I just bought a new home in NC and will be finishing the basement. I emailed the builder to ask if there is a perimeter drain. If not, I heard that you can use some sort of epoxy sealant to seal the block walls and floor before insulating and finishing it to keep out moisture. Has anyone done this and have any advice on which product to use? Do you seal the poured slab as well as walls?
Sealing basement if there is no perimeter drain
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glennjanie
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UGL Dry-lok is the prefered wall sealer and there is a good epoxy floor sealant at Home Depot (it was actually designed for garage floors). Neither will stop a trikling leak but they will help with normal masonry moisture.
Glenn
Glenn
inspectorD
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Also adding a good dehumidifier will help to remove any moisture in the basement.
If you do not have any perimeter drains , make sure your gutter leaders drain at least 8 feet away from the house foundation.
Also the soil should be sloped away.. settlement of backfilled soil around a new house has a habit of settling and you end up with pools of water at the foundation.
You would be amazed at how much this helps.
Then you can paint and hope for the best.
If you do not have any perimeter drains , make sure your gutter leaders drain at least 8 feet away from the house foundation.
Also the soil should be sloped away.. settlement of backfilled soil around a new house has a habit of settling and you end up with pools of water at the foundation.
You would be amazed at how much this helps.
Then you can paint and hope for the best.
mudmixer
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Great points about doing the exterior first.
After that, look to the interior. Before you do "painting", close the joint between the wall and the floor.
You do this by opening it up far enough to form HYDRAULIC CEMENT (not ordinary portland cement) into the crack. the cemnet will expand slightly and cure quickly. This is a prime leakage point since the floor slab always shrinks and pulls away from the wall slightly as it cures.
After that apply an appropriate waterproofing material (not epoxy). Drylok works OK and Thoroseal has ben used longer in more critical applications. It is also messier to apply.
Dick
After that, look to the interior. Before you do "painting", close the joint between the wall and the floor.
You do this by opening it up far enough to form HYDRAULIC CEMENT (not ordinary portland cement) into the crack. the cemnet will expand slightly and cure quickly. This is a prime leakage point since the floor slab always shrinks and pulls away from the wall slightly as it cures.
After that apply an appropriate waterproofing material (not epoxy). Drylok works OK and Thoroseal has ben used longer in more critical applications. It is also messier to apply.
Dick
