If your basement walls get wet when it rains, you might need to have the walls waterproofed. A wet basement can grow mold, smell musty, attract bugs, and ruin belongings you have in the space, especially cardboard boxes. There's more than one way to waterproof a basement. Some methods are done outside of your house and others are done inside the basement. Here's a look at interior basement waterproofing for the walls. 

Check For Condensation Problems And Leaks

A basement waterproofing contractor can help you find the cause of the wet walls so the right repairs get done. Water might be leaking in from the basement window. If so, sealing the window might keep the water out.

Also, you'll want the contractor to verify that the water is seeping in from the outside and not forming due to condensation. Condensation might be solved by wrapping overhead plumbing pipes in insulation and running a dehumidifier.

Fill Cracks In The Wall

If you can see cracks in the wall, that could be where water is leaking inside. Cracks can be filled with hydraulic cement or epoxy filler. The contractor can push hydraulic cement into the crack where the cement expands and hardens. Epoxy can be forced deep inside the crack too, so the crack is sealed all the way to the back and length of the crack.

Paint On A Waterproof Coating

The basement waterproofing contractor might suggest painting the walls with a coating that keeps water from seeping through the concrete. The coating is rolled on with a paint roller, so it's easy to apply. However, the walls have to be cleaned first. If there is old paint on the walls, the paint has to be removed with a wire brush or sandblasting to get to the bare concrete.

The waterproof coating bonds with concrete, so nothing can be between the concrete and the coating. The contractor will probably apply one coating and let it dry and then apply a second coating to make sure no water will leak through the walls. A wall coating may be enough to waterproof your basement if the problem is water seeping through the soil that's against the walls.

If an interior coating doesn't work, the contractor might suggest putting in an interior drainage system with a sump pump. This requires digging up the basement floor and is more disruptive. However, all the interior methods of basement waterproofing are less disruptive than exterior methods that require digging up your yard to expose the outside of the basement walls.

Contact a local basement waterproofing service to learn more.