Is water seeping into your cellar through the floor? Then quick action is necessary. In old cellars, it can often happen that the cellar floor is no longer waterproof. A renovation is then in order. Below, we’ll tell you how it can happen that a cellar floor is no longer waterproof and how you can solve that moisture problem.
What is the Danger of a Cellar Floor that is not Waterproof?
The cellar is completely underground and therefore extra sensitive to moisture problems. After heavy rainfall, the soil around the cellar is extra moist. Over the years, the bricks become more porous and absorb water more easily. The waterproofing, which should prevent moisture, also slowly deteriorates. This allows moisture to penetrate into the cellar.
This can happen through the cellar walls, but also through the cellar floor. Normally, a cellar floor is made of concrete, a particularly water-repellent material. But even the cellar floor can give way. For example, cracks or fissures can develop in the cellar floor. This is possible purely due to age, but also when you live next to a busy street or when the concrete was not placed correctly. Rainwater can penetrate through these cracks.
Another common problem with cellar floors are gravel nests. When the concrete is not mixed well, gravel can clump together. These spots are not as strong as the rest of the concrete. It’s the Achilles’ heel of your cellar and particularly susceptible to rising damp.
How Do You Waterproof a Cellar Floor?
Protecting your cellar floor against moisture can be done in various ways. How we make the cellar floor dry again depends on the cause of the water in the cellar.
- In the best case, it’s just one harmless crack in the concrete cellar floor. We can then fill that using a concrete injection. We inject a water-repellent agent into the crack, making the whole resistant again.
- However, if it’s a wet cellar due to defects in the cellar walls? Then we need to consider cellar tanking . We then line the cellar walls and cellar floor with a water-repellent cement mixture.
- Once everything has hardened, you can use the cellar again as before. If the groundwater pressure is particularly high where you live, it may be that water is continuously entering the cellar. In that case, cellar drainage is the solution . A subtle pump system, covered by new cellar walls and a new cellar floor, then drains the groundwater.
Whatever the reason for the wet cellar floor, at Solusio we always have an appropriate solution.
The Problem is not Always with the Cellar Floor
When there’s water in your cellar, you probably suspect that the cellar floor must be defective. But that’s certainly not always the case. In fact, concrete cellar floors are usually very resistant. Damp bricks are more often the cause of water on the cellar floor.
The joint between the wall and floor is also a very sensitive spot. That’s where the brick walls and the concrete cellar floor meet. Groundwater can possibly penetrate through the mortar that connects both.
That’s why it’s extra important to always rely on the knowledge of an expert. At Solusio, we have the necessary equipment and years of experience to trace the source of the moisture on the cellar floor.
We check if there are cracks in the cellar floor or if wet bricks are the culprit. And then of course, we come up with a suitable solution that keeps the moisture out once and for all. This way, your cellar floor stays dry.
Also Watch out for Condensation in your Damp Cellar
But a leaky cellar floor or weak cellar walls are not your only concern in the cellar. Condensation is also a problem that occurs very often. Cellars cannot be ventilated and therefore the relative humidity is very high. In other words, there’s a lot of water vapor in the air. This water vapor precipitates on the cold cellar walls, causing damp spots.
When this problem occurs for a long time, a moisture problem develops. Mold is then not far away.
Solusio Waterproofs your Cellar Floor
Is there water on your basement floor? Then you have a moisture problem. At Solusio, we have the expertise to make your basement floor watertight again. This prevents further moisture damage in your home. We do this with professional tools and years of experience. We always first investigate the exact cause and then propose the best treatment. Contact us today for an appointment or more information.