Basement Expert handles exterior basement waterproofing in Seattle and nearby cities: we dig down to the footing, repair the wall, wrap it in a drainage membrane, and backfill. When the outside of the wall can’t be reached, we look at waterproofing from the inside instead. To book an inspection, call (206) 388-7867.
What Exterior Waterproofing Prevents
- Waterproofing basement walls from outside at the construction stage of the object, or already at the stage of its operation, eliminates the risk of water entering the basement or the first floor of the building.
- This system reduces the risk of premature physical wear of concrete structures, destruction of their structure, and corrosion of reinforcement and steel-embedded parts.
- With a properly installed waterproofing system, all the water that is filtered through the soil around the blind area of the building flows down the polymer membrane to the footing drain and is effectively removed from the building structures.
- Even if ground, or melt, stormwater does not enter the basement, the foundation structures begin to dampen, which leads to the formation of mold, as well as the development of bacteria. The waterproofing system eliminates this problem.
What a Dry Basement Lets You Use It For
- With the installation of a high-quality and efficient system of sealing outside basement walls, the operation of all premises of the basement of the building, as technical or other spaces, is achieved without any restrictions.
- The risk of stagnant water in the basement, the formation of fungus, and the destruction of finishing materials are reduced.
- The basement in a residential building is always a room with a special microclimate, which is ensured by the location of this space underground, and the lack of sunlight. In this regard, this room is particularly suitable for workshops, storage of perishable products, or other purposes. In case of stagnant water, without the use of our waterproofing basement walls system, there is a deterioration in the microclimate.
- In the basement, you can also arrange a home theater, thanks to the constant twilight and excellent acoustics. With our waterproofing system, you won’t have to worry about the quick failure of your expensive electronics.
- Your basement will always remain dry and clean, at any time of the year, even during the melting of snow, or during the season of heavy rains.
Excavation to Backfill: How an Exterior Job Runs
In the process of performing our work on sealing a basement wall from the outside, we adhere to our technological map, the requirements of regulatory documentation, as well as the content of the working project. When installing a waterproofing system, we perform the following types of production operations:
- Removal of excess soil from the walls filled the building in the sinuses of the pit. At this stage, we can also recommend the customer involve special equipment to speed up the workflow.
- Inspection of building structures for defects. This will require a detailed inspection of each square foot of concrete, and the identification and classification of cracks, chips, and places with delamination or poor-quality concrete installation. Based on the results of this work, we take a picture to accurately calculate the volume of repair processes.
- Repair defects with innovative polymer non-shrink compounds. At this stage, we degrease each defect, and apply a preparatory compound to improve adhesion, after which a repair mixture is placed in each crack, chip, or another defect, and a period of its complete polymerization is waited for to gain strength.
- The double layers a protective polymer-fabric membrane effectively diverts water from the building and directs it to drainage.
- Performing backfilling of the sinuses of the pit around the perimeter of the building.
Above is an approximate list of works, since the final algorithm is determined by the level of groundwater, the state of building structures, and the requirements of the working project.
Every home requires a tailored engineering approach. We help you weigh the pros and cons of exterior vs interior basement waterproofing to determine the most effective diversion strategy for your soil type. It is important to distinguish between “quick fixes” and permanent solutions, such as interior gutters vs engineered waterproofing, or understanding the difference in damp-proofing vs waterproofing membranes. For a deeper look at the science, learn how moisture moves through solid concrete via capillary action and vapor pressure.
What Drives the Price of Exterior Work
Many of our first-time customers from Seattle, Bellevue, or Everett, often ask how much the cost of waterproofing the basement from the outside is. We cannot immediately give a complete answer to this question, since each project has its characteristics, and our inspector needs to visit the site to determine the exact scope of work and develop the plan.
Our rates start at $150 and can be up to $250 per linear foot of the turnkey processed building structure, including the cost of consumables and waterproofing compounds.
The final cost of the work depends on such parameters as the total volume of the basement walls, the area to be finished and protected, the degree of physical deterioration of building structures, as well as many other factors. For a site visit and written scope, call (206) 388-7867.
Exterior Waterproofing Questions
To save time for our website visitors to search for the information they are interested in, below are detailed answers to the most frequently asked questions from our customers. Have a question that isn’t here? Call (206) 388-7867.
Our Service Area
We provide exterior basement waterproofing services in Seattle, WA and surrounding areas (98101–98119, 98121–98122, 98124–98127, 98129, 98131, 98133–98134, 98136, 98138–98139, 98141, 98144–98146, 98148, 98154–98155, 98158, 98160–98161, 98164–98166, 98168, 98170, 98174–98175, 98177–98178, 98181, 98185, 98188, 98190–98191, 98194–98195, 98198–98199).
