Water in the basement?
Basements, parking levels, lift pits and retaining walls.
Signs you'll see
- Water seeping through wall-floor joints after rain
- Wet patches or running water on retaining walls
- Standing water in lift pits or sump areas
- Rust stains from reinforcement bars
Why it happens
- Groundwater pressure pushing through porous concrete
- Leaking construction joints and tie holes
- No external membrane on the retaining walls
How we fix it
Stop active leaks
Plug running water with fast-setting hydraulic cement and inject leaking joints.
Crystalline tanking
Crystalline cementitious coating on the inside face; it works against water pressure.
Protective render
Protective render or screed over the tanking where it may be damaged.
Products for basements & foundations
Basements & Foundations waterproofing questions
Can a basement be waterproofed from the inside?
Yes. Active leaks are plugged with hydraulic cement and joints are injected, then a crystalline cementitious tanking coat is applied to the inside face. Crystalline systems are designed to resist water pressure from the outside, so the ground does not need to be dug up.
What is crystalline waterproofing?
Crystalline waterproofing reacts with moisture and the free lime in concrete to grow crystals inside the pores and hairline cracks, blocking the paths water uses. It is used on basements, lift pits and water-retaining structures, and is available as a coating or as a concrete admixture.
How should a new basement be waterproofed?
On new construction the outside face of the retaining walls is primed and covered with a bituminous or self-adhesive membrane before backfilling, with waterstops in construction joints, a protection or drainage board and a land drain at the footing.
Want basements & foundations done for you?
Book a site survey. We inspect, find the source of the leak and give you a written quote.