High and Dry Never Felt So Good
By James Slusarski
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High and Dry Never Felt So Good
By
James Slusarski
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Today’s Builders and Architects are being given a multitude of products to choose from these days. The waterproofing industry has changed concepts and it’s important to keep up with the new technology that is being used to improve moisture penetration into crawlspaces and basements. Usable square footage space is becoming increasingly important to today’s home buyer. Customers want as much space as they can get for the dollar. The days of having a full basement being used for holiday storage or for Dad’s wood shop are over. Today’s basement must look and feel like any other finished room in the house. Basements are often being used as ideal locations for home theaters because of their sound quality and lighting formats. In the past, crawlspaces were never used or acknowledged by homeowners, fearing the spiders and the dirt. Now, crawlspaces need to be clean and white, able to be used as additional clean, storage space. Builders are being asked to provide these spaces that were commonly overlooked. Homeowners are asking for a higher standard in their homes. Waterproofing is a critical component for keeping these spaces safe, water free and sellable. Waterproofing membranes are important, but they’re only half of the solution in being able to keep the basement or crawlspace dry. Some builders believe that just because they are not building in Seattle, drainage systems are unnecessary. This is not the case. Surface water is a major concern in the Carolina’s with its hard clay soils. Normal rainfalls can put large quantities of water up against the foundation with nowhere to go but down under the house. This rain seeks the crawlspace as a low point or drawl for the water. In some areas high water tables are the concern. Rainy weather conditions, especially when combined with downspouts that terminate at the foundation and add to the quantity of water that the soil has to deal with, commonly overload the heavy red clays found in this region. That is why all waterproofing membranes should be combined with a complete drainage system to relieve the hydrostatic pressure and to improve the moisture threat to the home or building. Let’s cut to the chase and explain the typical components that insure a dry basement or crawlspace. Builders need to have a qualified waterproofing contractor handling water issues from the day they decide to break ground. Once the foundation is constructed, whether poured, blocked, or bricked the first step is to waterproof with a waterproofing membrane (50-60 mils thick). On a basement application the waterproofing should be combined with a wall drainage mat to provide an easy path down to the foundation drainage system. The drainage at the foundation level should, in the Carolina areas, be a 4-6in. pipe and gravel system because of the soil fines that can clog a flat drain system. The Carolinas perform better with a pipe and Gravel system which more effectively prevents clogging during construction periods, rather than the standard flat pipe system which is susceptible to new construction silt clogging. Drainage may also be needed on the interior of the foundation to insure a long term control of the moisture and hydrostatic pressure commonly attributed to this region. We all know it cost less in the long run to do it right from the beginning then having to make repairs after the home is built. Water is the number one threat that will decrease the value of your home. As a builder, you won’t save by cutting corners and in fact, it may end up costing more or it may influence the quick sale of your newly constructed home. |
To seal or not to seal: why should I ???
A Sealed crawlspace is one of the newest products being offered to homebuilders and homeowners in the exciting home market. This is why more and more new home buyers are looking for their crawlspaces to be sealed from their custom builders. If the sealed crawlspace is showing up in the aftermarket homes and is fixing existing crawlspaces with moisture problems, then why wouldn’t consumers look for a sealed crawlspace in their new homes? Wouldn’t they want to prevent the problems that they just left behind in the house they just sold? Independent tests have been done to see if in the southern climate weather it’s beneficial to ventilate a crawlspace. They found that it is better to close the vents and seal the dirt floor of the crawlspace to stop the evaporation of moisture to the sub-structure (joists, beams, sub-floor, and band sills). A sealed crawlspace or encapsulated crawlspace consisted of a thick liner (10-15 mils.) installed to the walls and floor for the crawlspace to prevent ground evaporation from affecting the moisture levels under and inside the home. This process dramatically cuts down on the moisture related issues builders are used to dealing with. Conditioned crawlspaces have similar characteristics to a sealed crawlspace with the addition of having the heating and air system sized to provide the crawlspace with a moderate controlled environment. This is becoming the newest and most effective way to adequately keep the crawlspace moisture issues eradicated. One thing builders must keep in mind when installing these types of crawlspaces is that in the summer months and before the crawlspace is being conditioned you must have air flow under the house to protect against mold problems. A couple of small box fans often do the trick and lessens the chances having problems. There was a time in the Carolina’s that it was difficult to find a home that had a basement. Builders would often be reluctant in building below grade structures for fear of years of customer complaints and endless service calls. With the advancements in the waterproofing industry and the increased design quality of the products being used, proper drainage along with sealed and conditioned crawlspaces and basements are now being thought of as an economical and desirable addition to today’s custom homes. With the market remaining strong in the Carolinas and the increase of people moving to the area it only makes sense to give consumers the very best that the home building industry has to offer. Regardless of whether you’re building ten homes a year or up to a hundred, builders shouldn’t overlook the importance of waterproofing in correctly handling the biggest threat to your homes reputation. There is one thing you have to remember about water, it’s hard to stop it from finding an entry. You have to learn how to control it. The first step is to call an experienced reliable waterproofing contractor.
AquaTech Foundation
and Waterproofing Inc.
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