Basement waterproofing in Toronto
To the zillions of young couples, new buyers and those who want to live off the grid, buying the right home has come down to the basics – budget and if the property would someday be termed a ‘good investment’. This isn’t a scenario singular to one district in Toronto, buying a house these days is a collective accomplishment in the city- as people navigate a sea of information from developers advertising dubious claims making tall promises.
Dream Home
Finding a house in a good locality with a tree lurking by the window giving adequate shade for the Hondo Civic, would almost fit the bill of ‘Dream Home’. However, what meets the eyes do not always communicate the underlying issues. Like the oft-used cliché about living in parent’s basement – having a good working basement is crucial to live hassle free in a city like Toronto. There are also municipalities in the city that allow homeowners to rent out their basements. As increasingly builders, developers and homeowners consider a basement with sufficient ventilation to be a potential living, or entertaining area. Long has gone the days of basements associated as dungeons, they are converted as libraries, home theatres, gyms or wine cellars.
“If something had smells in the basement, it will eventually make its way to the attic.” – Anthony Liccione.
A wet basement could lead to structural damage lasting permanently and costing heavily on the homeowner’s wallet. A weak flooring could let water seep through multiple channels including burst or clogged pipes, and cracked basement foundation. Often, the soil under the house and external ground around the premise will erode naturally over the years. But this can be barricaded by setting waterproof barriers, to ensure soil erosion is halted.
Basement, the top priority
A few common waterproofing methods used are interior and exterior sealants. Plumbers rely heavily on sealants to barricade additional water escape into the interior. This provides homeowners with the assurance of dry and comfortable interior.
Despite the success of sealants, there is a growing awareness in using waterproofing used in dams and large ceilings by incorporating the below methods:
- Cementious
- Liquid membrane
- Bituminous Coating or Bituminous
- Polyurethane Liquid membrane
Just as how a home can be a ‘dream’ come true, a basement too – can become either a best feature of the house or a nightmare. While building developers rely on traditional interior and exterior sealants. An increasing and ever evolving DIY builders have incorporated duct tapes and sealants that are not in common usage, but progressively used. The city councils have largely begun granting planning permission to have such building materials used.
Nevertheless, private housing associations and experts have questioned the longevity of such projects, and suggested that home building is not for DIYers, but one for professionals. They notes that a person who is proficient in landscaping as well as has a flair for soil erosion in urban areas. As the old adage goes, ‘You can’t build a great building on a weak foundation.’ For more details about Basement waterproofing in Toronto visit their website.
