the mortar for doing your patching. You will most likely need to use two different mortar mixes (same product) to do the job. Although the container will have instructions, I will give you a basic guide of what consistency you are going for. You do not want to mix to much mortar at one time. Until you figure out how much you are using before it starts to set up on you.
MIXING MORTAR FOR CRACKS
While you can mix your own mortar, pre-mixes like this are quicker and easy to use.
It is best to start with a small bucket, put a few inches of mortar mix in the bucket. Slowly add room temperature water while stirring well, keep adding little amounts of water. Continue to stir the mix while adding the water, your mix is ready when it will stay on your trowel or wide putty knife without falling off. It must also be consistent and easy to apply. This mix is for cracks and holes.
MIXING MORTAR FOR BRUSHING
The second way you want to mix your mortar is into a cement wash suitable for brushing. It is just the mortar mix with more water, heavy enough to cover cracks and liquid enough to brush it on. The cement wash is for small cracks or porous blocks. The heavier mix is for larger cracks and holes plus bad mortar joints. Only mix one type of mortar mix at a time. If you try to mix both types of mixes at once, one will go hard before you finish.
How repair cracks and holes
If you are only dealing with small cracks or small holes. You can use a 2”-3” inch wide putty knife to apply your mortar. Larger holes or wide cracks you can use a trowel. This next step is especially important, before you apply mortar to the wall you must lightly wet the wall. Push the mortar into the bad area and smooth it out. You can also use a slightly wet brush to brush the mortar to smooth it out just before it dries. After you have finished patching all bad areas let the mortar dry for 24 hours before applying the water sealer.
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1b: Reasons your basement leaks
2 : How to seal basement inside walls
3: Basement Waterproofing You are on this post.
