Nl Sump CouponCrawl space and basement waterproofing is sometimes necessary in many homes in the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington area.  Waterproofing a crawl space or a basement can come in many different forms and we have many different ways to go about it.  We encourage you to research all of your options and make the best choice for your specific situation.  We offer a variety of waterproofing options in the Portland Metro area, as well as free inspections and consultations.  Give us a call today to learn how we can help you.

What Is Waterproofing?

If you have water in your crawl space or water in your basement, there are different ways you can go about it.  Waterproofing is a term used most often when referring to a crawl space or basement encapsulation system.  Put simply, this is a system that includes trenching, a sump pump and a thick moisture barrier that is sealed at the seams.  Encapsulating your crawl space or basement is a really effective way to waterproof and looks amazing when we are done.  However, the cost of this system can be very high because of the degree of difficulty, labor, etc.  At New Leaf, we do these types of systems, but generally suggest a middle ground for handling water in your crawlspace or basement.

Custom Drainage Solution

For the majority of people, encapsulating or waterproofing a crawlspace or basement is just not realistic with their budgets.  That is where New Leaf comes in.  Although we clearly see the benefits of waterproofing and encapsulation, we understand that there are different approaches to solve your water intrusion issue without the high price tag.  We design a custom drainage solution for your property that moves the water out of your crawlspace or basement and keeps it dry.  Our typical crawl space drainage system will include a french drain sloping toward a sump pump that is plumbed into your underground gutter drains.  Next we will cover all exposed dirt with a standard (up to code) vapor barrier.  The key difference between a custom drainage solution and encapsulation is the vapor barrier.  For more information on the differences, please check out blog post discusses waterproofing versus vapor barrier.

Basement drainage solutions are handled differently on a case by case basis.  Most older homes with basements were built with the expectation that some water intrusion was acceptable.  This is why you often see drains in basements.  How to best handle this depends on many factors.  Waterproofing can take place on the inside of the basement using some of the same methods described above (cutting trenches and installing a sump pump) or on the outside, using sealants against the foundation.

Regardless of what water intrusion issues that you face, we have a solution for you.  If you have gotten bids from some of the bigger waterproofing contractors in Portland and Vancouver area, we invite you to give us a call.  You might just find that we have a solution for you that is less intrusive and quite a bit less expensive.