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Understanding the Do’s and Dont’s of Basement Waterproofing

basement waterproofing TorontoThere is an old adage that “you get what you pay for.” This applies to many things in your life, from buying clothes over the Internet that you never had a chance to try on, to generic shaving cream from the dollar store that has the same consistency as water, to frozen steaks from the back of a refrigerated truck wandering your subdivision at sunset. The same philosophy applies to home repairs, including basement waterproofing.

At New Canadian Drain & Plumbing, we are the number one plumbing contractor in the Greater Toronto Area because of high quality work, affordable prices, outstanding customer service, and our commitment to educating home and business owners about what to look out for when they need an estimate on plumbing or basement waterproofing. No matter who you talk to or where you look, you will never get the same information, opinion, or price.

Things to Remember about Basement Waterproofing

  • Not all basement waterproofing products are of equal quality. Just like food, clothing, or anything else manmade, waterproofing products can be good or bad, depending on where, how, when, and by whom they were manufactured. If you have questions about a particular product, ask us our opinion, or conduct research on your own and arrive at an opinion based on information from multiple sources.
  • Not every contractor is adequately trained or supervised. At New Canadian Drain & Plumbing, we are licensed — the number, P17784, is even on our website — and all of our plumbers receive ongoing training to make sure they are knowledgeable about equipment, standards, and repair methodology.
  • There is more than one possible solution for every basement water problem a home or business owner may encounter. Remember, water in a basement can be remedied by cleaning a floor drain, plugging wall cracks, sealing around a window, or any number of other possibilities. Structural damage to a building foundation or water pipes cannot be solved with simple basement waterproofing methods. If an engineer, building inspector, or master plumber inspects your property and discovers the foundation has shifted or is otherwise damaged, no amount of polyurethane or waterproof membrane will solve the problem.

Our philosophy is pretty straight forward. You can never have enough quality information to make an informed decision about basement waterproofing and other plumbing needs. That is why we have been featured on HGTV Canada and countless other community forums, helping educate home and business owners about what to do, or not to do, to repair their leaky basement.

Here are Some Things You Can Do

  • If your home has a serious foundation issue, talk with a structural engineer. We can certainly fix any plumbing or basement waterproofing problem you have, but as we have said before, no amount of polyurethane or waterproof membrane can fix a damaged foundation.
  • Interview foundation repair specialists and qualified plumbing professionals. At minimum, talk with at least three and ask each one to visually inspect the problem before offering a solution or estimate on the work.
  • Ask educated questions, like How long have you been in business? or Are you licensed?
  • Ask for references, and if someone declines, then move on to the next candidate.
  • It is possible that you may require a sealed interior drain system.

Here Are Some Things You Should Never Do

  • Regardless of what you see on television or YouTube videos, do not try complicated basement waterproofing techniques on your own. You are not trained for this kind of work.
  • Never make a decision about a product or service based solely on advertising. No matter how “slick” or sophisticated a plumber’s website or commercial looks, protect yourself by having an idea of what the cause of the leak is and possible solutions.
  • Allow yourself to make a decision solely on price. Remember, you get what you pay for.
  • Never let a basement waterproofing contractor work on your house without a written contract and warranty.
  • Never pay for a job before it is completed and inspected.

These are just some of the things we try and advise customers about when it comes to basement waterproofing. Visit us on Google+

For more information about basement waterproofing in Toronto or to get a quote, call us today: 416-651-2990