Finishing a basement is the process of transforming a basement from an inhabitable utility space into a fully livable space. Designing a finished basement is an exciting remodeling project because it’s a great way to personalize your home. From hobby room to wine cellar, to home office or a playroom for the kids, there are so many ways you can put your basement space to use.

A key step in finishing a basement is making sure the basement is watertight. In older homes especially, the basement tends to be damp or leaky.  Wet basements can pose a health hazard because they invite mildew and mold which can cause allergies and respiratory illness. Waterproofing is also important because you don’t want to run the risk of incurring expensive flooding damages further down the road. Furthermore, because accumulated ground water around the foundation of a house exerts pressure on basement walls, proper waterproofing is crucial to prevent cracks from appearing in your basement walls.

Here are 2 simple ways to ensure your basement is properly waterproofed.

1)      Backfill, drainage, and sealants

Walk around your house and carefully inspect the exterior walls at ground level (the foundation). The ground adjacent to the foundation should slope away from the foundation. If the ground slopes toward the house, the backfilled dirt surrounding the foundation will most likely be saturated with accumulated ground water. In such cases, the best solution is to install a drain pipe around the foundation and cover the pipe with gravel. If your house is on flat land, you will also need to install a French drain or sump pit to collect the water from the drain pipe.

It is also recommended that you seal the foundation walls then cover them with a protection board made of rock, polystyrene foam, or fiberglass. Rubber-based water sealants are better than asphalt-based sealants because they are moisture resistant and will not crack.

2)      Remove sources of water accumulation

Remove any plants or shrubs growing close to the foundation since plant roots can create a direct route for moisture to flow down into the foundation of your house.

Also, inspect your gutter downspouts; they may be depositing water on the ground right alongside the foundation of the house thereby contributing to ground water accumulation. The simple way to avoid this is to make sure your gutters and downspouts are clean and that they are expelling water away from the foundation. You might need to install a drain line to divert downspout water away from the house.