Foundations and basements require annual inspections to be sure there are no cracks in the walls or gaps between the ground and wall. Either of these conditions can lead to water seeping or flowing into the lower level of a structure. This will lead to a mess including mold, damage to items stored, and structural damage to the foundation.

The two main methods of prevention are positive drainage where the soil slopes away from the foundation taking water away from the building, and waterproofing.

When you start speaking with contractors you will find different approaches and pricing. At Masonry Ottawa, we offer comprehensive and durable solutions to water infiltration. We excavate the area below the footing. All the exterior walls are cleaned using a wire brush or water blasting. That will offer a clean surface to waterproof. For block foundations, any cracks or bad mortar joints are filled with hydraulic cement. A concrete parging is completed for additional protection and to offer the best surface for the waterproofing materials to solidly adhere.

We will also install new weeping tile and filter cloth on a bed of fresh gravel at the footings. We add another layer of filter cloth to prevent silt from infiltrating. We then allow the wall to cure or completely set before we coat the foundation with a liquid sealant. We will finally install a poly membrane to maintain the waterproofing work we have completed. Once the soil has been returned and we are sure there is positive drainage, we are done.

If the home is built too close to its neighbors, we will need to take a different approach, which will usually mean trenching, installation of sump pumps, and interior sealing.

We usually work around the building in a systematic method.