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Waterproofing Your Foundation From the Outside

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I recently spoke with a group of home inspectors about the waterproofing services our company provides and explained in detail our process of waterproofing foundations when there is moisture or water in the crawlspace.
The question that most seemed to ask was why not simply work on diverting the water inside the crawlspace, running it to a sump pump in the low spot and running it outside? Although this solution is less expensive, it really doesn't do anything in regards to the problem.
The homeowner will still have moisture in the crawlspace and can cause the same issues that I spoke of in a prior article (mold, mildew, weakened posts and floor joists) and is really only a band-aid to the problem.
Often times, the highest precipitation periods here in the Pacific Northwest coincide with wind storms and power outages.
Should the homeowner really be relying on a system (sump pump) that needs power when he or she is at risk for the greatest amounts of water in the crawlspace? Probably not, and I don't think any reputable contractor would be comfortable with any type of written guarantee to the homeowner outside of a manufacturer warranty of the pump.
The only 100% effective solution is trenching around the perimeter of the foundation, replacing or adding new footing drains, and applying a waterproofing membrane to the foundation.
There is the counter argument that the water table is too high and the only solution is working from the outside, but I can tell you there are numerous examples here in Seattle where that is the perception, but when the waterproofing and new footing drains are installed correctly, the moisture from the crawlspace is permanently gone.
There are a few contractors, including myself, that would be happy to install a sump pump system in the crawlspace if all else failed and that was the only solution.
I would highly recommend not passing on the problem to the next homeowner, and spending the extra money for the comfort of knowing the house is permanently waterproofed, regardless of the fact that you are not liable when you sell the house.
The home inspectors all agreed that water and moisture in the crawlspace was the number 1 issue affecting the potential closing of home sales, and that getting the issue resolved in a timely manner was pertinent.
If you know you have an issue with moisture in your crawlspace, don't wait until you put your home up for sale.
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