Houses across UK face the problem of water wicking. The problem is that brickwork is porous and has the tendency of absorbing water. Most of the old buildings have to be maintained to check for wicking regularly. As a countermeasure now cavity walls are considered standard for all new properties. These walls have a cavity between the inner and outer facings that serve as a reliable damp proofing and prevent water from wicking into the interiors. Basement tanking is used for dealing with damping of underground rooms.
The problem with underground rooms i.e. the basements and cellars is worse. The porous brickwork in these rooms absorbs moisture from the surrounding earth. If your house is located in an area with a high water table and you have underground rooms, then you have to be particularly careful because in such areas the underground construction can remain damp permanently. This lasting dampness not only is a threat to the contents of the rooms but also pose a danger to the overall structure of the building over time. With CCTV drain surveys London you can find if the problem is arising because of blocked drainage.
Waterproofing of some kind will help in keeping the moisture outside and to make the basement damp free.
Basement Tanking
Basement tanking is just a fancy term for waterproofing the basement. It is often found that waterproofing the basement is a tad bit different than other types waterproofing. The water wicking problem in the basement is not easy to control especially at the corners where the wall and floor join. With tanking, you can make your basement watertight and stop water from entering the space.
In basement tanking, you apply a non-porous coating of a waterproofing material by creating a “jacket”. Think of it as creating a fish tank in the basement through which water cannot travel.
Different Types of Tanking
Over the years basement tanking London has evolved at a fast rate and now there are different forms of waterproofing the basements albeit they all have their own particular strengths and weaknesses. Based on the cost and effectiveness of the technique, you can pick a solution that fits your property the best.
The most common type of tanking involves waterproof coating application on the inside of the cellar. This kind of tanking prevents water from entering into the living space, however, moisture still permeates into the brickwork of the basement. This is the cheapest form of basement tanking that requires minimal structural work.
A variation of the tanking involves creating a new cavity wall into the basement using a waterproof board. In this process, the cavity wall was built slightly smaller than the brick wall to create a cavity between the two that helps in keeping the water out. However, this form of basement tanking also requires artificial drainage to remove water from cavity. In areas prone to floods, a pump is often used to take the water out.
The last method of basement tanking London involves a lot of digging as the waterproof membrane is placed outside the basement wall. This is also a costly and labour intensive tanking method that involves a lot of excavation to properly treat the brickwork.
What to consider
Before you start with any type of tanking it is important that you take into account the state of existing brickwork. Hiring professional basement tanking London services is recommended because effective waterproofing requires high level of workmanship.
If the plaster from the basement brickwork has started to peel off you will have to get it fixed first. There is no point in applying a waterproof coating to such a wall as the plaster will start peeling off soon afterwards. Another reason for hiring professionals is that once basement tanking is complete the water just sits against the waterproof surface as there is no place to leave. In enough volumes, this water can exert pressure on the brickwork, compromising its structural integrity.
Therefore, with detailed CCTV drain surveys London and regular checking of the brickwork you can find if there is a need for re-plastering or re-pointing the brick wall before you can begin with tanking the basement.