Damp proof basement cellar tanking membrane: Tanking a Cellar – Basement Tanking Guide
Tanking a Cellar – Basement Tanking Guide
How to Tank a Cellar
Cellars are often damp and unusable beyond storing the odd bottle of wine and old tin of paint. If you want to make full use of your cellar or basement, then you will need to keep it dry. Tanking systems provide an impermeable waterproofing coating to the walls and floor, helping keep cellars dry.
When it comes to waterproofing a basement with damp walls you have two main options:
1) Install a cavity drainage system
2) Cellar tanking
There is some confusion about exactly what constitutes cellar tanking. The term has come to refer to above ground damp proofing as well as cavity wall membranes as part of a basement drainage system. In this article, we are going to focus on cellar tanking as per the following definition.
What is Cellar Tanking?
Cellar tanking or basement tanking refers to the application of a liquid waterproof coating (tanking slurry) to the walls and floor of a cellar. It is used to treat damp walls by preventing water ingress, effectively making the walls permanently watertight.
Damp walls are common in cellars because the walls are below ground. Water from the retaining earth can make its way through the walls and into the cellar. When this moisture passes through the wall, it can also carry salts and minerals with it. Damp walls are cold which creates issues with condensation and in turn mould. Tanking slurry is designed to deal with these issues. It is applied directly to damp walls. When the tanking slurry cures, it forms an impermeable waterproof barrier, preventing water ingress and damp.
It’s important to point out that unlike a cavity drain system, tanking slurry blocks water from entering your cellar rather than allowing it in and controlling it to an evacuation point.
Tanking Slurry
The most effective way of tanking your basement or cellar is with tanking slurry. You may sometimes see this referred to as cementitious tanking.
Both names refer to the same product – a specially formulated mixture designed to be applied to cellar walls to stop water ingress. It either comes pre-mixed or as a powder to mixed on site with clean water.
Some people may recommend tanking a cellar with a bitumen coating, but this method is not suitable for tanking an entire cellar or basement. Bitumen coatings are more suitable for smaller above ground areas and external waterproofing.
How does tanking slurry work?
Tanking slurries are a special blend of Portland cements, aggregates and chemical modifiers that work together to block the passage of water. Our PermaSEAL tanking slurry contains an additional acrylic polymer that improves strength, bonding and abrasion resistance.
Tanking Cellar Walls
When it comes to tanking wet or damp walls, you need to prepare thoroughly before applying the tanking slurry. There are several steps you should take to minimise the risk of the tanking failing.
How to Tank Your Cellar with Tanking Slurry
Preparation
You need to prepare the masonry surfaces thoroughly. In older homes, this can take a long time but preparation is key to a watertight system and well worth the effort.
The first job is to ensure that you can get to the full surface of all the walls (removing all shelves and other items) and that the floor is also clear.
You then need to hack off any plaster and render from the cellar walls along with any previous coatings (bitumen, paints etc) right back to the original masonry. Rake out any old mortar joints and any other loose material before finally making sure the walls are dust free. You will then need to carry out repairs on any existing cracks or holes with PermaSEAL Fillet Seal.
If there are (or have previously been) issues with high levels of salts, it is recommended that you apply a Salt Inhibitor to the cellar walls to prevent any salts from compromising your tanking.
Note: For tanking to work, the brickwork needs to be stable so that it can cope with the build up of water pressure. If this is in doubt, then you will need to take action to ensure the walls can resist water pressure.
Check for Seepage
Once you have removed all materials from the walls, you need to check if there is active water seeping from the wall. If there is evidence of water seepage, you will need to tap off this water pressure where necessary.
Wall floor junction or fillet joint
When tanking a cellar, we always suggest that the walls and floor are coated to create a waterproof box. The point where the wall and floor join can be a potential weak point in any system, we therefore recommend creating a reinforced joint.
How to create a wall floor junction or fillet joint
At the wall floor joint, chase out the floor to a minimum of 20mm x 20mm cutting into the wall if possible. Flush out the chase and remove any debris.
Whilst this is still damp, apply one coat of tanking slurry 100mm up the wall and 100mm across the floor. Whilst the slurry is still tacky, apply PermaSEAL Fillet Seal over the tanking slurry and into the chase creating a cove from the wall to the floor.
Mixing the Tanking Slurry
Make sure you keep your skin covered and wear gloves, a facemask and goggles before mixing the tanking product. Tanking slurry is alkaline in its powder form therefore you need to avoid contact with skin or eyes and avoid inhalation of the powder.
Most tanking slurries come as a powder and require mixing on site. When mixing on site, you will need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Only mix enough tanking that can be used within 30 -45 minutes as the product will become unworkable and will have to be disposed of.
PermaSEAL Tanking is supplied in 20kg buckets. You should start by adding the required quantity of clean water to a suitable mixing vessel. Slowly add the powder to the water whilst continuously mixing.
We recommend mechanical mixing at a slow speed with a high torque drill and a plaster mixer. Mixing should be continued for three minutes after all the powder has been added to the mixing water to obtain a batter-like consistency. Allow the material to stand for one minute before remixing and then applying.
Applying the Cellar Tanking
Cellar tanking products are designed for application onto damp substrates. If your cellar walls are relatively dry you should wet out the substrate fully with clean water, making sure it is damp but with no standing or surface water before applying the tanking.
Tanking slurry requires at least two coats. The first coat should be applied directly to the masonry, brick or concrete surface by brush in a horizontal direction. You should go down and across the wall floor joint and apply the slurry a 100mm onto the floor.
The walls should be ready for a second coat in 2 – 24 hours. Before applying the next coat, you want the slurry to be touch dry and able to support a second coat without pulling off.
The second coat should be applied over the top, using vertical strokes this time. The wall floor joint should also receive a second coat.
You should always apply the second coat within 24 hours, even if the substrate still looks damp. As long as the surface can support the next coat you should get onto it.
If you are going to leave the tanking exposed for a period of time before rendering, you should apply a third splatter coat after approximately 1 hour in order to ensure an adequate key later.
Note: PermaSEAL cellar tanking comes in two colours – grey and white – so that you can use a different colour for each coat so that you can clearly see where you are painting. This ensures that when you apply a second coat you cover all areas.
Tanking a Cellar Floor
It is important to tank the floors of the cellar as well as the walls. We strongly recommend that you tank the cellar floor once you have fully tanked all of the walls.
The same method is followed when tanking a floor. You should still apply two coats, horizontally and then vertically lapping over the fillet joint.
When it comes to a finish, tanking coatings should always be protected so never left exposed. You should apply a floor screed (this can be self-leveling). You can then tile or install other floor finishes on top of the screed if you wish.
Curing
You should leave the second coat to cure thoroughly – this takes between 24 and 48 hours.The tanking on the walls will cure at different rates. Wetter parts of the walls will take longer to fully cure.
You may notice moisture as the slurry cures. This is called ‘sweating’ and is nothing to worry about. It is a natural part of the curing process that normally occurs in the early drying stages and is caused by water vapour condensing onto cold surfaces. The level of sweating will vary according to how much ventilation is available and any type of heating used.
Finishing and Decorating
After applying your cellar tanking to both the walls and floor, you can then look at finishes and decorating.
You will need to add a breathable render before being able to decorate. After 24 hours, you can render over the tanking surface. Even if the tanking looks damp or darker in certain areas a render can still be put over the surface as the whole area will dry together.
As with most tanking slurries, PermaSEAL Tanking needs to be covered by at least a 10mm coat of three parts sharp washed sand to one part cement or PermaSEAL Renovating Plaster. After this render coat has been applied and allowed to dry, dot and dab plasterboard or a multi finish can be used. We do not recommend using paint directly on the tanking.
Because the substrate behind the tanking surface will never dry out, it is very important that any re-decoration doesn’t act as a vapour barrier. Only vapour permeable materials such as trade emulsions and ordinary wallpapers should be used. Gloss paints, vinyl emulsions, together with vinyl and washable wallpapers should be avoided as these will ‘trap’ moisture behind the decorated surface causing future problems.
Any re-decoration within 12 months after the completion of the works should only be regarded as temporary.
Cellar Tanking Cost
In order to work out your cellar tanking costs, you need to look at all of the products required, the quantities and also factor in labour costs. As a guide to costs, we’ll take you through calculating the tanking costs using PermaSEAL grey tanking slurry. You would need to also add on the cost of fillet seal for wall/floor joints.
How much does Cellar Tanking cost?
The cost of tanking a cellar depends on the size of your cellar, the type of substrate and the extent of the damp.
Most cellar tanking costs will be calculated on a metre squared basis and be an estimated range. For example, PermaSEAL tanking slurry comes in 20kg buckets – this will cover between 6.5m² to 10m² a unit depending on the substrate.
The grey slurry is currently available at £29.50 excluding VAT. If we take the lowest coverage estimate of 6.5m² per bucket, then the cost of cellar tanking works out at roughly £9 per m² for two coats.
Now, if you have four equal walls at 2 metres high and 5 metres long then this would come in at 13 buckets for £383.50 ex VAT for the wall with the floor being a further 8 buckets at £236.00 ex VAT. This would mean tanking your cellar would cost a total of £619.50.
Permagard – Stockist of Cellar Tanking Products
At Permagard we stock a wide range of cellar tanking products including grey and white tanking slurries at low trade prices.
If you have any questions about tanking a cellar or installing a basement waterproofing system then we are more than happy to provide free technical advice. Call us on 0117 982 3282.
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Related Products
Professional Tanking Brush
PermaSEAL Tanking Slurry Grey
PermaSEAL Tanking Slurry White
Cementitious Tanking
Fillet Seal
How do I damp proof my basement or cellar?
Please note that EAB Associates’ are primarily bulk exporters.
We can supply our products above our minimum order quantity to contractors, but unfortunately we cannot supply our waterproofing products to the general public.
There are several possible ways of damp proofing / tanking your cellar and it is difficult to suggest the best way without actually seeing the cellar. Below are some suggestions that would be suitable in most cases.
A cellar like this can be converted into useable space once properly waterproofed. Photocredit: Lode van de Velde.
Basement Floor
To damp proof your basement floor you can use either a liquid applied waterproofing membrane or a layer of polyethylene damp proof membrane.
a) Liquid Applied Waterproofing Membrane Method
Paint the floor with 3 or 4 coats of a water based rubberised bitumen emulsion e.g. EABASSOC RBE Waterproof Coating. Then put sand/cement screed on top (approx. thickness 50 mm). If the original floor is brick or flagstones, it would first be necessary to repair any decayed mortar joints.
b) Polyethylene Damp Proof Membrane Method
Alternatively put down a layer of sand then cover this with a layer of polyethylene damp proof membrane which is a plastic sheet obtainable from builders merchants. The sheet must be lapped up the walls and can be secured using flashing tape. Any joints in the plastic sheet should be made by holding approx. 10 cm of each piece of plastic together then folding them so that one of the pieces goes back on itself and the other lies on top. Then cover the plastic sheet with sand/cement screed.
Basement Walls
Liquid Applied Waterproofing Membrane
On concrete, or brick walls where the pointing is good, you could use RBE as follows. Apply a coat of diluted RBE as a primer. Then apply 3 or 4 coats of undiluted RBE. If using the plastic sheet for the floor as in 1 (b), use flashing tape to secure the plastic sheet which has been lapped up the wall. Apply a sand/cement render on top of the RBE, approx. thickness 50 mm.
The use of a waterproof cement is unnecessary.
If the pointing is not good you will need to apply an additional sand/cement render approx. thickness 20 mm directly onto the wall before applying RBE and render as above.
Do Not Use Penetrative Sealant
We do not recommend using a penetrative sealant because there is no guarantee that it will actually penetrate, especially if the bricks are damp. If you are using RBE, definitely do NOT use a silicone based penetrative sealant. Silicone is a water repellent and RBE is water based. Therefore RBE would not adhere to the walls if a silicone penetrative sealant has been used.
High Hydrostatic Pressure
If the wall is damp or if the hydrostatic pressure is large, e.g. when the water table rises during winter, there is a possibility that the RBE and render may be pushed off the wall. If this is the case the render will need extra support. After the RBE has been applied, coarse wire mesh can be nailed to the wall as a support for the render.
When putting up the wire mesh first put strips or small squares of flashing tape on top of the cured RBE at the points where the nails will be used. Apply 2 or 3 coats of RBE on the nail heads and around the nails after the wire mesh has been nailed to the wall. When applying the render, make sure that the render goes right up to the RBE coating on the wall and that there are no gaps between the wall and the render.
Extremely Wet Walls
If the walls are too wet then RBE will not dry out and solvent based products will not adhere. An alternative solution is to use a thick studded plastic sheet. The thick studded plastic sheet is nailed to the wall such that the studs provide an air gap between the wall and the thick studded plastic sheet. An air gap must be left at the top and bottom of the walls to allow for ventilation. Sand/cement render should then be applied onto the plastic sheet. Thick studded plastic sheets are made by JN Newton Waterproofing.
Disclaimer
Please note that any information or advice on this page is supplied in good faith and that while we make every effort to ensure that it is accurate, helpful and up to date, it is given without commitment or guarantee.
We always recommend that trials are carried out prior to undertaking any work or contracts.
Please remember that orders have to be above our minimum size quantity.
Basement waterproofing from inside and outside from ground water
When basement waterproofing is required
Since a basement is called a room below ground level, it is more or less exposed to moisture. It can be surface storm or groundwater, the pools of which are located on water-resistant clay layers and a certain distance underground.
Therefore, waterproofing the basement of a house is an obligatory stage of construction work and is always present during their implementation. Its use contributes to:
- Preservation and, accordingly, an increase in the service life of concrete walls, basement floors, their internal fittings.
- Reducing dampness in rooms, which causes corrosion of metals, destruction of interior items, finishing coatings, contributing to the spread of fungus and mold.
- Improving the microclimate in basements by lowering the level of humidity in them and preventing the air temperature from dropping in cold weather.
Types of basement waterproofing against groundwater
Differences in the types of waterproofing are determined by the technology of their application. On this basis, the following types of waterproofing devices in basements are distinguished.
Coating
This is a method of applying creamy waterproofing components with brushes, rollers or spatulas.
According to this method, the basement is waterproofed from the outside from groundwater using bitumen-containing mastics protected from soil damage.
From the inside, waterproofing deep-penetrating compounds on cements and mastics on a polyurethane, acrylic base are applied with a coating.
Generally, mastic waterproofing is applied to concrete surfaces with brushes in at least two mutually crossed layers.
Roll
Bitumen-based, polymer-bitumen based welded rolls are commonly used for basement waterproofing from the outside. Inside the technical premises, self-adhesive bituminous rolls are used on the floors.
Also horizontal waterproofing is done with loosely overlapped rolls before pouring the foundation slabs.
Another common area of application for bituminous rolls is the device of cut-off waterproofing between the horizontal surface of a strip foundation (grillage) and walls made of any materials based on it.
Sprayable
Using the spraying technology, two-component liquid rubber and polyurethane mastics are applied to the outer and inner walls of basements.
This is not such a popular option for basement waterproofing due to the low technical performance of these materials, if they are constantly in a moist state or under the mechanical influence of soil.
Membrane
Special types of polyvinyl chloride and polyolefin membranes are used to waterproof basements from the outside.
They are produced in the form of canvases, the joints of which are soldered using a building hair dryer. Membrane waterproofing is fastened to vertical walls from above using clamping strips or dowels with self-tapping screws.
Planter profiled membranes are widely used for waterproofing and protecting vertical walls underground. From above, the canvas is attached to planks or dowels, connecting on the sides by snapping several rows of profile cup-shaped protrusions.
Planter profile membranes are also often used in insulated slab foundations. They are placed on top of the extruded polystyrene foam insulation, then the reinforcing cage and formwork around the perimeter are mounted. After the reinforcement is poured with concrete, thus forming a waterproofed foundation slab.
Penetrating
The principle of operation of this type of waterproofing is their deep penetration into the porous structure of concrete. After that, the composition crystallizes and reliably closes all the smallest concrete pores.
Deep penetration waterproofing includes cement-based coatings.
Specially for concrete, clogging impregnations are produced that fill its pores after crystallization. They are used both in finished structures and when pouring, adding to the concrete mixture.
Liquid glass, which is usually used indoors for waterproofing walls or floors, can be classified as a separate category of impregnations.
Another class of waterproofing impregnations are hydrophobic liquids that create a waterproof film on the concrete surface.
Plaster
The main purpose of plaster is to level walls for high-quality installation of finishing coatings. Therefore, it is more often used in situations where waterproofing of a brick basement from the inside from groundwater is required, or for walls made of concrete blocks. To increase moisture protection, non-shrink cements, sealing and water-repellent materials, and elastic polymers are added to plaster compositions.
Plaster mortars are applied by conventional manual or machine methods in a layer not exceeding 25 mm. If a greater thickness or several plaster layers of waterproofing are required, a printed metal mesh is used.
There is also a technology for applying plaster waterproofing by spraying using special cement guns.
Injection
Injection waterproofing with injection under pressure into the structure of concrete, brickwork with liquid compositions is a modern high-tech method for solving complex problems. There are also non-pressure methods for supplying injection reagents to problem areas through glued packers (guide tubes), by gravity into slots or drilled holes.
First of all, injection basement waterproofing from the inside from groundwater is used to seal cracks in concrete, brick walls, floors, through which water enters underground rooms.
With the help of injection, cut-off waterproofing is restored, the destruction of which leads to wetting and waterlogging of the walls.
Another area of application for injection waterproofing is to reinforce and create a layer of waterproof soil outside basement walls.
Seam
One of the important purposes of waterproofing is the sealing of seams, utility lines in concrete, brick and other building structures.
In this case, elastic cementitious compounds or synthetic tapes are used for joint waterproofing. The latter can have a self-adhesive base, or an elastic cement waterproofing is additionally used to fix them.
Entrances around pipes or electric cables are waterproofed with mixtures based on cements, a number of auxiliary materials (polyurethane sealants, foam rubber seals, cords that increase in volume when wet).
Materials for basement (cellar) waterproofing
The abundance of materials used for external and internal waterproofing of basements, as well as application technologies, greatly complicates the task of their correct selection for high-quality work.
Therefore, it is more practical to entrust these operations to specialized firms with the necessary experience.
Rolls
Modern roll waterproofing is made on the basis of bitumen, bitumen polymers and polymers.
Bitumens can be both of artificial origin from petroleum products, and oxidized (roofing) bitumen with a higher softening point.
To improve the physical characteristics of bitumen rolls, polymers are added to them: styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) or special polypropylene soluble in bitumen (APP).
Also, rolls with a standard width of 1 m are produced with different bases made of cardboard (Roofing felt), fiberglass (Linocre), fiberglass (Uniflex) and polyester fabric (Technoelast). Their coating for protection against physical, thermal influences, for certain areas of application, is made of coarse and fine-grained powders, a protective polymer film, self-adhesive.
Before purchasing roll waterproofing, it is useful for a consumer to know that, depending on the cost, it is conditionally divided into 5 classes from the most expensive (Premium) to budget (Economy).
Mastics
Mastics presented on the construction market are conditionally divided into two main classes:
Polymeric on a polyurethane (Hyperdesmo) or acrylic (Weber) basis. They are one-component and two-component, polyurethane spraying technology usually treats surfaces of large areas.
Bituminous from:
- bitumen water emulsion with mineral, chemical additives and rubbers, mainly for interior decoration;
- solvent-based with added rubbers and minerals;
- hot oxidized bitumen with minerals;
- polymer-bitumen in an aqueous solution of an emulsifier;
- latex-bitumen or so-called liquid (two-component sprayed for large areas) rubber.
Membranes
For waterproofing and protection of other moisture-proof materials, a profiled Planter membrane is attached to the outer vertical walls of basements. The material is a high-density polyethylene (HPDE) sheet with molded round protrusions 7.
5 – 8 mm high. The maximum length of Planter rolls is 20 m with a width of 1.2 or 3 m.
Also for underground waterproofing, special PVC membranes made of extruded polyvinyl chloride (Ecobase V) are used, which have low UV resistance. The length of this type of roll reaches 30 m, the width is 1 – 2.5 m.
Cement mixtures
There are two main varieties of dry cement waterborne waterproofing.
These are rigid deep penetration compounds (Ceresit, Dehydrol 5) and elastic with the addition of latex (Penecrit, Dehydrol 7). The first group of materials is used to protect large areas from moisture, and elastic compounds close up the input holes, seams, and also repair large cracks with their help.
Impregnations
Impregnations for concrete, depending on the chemical composition, work in two main directions. Water repellents form a water-repellent film on the concrete surface, and clogging compounds (Kontacid 3, Dehydrol 10-2) fill its pores.
It should be noted that bridging impregnations are capable of penetrating into the concrete structure at distances of up to 400 mm, while the maximum efficiency of the water-repellent properties of concrete is achieved at a bridging depth of 150 mm.
Impregnation materials can be added directly to the concrete prior to pouring or used for post-treatment of its surface.
Silicate and organosilicate compositions are currently produced, the latter having the best efficiency. The main component of bridging impregnations is silicate liquid glass, which is able to independently perform these waterproofing functions.
Injection mortars
For injection of high pressure waterproofing mixtures into the concrete structure, materials with high fluidity are used. The main types of injection formulations:
- acrylate two- and three-component gels;
- Foaming and non-foaming silicate resins;
- microcements in aqueous and polymeric solutions;
- two-component epoxy resins;
- one-component and two-component polyurethane resins.
Plasters
Conventional plaster waterproofing is a conventional cement-sand composition for leveling walls with special additives.
The latter are:
- seals made of ferric chloride, sodium aluminate, liquid ceresite, bitumen;
- latex with a content by weight of not more than 5%;
- liquid glass in an amount not exceeding 2.5% by weight.
There are special plaster mixes for gunning (spraying) based on colloidal cement mortars with finely ground fillers and traditional sand.
Protection of the basement floor from inside from ground water
Waterproofing of the basement floor from ground water can be carried out at the stages of pouring the concrete foundation slab and / or before laying the floor coverings.
In the first case, it is more efficient to carry out with the help of rolled materials or profiled membranes – Planters.
Floors inside cellars, given that groundwater has a higher pressure than capillary water, should be protected with materials that have high adhesion (adhesion) to concrete.
This is primarily cement-based deep penetration waterproofing, impregnation.
In particularly difficult cases with high humidity below, it is possible to use bitumen-based roll materials (PVC membranes). They are glued to the floor with a direction on the walls or using bituminous mastics. Next, the rolls are covered with a screed with a reinforcing cage, which is subsequently coated with deep penetration cement waterproofing.
Basement waterproofing technology from groundwater
The main problem faced when protecting basements from groundwater is their high pressure.
Therefore, waterproofing inside the basement against groundwater must have high adhesion to the concrete surface so that it does not peel off from the walls under external pressure.
These conditions are best met by deep penetration cement compositions, which are applied using the following technology:
Before use, it is diluted with water to the consistency of plasticine. If the waterproofing of the basement from the inside from groundwater must have good adhesion with concrete, then for the outside, due to the direct pressure of water masses on the walls, this requirement is not so essential.
Therefore, for external waterproofing of basement walls, a wide range of materials from bitumen rolls protected from damage by mastics, liquid rubber, membranes and the same cement compositions can be used.
Common mistakes
It is clear that if an ordinary consumer turns to specialists from specialized companies, which, for example, work for IC Stroyizolyatsiya, then the likelihood of errors during waterproofing work will be reduced to zero. Troubles in connection with waterlogging in basements are much more likely to occur if the owners trust their waterproofing to irresponsible builders or do it themselves.
Here are some examples of the most common mistakes made by non-specialists when waterproofing themselves:
- Priming of walls in case of penetrating waterproofing of the basement from the inside from groundwater. The bridging composition simply will not seep through the dried primer, which has clogged all the pores.
- Waterproofing basement walls from the inside from groundwater without sealing joints between concrete blocks, floors, walls and wide cracks according to the correct construction technology (with chasing of channels and puttying them with elastic waterproofing).
- Waterproofing of a concrete basement from the inside from groundwater with deep penetration compounds without further wetting.
- Application of bituminous, polymeric mastics on underground walls without their protection (Planter, polystyrene foam insulation).
- No priming of the walls with primers before laying the external rolled waterproofing or too high humidity of the concrete surface during the application of the compounds.
Conclusion
External and internal waterproofing of the basement from groundwater is carried out according to different technologies using materials, the choice of which should correspond to the tasks being solved.
At the same time, for obtaining high-quality and durable waterproofing, there is such a wide range of technical solutions that only specialists with significant experience can choose the best option. The greatest chance to meet such employees is to contact a specialized company, one of which is Stroyizolyatsiya IC.
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Cellars and underground structures
A cellar has a lot to do. Whether the basement is used as a living space, for storage of personal belongings, or to house important building services such as the heating system. At the same time, the basement must withstand numerous requirements: the load on the floors that are built on it, the lateral pressure of the soil and, in particular, the water loads in the form of surface, facade, seepage, reservoir, backwater and groundwater.
Water will find a way
A slightly musty smell, peeling plaster or mold growth are typical signs of a damp basement. The main reason for this is insufficient or improperly executed waterproofing. Water finds many paths through masonry and even migrates over concrete.
Dampness rising from the foundation makes it difficult to use the basements and can climb the walls to the upper floors. This results in the formation of mold. This, in turn, is dangerous to health, as it can provoke many diseases and allergies. In addition, damp walls release moisture into the air. As a result, an unhealthy indoor climate is created. Water inside the walls damages the interior finish and facade plaster and, of course, the thermal insulation.
DELTA ® plinth and basement solutions reliably protect both external and internal walls from moisture penetration.
DELTA
® basement sealing solutions
DELTA ® offers flexible system solutions for the protection and drainage of foundation walls.
We use only high quality materials, which is noticeable both in terms of service life and functionality of our membranes. The system consists of DELTA ® -THENE wall waterproofing, and is complemented by DELTA ® -GEO DRAIN QUATTRO or DELTA ® -TERRAXX drainage membranes, which have proven service life of 100 years 9025 3!
Hydrostatic effect of water on underground structures
The main cause of water damage in buildings and structures, basements, underground garages is an incorrect assessment of the filtering capacity of the soil and water load and, as a result, the wrong choice of appropriate protective measures. Underground and underground structures are often subject to flooding, especially in the spring, when melt water cannot penetrate the drainage system through the waterproof layer of the soil that has not yet thawed.
When it reaches the earth in the form of precipitation, water finds its own path. If it quickly and without delay seeps into the soil, then the building will not be affected by water pressure. However, if the precipitation water disappears extremely slowly, then the water pressure will continue to exert its effect on the building – as long as the precipitation continues.
The situation is even worse when the soil is impervious to water, and when rainwater gets into it, it is extremely difficult to remove it. In these situations, the walls of the building will be constantly subjected to hydrostatic pressure. Planning for waterproofing, drainage, and protection systems depends largely on which water exposure scenario occurs. Thus, careful study of soil structure, as well as other significant factors such as landscape characteristics, is absolutely necessary and important.
Basement waterproofing
Many types of waterproofing systems are currently in use, many of which are complex and expensive.