Exterior Basement Waterproofing

Residential waterproofing may be the most over used and misunderstood term in home repairs. First lets define waterproofing – Impervious or not allowing water to pass through. Now this may sound obvious to everyone, but when looking for a waterproofing contractor you will find many misuses of the term waterproofing. Water drainage, water diversion, French drains, sump pumps, dehumidifiers and encapsulation sheets are not waterproofing, they are water management and control techniques that can be used in conjunction with true waterproofing.

At United Structural Systems of Chicago, basement or foundation waterproofing is accomplished by making your foundation impervious to water. Our technique of stopping water from passing through your homes foundation is a true form of waterproofing. Our exterior waterproofing technique is a fairly simple and straight forward process, completed by our waterproofing professionals.

Waterproofing should be done during initial construction of the home, unfortunately many times only a damp proofing product is used, hence your basement water problems. Our waterproofing procedure starts with a clean, defect free concrete or block wall which is then coated with a layer of polymer emulsion membrane to seal the wall. A sheet drain or dimple board is then placed over the membrane to direct water toward the footing drainage system. This all is covered with clean stone and geo textile fabric and then backfilled. Our quality sump pump systems will then remove the water well beyond your foundation. Our waterproofing system will last for many years without clogging and, most importantly, it stops water from coming in contact with your foundation.

Whether you want to remodel your basement, have a finished basement that is damp or you are building a new home, United Structural Systems of Chicago’s exterior waterproofing gives you the peace of mind that trapped water now has a place to go without flooding your new living space. Basement waterproofing is not something that only must be done to homes with major water leaks and flooding, but should be done in every home that is using their basement as living space.

Contact us to arrange a free inspection!