Waterproof Foundation

A waterproof foundation will limit the potential for moisture to seep in through the foundation and fuel mold and mildew growth within interior finished basement walls.

The majority of basement walls built in Manitoba are simply damproofed. Damproofing is an asphalt-based coating sprayed onto the outside of a foundation wall to seal off the concrete's pore structure and prevent ground-sourced moisture from leaking into the basement. Over the life of the house, should the foundation wall ever crack, damproofing does not have the ability to span a fracture. The crack will then become a potential entryway for groundwater through the basement wall. If the foundation walls are framed and insulated on the interior, the water can accumulate undetected within the framed wall, allowing mold and mildew to grow and negatively impact IAQ.

For a relatively small cost, damproofing can be upgraded to a waterproof membrane. Waterproof membranes installed on the exterior of the foundation are much thicker and more flexible than damproofing and have the ability to span cracks and prevent water entry.