FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING
Creating Safer, Stronger, and More Efficient Homes With Polyurea
PROTECTION FROM THE GROUND UP
A building’s foundation is, well, foundational. It’s the bedrock of any home, and plays just as important a role as the roof or exterior walls, if not more so – again, there’s a reason they call it a foundation! However, this doesn’t mean foundations are forever, nor are they built to stand the test of time irrespective of the conditions they’re exposed to. In fact, foundations can be particularly vulnerable in wetter environments where water tends to travel and persist underground, threatening water infiltration that can cause extensive structural damage, lead to potentially severe biological hazards, and decrease the energy efficiency of your home. To help protect foundations from water damage and its associated risks, foundation waterproofing can be used as a robust all-in-one solution. Made of powerful materials technologies like polyurea, waterproofing materials are applied to a foundation’s exterior walls, creating a durable watertight seal that will keep your home safe and dry for years to come. All it takes is some professional guidance from a coating’s expert like ArmorThane, and your foundation will be on its way to starting your home’s transformation into a waterproof fortress.
4 TOP REASONS TO WATERPROOF YOUR FOUNDATION
Foundation waterproofing isn’t just some new home accessory or aesthetic upgrade for a beautified shelter; it’s a multifunctional practical necessity to protect homes and their inhabitants from harm or damage, and can even be essential for some buildings. Here are four of the top reasons to waterproof your foundation:
WATER INFILTRATION
When we think about flooding, most of us consider the threat from above, whether it be water entering from leaky roofs, or instead penetrating one or more openings in doors and windows. But did you know flooding and water infiltration can also occur from your foundation? Regularly overlooked and undervalued, foundations too often serve as a critical point of vulnerability that can see homes and anything contained within suffer the same fate as those condemned to Davy Joness’ locker. Foundation waterproofing can protect new and old foundations alike, creating a waterproof barrier that ensures your home is as safe and hospitable as the day you’re handed the keys.
MICROBIAL PROTECTION
Water infiltration threatens to do plenty of damage directly, saturating anything in its path, often to the point of no return. However, there are plenty of ways the entry of water into your home can do even more damage indirectly, and the risks aren’t limited to your home or possessions. Water and moisture are the perfect breeding grounds for dangerous microbes like mold and mildew, which can even be life-threatening depending on where you live and the conditions of your home and local environment. ArmorThane offers antimicrobial coatings for when the threat of microorganisms looms large, but just by waterproofing your foundation, you’re taking the first and most important step to ensuring your home remains free of harmful pathogens.
STRUCTURAL
REINFORCEMENT
Water infiltration can be the cause of, as well as a symptom of, the slow but inevitable cracking and fracturing of your foundation. Typically made of porous concrete, water can seep into your foundation, expanding and contracting as day turns to night, or during the changing seasons. The result is significant stress that can cause cracking in the first place, and subsequently serve as an aqueous highway delivering water and moisture directly into your home. Foundation waterproofing serves to keep your foundations safe and dry, mitigating or even outright preventing structural damage that can create a new problem or make an old one that much worse.
IMPROVED EFFICIENCY
Protection for you, your family, and your home represents the key advantages to foundation waterproofing, but the benefits don’t stop there. Warm and moist foundations mean more work for your AC system, resulting in significantly higher expenditures on heating or cooling your home. Foundation waterproofing offers a way to increase your home’s energy efficiency, while also supporting strength and longevity at the base of your abode.
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POLYUREA FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING
So there are many compelling reasons why one might choose to waterproof their foundation, but what’s the best way to go about it? Can any foundation waterproofing material suffice to achieve these top four benefits and more? The short answer is no; but don’t fret, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of viable options, and in fact, there’s one that stands above the rest: polyurea. Polyurea spray elastomer technology, as it’s known in the coatings world, is a powerful, efficient, and effective means of foundation waterproofing. Composed of a two-component system, precursor materials are precisely ejected from high-pressure spray equipment, quickly and easily coating even the largest of foundations in only a matter of hours. Better still, in as little as a few minutes, freshly applied polyurea cures to become service ready, with no long or complicated post-applications processes. With that, your foundation will be enveloped in a strong yet flexible polyurea shield, capable of withstanding almost any type of chemical or mechanical stress, and more importantly, reliably preventing water damage and infiltration. To top it all off, polyurea is also safer and more sustainable than its alternatives, as it’s made of 100% solids, and with no solvents or volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). The final piece of the puzzle now that you know what technology to choose, is who to trust to supply your foundation waterproofing products and services. But like the choice of what material is best, the choice of who is best is just as plain to see: ArmorThane.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The terms “foundation waterproofing” and “basement waterproofing” are often used interchangeably, but actually represent two distinct processes. Foundation waterproofing is broader in scope, aimed at protecting entire buildings, whereas basement waterproofing focuses on keeping basements safe and dry. The two also vary in terms of price, project duration, and ease of installation, but serve the same fundamental purpose: to prevent water infiltration, improve structural integrity, inhibit the growth of hazardous microbes, and enhance energy efficiency.
While the best method of foundation waterproofing may vary from project to project, the strongest material is unquestionable. Polyurea is among the strongest coating technologies available on the market, making it a robust solution for foundation waterproofing. Its strength extends beyond withstanding mechanical stress and strain, but also chemical and UV resistance, making it a truly comprehensive approach to foundation waterproofing.
Evaluating the cost-efficiency of home renovations or upgrades should be considered over the lifetime of its use, and any costs offset by the changes. With this in mind, polyurea is highly cost-effective, offering decades of reliable performance and saving big on repairs and replacements that can even cost more than the original foundation.
BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION
WITH ARMORTHANE
Building a strong foundation doesn’t stop when the concrete is dry; it takes more than what the builders might leave you with to see your foundation last, and more importantly, perform decade after decade. This starts with where you get your waterproofing materials, and who you trust to install quality coatings systems, and in both cases there’s no better partner than ArmorThane. We’re coatings experts with more than 35 years in business and over 70 years of combined coatings expertise. Waterproofing is our bread and butter, and we formulate and manufacture specialty foundation waterproofing materials, applied in-house or by one of our certified applicators who are part of our growing global network of ArmorThane professionals. So, don’t wait, time is of the essence! Contact us today to learn more about how we can become your partner in the coatings industry, and welcome you to the world’s one-stop shop for everything polyurea and polyurethane.
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ArmorThane has built a strong reputation over the past 30 years for producing high-quality, durable protective coatings.
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Tel: 417.831.5090
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TYLER GLECKLER
I am a chemist with a specialization in nanotechnology and applied materials chemistry. My work has focused on the characterization of optoelectronic materials, namely including semiconductor nanocrystals.
