Basement Waterproofing and Foundation Repair in Westlake, OH

Waterproofing your property’s basement is one of the most important things that you can do to protect your home from the stresses of environmental factors and pressures. It is also an essential part of basement finishing for homeowners who are looking to convert their basement into a living or sleeping space. 

When You Are Finishing Your Basement 

Basement finishing and conversion are very common these days, as more and more people look for ways to make the most of the space in their homes. Waterproofing is a very important part of the process of finishing a basement. In fact, it is fundamental to the continued health of any space that is created inside a basement. Waterproofing as a matter of course when you convert a basement has many benefits. 

Most obviously, this process will make the space far more comfortable and healthy to live and sleep in. Waterproofing lowers humidity, prevents mold formation, and makes the likelihood of pest infestation far less likely. This clean, dry, stable climate will also be easier to heat and cool, thereby keeping your energy usage to a minimum and even lowering your property’s energy bills as a whole. After all, your basement has an effect on your whole home. 

Do Not Wait for Damage 

Waterproofing is generally a part of any basement or foundation repair process because it can contribute to preventing the recurrence of the issues. However, we urge you not to wait until there is damage to your home before waterproofing your basement. You see, while there are benefits to pre-emptive waterproofing, there are also very serious drawbacks to waiting until your property is damaged to begin the process of waterproofing. 

The most obvious issue, of course, is that by waiting for damage to take root before you waterproof your basement, you will leave yourself with damaged property and potentially hefty repair costs to grapple with. This will cost you far more money in the long run and could even impact your health and well-being, depending on the issues that develop in your home before you act. As such, it is best to pre-emptively waterproof your basement (even if you are not planning on using it as a living space). 

Foundation settling often gets detected after the house is falling apart. If you’ve spotted the problem signs and have determined that your foundation is failing, you need to act fast. Settling only gets worse with time, which means that what you are seeing will become more of a problem later on. If allowed to go on for too long, the house may even become too structurally unsound to live in. Before that happens, call your local foundation experts for repairs.

Foundation problems are not something you can just DIY, like a paint job or hanging a painting. For the job to be done right, professional solutions are required. At Ohio Basement Systems, we provide the best foundation repair options for the homeowners of Youngstown, OH, such as helical piers and push piers. These pier support systems will permanently stabilize your foundation and completely stop the settling. The piers even have the potential to lift your home and even it out again.

After repairs are done, you can go about repairing any damage created by the foundation settling. If any door and window frames are warped, get them replaced. If any walls have cracks, get those patched up. It’s not worthwhile to repair your home when it’s settling, since anything that isn’t a support pier will not stop the damage caused by settling. If you haven’t already, also consider waterproofing your foundation, since some problem with the foundation drainage may have caused the settling.

Dealing with an exposed crawl space can take a number of forms.Preventing damage is ideal, but when it has already taken root, there are repair methods available.

Structural Repairs

Structural repairs will always take precedence when there is a professional involved. In fact, they should always take precedence over waterproofing measures and cosmetic repairs. That’s because if they are not completed before these processes, the issue could recur or grow in severity and scope. This will make the situation more dangerous and could increase repair costs overall.

Structural repairs cover a broad number of processes including foundation repair, concrete lifting, joist repair and replacement, and wall reinforcement. The nature of structural repairs required in each home will vary depending on a number of factors. This is why we recommend that you call in a professional as soon as possible.

Waterproofing and Encapsulation

If there are no structural repairs needed or the structural concerns have all been resolved, a professional will most likely suggest crawl space waterproofing or encapsulation. This will include covering exposed vents and crawl space access doors but goes much further and has many tangible benefits for your whole home.

Like structural repairs, encapsulation varies from home to home and is tailored to the confines of a specific situation. Generally speaking, however, structural repairs include drainage assessment and improvement, insulation, and the installation of a vapor barrier, as well as the covering of vents and doors. This will improve energy efficiency, reduce humidity, and even allow you to use your crawl space for storage.