omaha basement
WATERPROOFING & REPAIR
BFO’s contractors provide the highest quality Omaha basement waterproofing services. Waterproofing is an essential step in finishing your basement. We are able to identify the root of the problem and work with our customers to ensure everything is completed to your satisfaction. Contact our office to learn more about basement waterproofing!
IMPORTANCE OF WATERPROOFING
Waterproofing your basement is crucial! Basement walls and floors are always in direct contact with moisture and soil. If you have an unfinished basement, cracks and scratches are readily visible on the foundation and concrete walls. As a result, these leaking cracks and openings can leave water stains on the basement walls. Our diagnosis begins by identifying the area where water enters the basement and searching for the crack on the exterior. Most cracks in a finished basement extend to the top of the foundation wall above the soil line. For this reason, these cracks must be sealed quickly to prevent further seepage.
Installing a basement window well drain
Oftentimes, especially in older homes, window recesses can act as sinks. When snow begins to melt and rain begins to fall, window wells fill with water and hold it until it bulges, allowing water to infiltrate. As a result, water will spill into your basement and the pressure on the window can break the glass.
Typical window well problems arise from the following:
Poor installation: Windows wells must be installed correctly in order to prevent water from entering your basement.
Incorrect sizing of the window well: When your window well is not wide or deep enough to fit your specific area, you are likely going to have sealing issues.
Contamination of the gravel layer: Gravel layers contaminated with too much debris are not able to drain properly.
Not enough drainage: Water should never sit well in your window. Instead, it should be able to drain immediately without having time to accumulate.
HONEYCOMB
A honeycomb occurs when part of the base begins to deteriorate, with small sections breaking down and leaving a small void that allows water to pass through the base. As a result, durability is compromised. If the honeycomb penetrates deep into the concrete, major structural problems can result.
Typical places where honeycombs are found include walls, footings, columns, beams, and slabs. Common causes of honeycomb in concrete include:
Improper water / cement ratio: This ratio impacts the strength of your concrete. Depending on the scope of your project and the environmental conditions to which this concrete will be exposed, you will need a very specific water / cement ratio.
Improper consolidation of concrete: In order to remove those pesky air bubbles that weaken concrete, most people turn to concrete vibrations. However, it can be difficult to determine how long you will need to vibrate it. It should be long enough that all the bubbles disappear, but doing it too long will cause the aggregate and water to separate.
Incorrect aggregate ranking: Small particles find it difficult to penetrate beyond too many larger and coarse aggregates. This leaves a lot of voids everywhere and a weaker piece of concrete.
Inappropriate placement of reinforcement bars: When it comes to the structural integrity of a design, the placement of the steel is crucial. Improperly placed steel bars can cause complications with concrete.
PIPE PENETRATIONS
Is there a leaking pipe in your basement? Water corrosion, pipe perspiration, and hydrostatic pressure can damage the concrete around the pipe. When this happens, a vacuum opens which allows water from the outside to seep past the pipe. Often times you will be able to tell that this is happening by the visible stains left by the water.
Common warning signs of a pipe penetration problem include:
Water: You will probably notice that water is flowing over the walls where the pipes are located.
Stain: Stains tend to appear in particular places on the wall.
Mold: There may be mold around the area where the pipe actually goes through the wall.
Get Your Basement Waterproofed Today!
If you notice that a pipe is penetrating through a concrete wall, proper treatment can help you avoid foundation complications. For this reason, it is important that a professional examine the area in question before the problem further worsens. Contact our quick response team at Basement Finishing Omaha to get your basement waterproofed in the timeliest manner. Call us now at (402) 303-7355.