Basement Waterproofing 101: Which System is Right for Your Project?

[@ASIRIDesigns]

*A Design Guide To Dry & Comfortable Basements eBook* : asiri-designs.com/shop/ols/products/basement-design-guide

[@branchandfoundry560]

Any chance of getting a hardcover physical book? Thank you EDIT: Or paperback, I'm not picky!

[@000OO0OOO0]

So much information! It feels like you compressed a full day training class in a 10 minutes video!

[@ASIRIDesigns]

@@000OO0OOO0 It certainly is a lot to take in! This is the important stuff condensed down, but of course we could get into much greater detail for each of these systems if this is something people would be interested in, though the manufacturers of these products tend to have pretty good resources as well.

[@000OO0OOO0]

@@ASIRIDesigns This is a great video, it describes all available waterproofing options with their pros and cons. Could a liquid applied membrane be used to airseal between foundation and sheathing form outside?

[@NikoFromSofia]

Absolutely fantastic videos. Scientific, brief, to the point. Thank you!

[@ASIRIDesigns]

@@NikoFromSofia Thank you so much, I'm glad to hear the videos have been helpful!

[@trickstothetrades1801]

Still drainage is key. I look at water proofing as a back up. I built a house that blocked an underground stream and we had a step down foundation. You can actually hear the water drop as it runs through the inside outside form a drain when your in the basement yet it has remained dry even after years have gone by. It’s a good feeling when you conquer nature and get it right. That being said great info and options, a few that i have yet to use. Thanks

[@ASIRIDesigns]

Precisely! As I like to say, water always wins. Get rid of it before it has a chance to accumulate and challenge the waterproofing layer.

[@dlg5485]

Having lived in 2 homes with leaky foundations, I never want to deal with that issue again. When I eventually build my dream home, superior foundation waterproofing will be a top priority. I think using a fluid or self adhering membrane applied to footer and wall, fabric covered drainage mat over that, and a fabric covered french drain system with integrated sump pump. It's expensive to waterproof a basement the right way, but living with a leaky basement makes you realize it's worth every penny to do it right the first time. It's even more expensive if you have to redo it later.

[@drew50]

First, I want to say awesome video! packed with great info as usual! you make great content packed with a ton of good stuff for such short videos compared to the other building science channels on YT. I want to begin planning a home build soon. I have not yet spent any money and don't even know what the first steps would be. Although I do already own the property where it will go. I'm not in a hurry and don't mind planning this out for years possibly to make sure all the details are hashed out and building science principals get followed so it's the most durable and healthy home possible. I'm leaning towards a small and simple size and shape home, keeping the sqft low and using premium materials instead with my budget. The property is 17 acres of cow pasture that remind me of The Shire in lotr due to the rolling hills, 20 acres of forest that's mostly pretty steep, and 20 acres of tilled farm field. In the pasture portion there's an artesian spring well that keep the cows watered. I would use this for the homes water supply. And I think there's some great views in the area to capture anyway. But besides building near enough to the well I don't even know where or how to pick the best spot to build. Can someone give me some advice to point me in the right direction?

[@ranbolen6577]

Excellent work, thanks for the information and insight

[@2point..0]

@ASIRI Designs, Could you cover Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF Blocks) foundations or contrustion video's in the near future??? Thank you Liked#33 N Subscribed!!!

[@ASIRIDesigns]

@@2point..0 It's on my list of video topics actually, a lot of people have been asking about it. Stay tuned in the next couple of months!

[@cortlanolson1025]

@@ASIRIDesignsI’ll be looking out for that one especially!

[@2point..0]

@@ASIRIDesigns Reason why I asked, I am trying to design a single story Passive Solar Double (Skillion or Clerestory) Shed Roof house plan with Exposed Wood Ceilings beams. And my I am going to use ICF's for the foundation that consists with the left side as a Slab (stepped down) and the right side will be a full basement... Thanks!!!

[@plumbthumbs9584]

Love your channel, thank you!

[@ASIRIDesigns]

@@plumbthumbs9584 Thanks for watching! Cheers!

[@machickman4041]

Great video! Would you be able to do an analysis on post frame (pole barns/banrdominuims) vs conventional stick framing?

[@ASIRIDesigns]

I'll add it to my topic list!

[@luciarael7134]

Thank you for your great videos. Which concert sealer would be the least toxic for a slab on grade foundation. Building in coastal, cool Mediterranean climate with average temperatures 40-60 F. ~ 50 inches of rain per year. Thanks so much for your advice.

[@devo3311]

Love this content.

[@DitDitDitDahDahDahDitDitDit]

Be careful about any surface primer coatings off-gassing volatile organic chemicals, probably solvent, that may persist for a long time. Before installing new French drain lines in my then 20 yo house, i did this close to 10 years ago, I had a bituthene membrane attached and covered by a durable mechanically attached dimple mat. The contractor had never heard of nor done anything like this before. He first brushed the foundation wall “clean” to remove soil then generously rolled on the primer to make sure everything attached. Once the primed surface was tacky, they covered it with the bituthene membrane, he said that was acceptable according to manufacturer’s guidance. The bituthene membrane seemed to be well adhered to the wall. The bituthene strips were well overlapped. He installed the bituthene membrane and continuous dimple mat, put new stones and drain pipes in, fabric to block soil infiltration, and back-filled in one to two days. The excavation was done the day before. The chemical odor was noticeable for over a year. Solvent vapor may come in through the wall itself as well as through the new drain lines placed on both sides of the footing, inside and outside. Also, be careful of what they may put at the footing and wall seam, it may not be compatible. I hope contractors are getting better information on all these technical issues and showing more of an interest in new and better techniques. Allowing time for off-gassing before everything is covered back over sounds like a very prudent idea and something manufacturers should address. Also, attention OSHA and NIOSH, the crew who did this work absolutely hated the odor from the primer. Their exposure to it was made worse by the fact that they were all down in an 8” or so deep trench.

[@ASIRIDesigns]

@@DitDitDitDahDahDahDitDitDit Thanks for the advice, the solvent based primers and adhesives can certainly generate a lot of fumes. They absolutely must be allowed to offgas, but then the tricky part with the Bituthene product that you mentioned is that it has to be backfilled soon after installation. There are some low VOC primers and adhesives out there, I think the manufacturers are realizing that this is a problem. Thanks for watching!

[@kwhatten]

@@ASIRIDesigns Couldn't one just protect the coatings from UV for enough time to off-gas?

[@whymindsetmatters]

You never stated which product was the best