3 Best Methods of Basement Waterproofing in Park Ridge, IL 60068
Park Ridge IL is an old town by Midwestern standards; settlement began there in the 1830’s. First agriculture and, later, the manufacture of bricks drew population to the town and it boomed until the Great Depression of the 1930’s.
No surprise, then, that there are nine Park Ridge homes that have been accorded landmark status. What is atypical of Chicago suburbs, even the older ones, is that the city of Park Ridge has begun to mark its own architectural heritage by awarding certificates to recognize homes that are 100 years old or more, even if they don’t achieve landmark status.
In a recent Chicago Tribune article, the chair of the Park Ridge Historic Preservation Commission said that the homes have been “an important part of our city’s growth and contribute to the character of our community.” To date, more than 25 homes have been recognized.
Of course, there are more than 14,000 homes in Park Ridge and only a limited number hit the century mark but more than half of them are at least 50 years old, and may cause their owners concern about the maintenance and repair issues that come with older houses, including the need to do basement waterproofing.
3 Best Methods of Basement Waterproofing in Park Ridge
Although the approach to basement waterproofing in a specific home will depend on details of the home and its situation, there are 3 common methods in Park Ridge.
Interior Drain Tile – Two common sources of wet basements are seepage through the cove joint and through cracks in the basement floor. Both of these forms of seepage are caused by hydrostatic pressure in the soil underneath the foundation that forces water through the openings. Installing interior drain tile, perforated pipe buried in a bed of washed stone, along the inside perimeter of the footings alleviates this hydrostatic pressure and the pipe carries the ground water to a sump pump for disposal outside the home. Properly installed, interior drain tile is maintenance-free.
Crack Repair – Poured concrete foundations are very common in the Chicago area, including Park Ridge, and the most common source of seepage in those foundations is a non-structural crack in the foundation wall. The best way to repair these cracks is to inject them from the inside with expanding polyurethane that fills and seals the crack all the way to the outside soil. Once cured, the material remains flexible to prevent minor foundation movement from re-opening the crack.
When wall cracks are inaccessible from the inside, they can be repaired from the exterior by digging a small hole down to the foundation footings at the site of the crack and filling it with sodium bentonite clay. The sodium bentonite forms a pliable, permanent barrier against water intrusion on the “positive side” of the foundation.
Exterior Waterproofing – Exterior waterproofing membrane is asphalt-modified polyurethane that is troweled onto the exterior of foundation walls in a thick coat to form an impenetrable barrier against ground water that could otherwise enter the basement. Masonry walls experience seepage through deteriorated mortar joints or porous masonry like concrete block or brick; poured concrete walls through porous patches or over the top of the wall.
When a large amount of ground water is present, the membrane can be augmented with exterior drain tile and heavy-duty drainage board that protects it and channels water down to the drain tile.
Regardless of the ultimate choice of repair, the Park Ridge homeowner needs the advice and skilled services of a basement waterproofing contractor that can offer a comprehensive range of services. At U.S. Waterproofing, we have helped hundreds of Park Ridge homeowners keep their basements dry with since our founding in 1957. Why not ask for our free advice?