Basements are known for water, moisture, mold and mildew problems. Since basement foundations are underground they are usually in close proximity to the water table. This creates a problem since water tends to mitigate towards the walls of the basement; especially during rainy seasons and during springs inevitable snow melting. There are many companies out there that offer basement waterproofing solutions but only a handful that truly live up to their claims. Over the years we have found the best way to prevent basement moisture and water damage is early prevention. By sealing a homes foundation when it is first poured is the best kept secrete when it comes to basement waterproofing.
When looking for a sealer look for a penetrating, waterproofing sealer. Acrylics, epoxies and urethanes will all peel up and will not adhere at the first sign of water. Silicates alone are marketed as waterproofers but do not effectively complete the job. Silicates are known densifiers; however if the sealer is a silicate/siliconate blend you are in luck since the smaller silicate molecule will densify and the larger siliconate molecule will chemically react and waterproof your basement. Silane/Siloxane sealers are excellent choices for basement concrete block and/or cinderblock walls. They are really the only effective solutions for waterproofing basement concrete block and cinderblock walls. And whatever you do, despite their claims, do not use DryLok to waterproof your basement. You will have numerous and countless adhesion problems since DryLok is latex based.
Our Take: Some excellent products on the market include Okon’s S-40, Diamond Hard and Lithi-Tek 9500
