Basement moisture is an issue. They can harm a homeowner’s possessions, which makes them especially problematic. Additionally, fixing them can be disruptive and expensive. You, the home builder or general contractor, will be the first person the homeowner calls if any water enters the basement of a freshly constructed building.
You better know a good waterproofer…
It’s not surprising to receive a call from a homeowner who is utterly irate and furious over flooding in the basement of their recently completed home or structure. They just spent all this money, and now they want to know why their new home already has a fault. They need answers right away. If only a water drainage system had been installed to address this issue before the foundation was constructed…
Introducing the CactusBoard
There is now a cost-effective, simple-to-install alternative for home builders that comes with a 20-year warranty! New home builders install the CactusBoard, a perimeter basement footing drain and foundation wall drain system, while constructing the foundation.
The CactusBoard floor edging not only solves the water issues in newly built homes, but it’s also exceedingly simple to install. It merely creates a space between the basement floor’s border and the wall’s edge, as well as across the footing, allowing water from the perimeter and walls to flow into the stone aggregate beneath the floor before entering a sump pump basin or gravity drain.
The basement floor will remain dry no matter what happens to the basement walls or footing drains thanks to CactusBoard, the only foundation waterproofing product. The CactusBoard fixes any basement leaks caused by wall cracks, form ties, window wells, pipe penetrations, hydrostatic pressure (water pushing through at the footing/wall cold joint), and other issues. All of the homeowner’s possessions will be safe and protected because the water never touches the foundation floor, which will also put an end to all the calls about wet basements.
Featured On Fine Home Building Magazine
In order to create a drainage system for a new home foundation, CactusBoard basement drainage installation was highlighted in Fine Homebuilding Magazine.
An Effective Method of Controlling Water
The DRY-UPTM Dimple Board is an extremely durable plastic membrane that blocks the passage of moisture. In addition, “walls can breathe by being dimpled, which allows moisture to condense outward and fall by gravity to a drainage system.
Water from basement walls can be collected and directed into the DRY-UPTM Water Tunnel using the DRY-UPTM Dimple Board membrane. The “Moisture may be directed to the DRY-UPTM Water Tunnel and diverted away to the sump pump thanks to the drainage gap created by the dimples in the DRY-UPTM Dimple Board.
On both interior and exterior applications, the DRY-UPTM Dimple Board is utilized with the DRY-UPTM Geo Channel to divert the water from the basement walls down into the DRY-UPTM Geo Channel drainage system. The additional benefit of preventing backfill from hitting the foundation wall when utilized as outside wrapping.
Waterproof Barrier for Exterior Wrapping
On exterior basement walls, the DRY-UPTM Dimple Board can be applied to stop soil and/or backfill material from hitting the wall itself. The backfill lies on the exterior of the Dimple Board, and the high density plastic prevents surface water from penetrating.
The DRY-UPTM Dimple Board waterproofing membrane is secured mechanically (using a ramset gun and screws), so it is unaffected by foundation wall movement, cracking, or settling. This high-quality dimple board provides a barrier against moisture penetration to exterior basement walls and can be bent over corners without cracking.
Surface water can go into the footing’s drainage system by gravity thanks to the “dimples in the waterproofing membrane. To direct water away from exterior basement walls, the DRY-UPTM Dimple Board is utilized in conjunction with the DRY-UPTM Geo Channel at the bottom of the footing.
Use as a Floor Vapor Barrier or Underlayment
To get rid of cold and wet floors, use DRY-UPTM Dimple Board as a vapor barrier over concrete or under a subfloor. Before installing a Crawlspace Liner, the DRY-UPTM Dimple Board can be utilized as an underlayment in crawlspaces.
How can I recognize a cactus?
The physical characteristics of each cactus should be used as a starting point when distinguishing one from another. Some distinguishing physical characteristics to watch for are:
The Leaves
One essential aspect you may want to consider is the cactus plant’s leaves. Do your plants have any spines? You can determine this by examining their leaves. A leaf with spines will have needle-like, sharp edges, while a leaf without spines will have rounded edges. The color and shape of your cacti plant’s leaves can also provide useful information.
Chlorophyll and carotenoids, which are photosynthetic pigments, can be used to determine the color of leaves. Carotenoids give the plants their characteristic colors, whereas chlorophyll is in charge of receiving light energy from the sun and storing it as chemical energy.
Your cactus plant type may also be determined by the shape of the leaves. Succulent plants often have spines and needle-like leaves, whereas flat-leaved plants are typically stronger in nature since they can endure severe situations better. For instance, the leaves of a barrel cactus grow straight, whereas the leaves of a saguaro cactus are flat.
Similar to the shape and color, the different needle styles can also be used to identify the type of cacti you have, albeit the results are not always reliable. The more hardy and leafy kinds will typically have flat spines, whilst the more succulent and squishy forms would typically have needle-like spines.
How high can they grow?
When determining the type of cactus you have, you might also want to consider its height. Because plants that thrive at higher elevations typically have longer roots than those that do not, height and altitude can be utilized as a determining factor when choosing your plant type. The Saguaro Cactus, which may often reach heights of 50 feet, is the tallest of all succulents. Hedgehog and pereskia, on the other hand, are little kinds that rarely grow taller than six inches. You can tell what kind of cactus plant you have by just measuring the height of the plant.
Shape and coloration
When there are no spines or leaves to go by, a cactus’ shape and color can also be utilized to determine its type. Shape typically gives some hints about the plant’s requirements for the climate, which in turn may give more information about the nature of the plant.
Although there are so many different kinds of cactus that you can identify, you might not be able to do so just by looking at it because of its color. Another spiny variety may have a green-brown body, whereas a white-spined barrel cactus may have green. The dwarf saguaro’s yellowish hue stands out sharply from, for example, the brown spines on a barbed wire cactus.
As you can see, there are a lot of physical characteristics to watch out for that could reveal what species of cactus plant your plants are. One piece of advice is to explore further if you notice something peculiar or unusual about a particular species because it might be what you’ve been looking for.
How are its flowering style and pattern?
The way a plant blooms is another physical characteristic that will reveal whether it is a terrestrial or epiphytic plant. While terrestrial plants have roots and require direct connection to soil, epiphytes are plants that thrive in humid regions with little soil contact and depend on other plants for nutrition.
Another sign of a cactus’ kind is the way its flowers are arranged. The saguaro and barrel both feature radial patterns, while the hedgehog is another plant with radial patterns but more elongated ones. A species that forms columns, like the cardon, may have vertical stripes or zigzags with contrasting color patterns.
The most likely form of cactus you have is a cardon if it is columnar and has vertical stripes of contrasting colors. On the other hand, if your cactus has radial patterns and spines, it is probably either the barrel or saguaro type.
Although it’s not always reliable, the color of the flowers might also give you a hint about what kind of cactus your plant is. For instance, a hedgehog may have yellow blooms, or a kind of flower with a red top may be a cardon.
What about the seeds?
Depending on their environment, different cactus species generate different seeds. For instance, the Saguaro cactus produces smaller, fleshier seed pods, whereas the hedgehog produces much larger, spiky fruit. While the cardon is known to produce seeds that are round and glossy, some varieties, like the barrel cactus, will have a more oval or spherical appearance.
These various seed pod varieties can provide you hints about the kind of cactus you might grow in your garden. Perhaps after a lengthy development period, your plant that you’ve had for a while isn’t blossoming or generating any flowers? Even before planting, it may be quite beneficial to look at the seeds, since they might provide important details about the type of plant. If your cactus isn’t flowering or generating any flowers over a lengthy time of growth, it may not be blossoming due to its type or the climatic circumstances that type loves. Different cactus species generate different seed pods.
Which direction does the dimple board go?
DMX AGTM Foundation wall is now available. The wall is lined with raised dimples. One inch below the grade line, the flat tab is placed at the top. Install authorized washers and concrete nails.
What kind of sealant is ideal for basement walls?
While concrete may appear like an extraordinarily robust building material, it is naturally porous and prone to water absorption. Concrete has minute pores and hairline fissures all the way through it, starting at the surface. Concrete may appear to be strong enough on its own, but it is not as protected or strong as it can be. If a waterproofing concrete sealer is not applied, the foundation’s microscopic pores and slab’s pores can absorb water. One of a home’s most vulnerable spaces is the basement, which poses a serious risk of flooding, excessive mold and mildew growth, and radon gas entry if left untreated.
While very small amounts of moisture are not harmful, water that physically penetrates the concrete and drips through the walls will result in the growth of mold and mildew and moisture. Many times, basements will have seepage but not always full flooding. Seepage happens when water seeps into finished walls and carpets through the pores and capillary tracts of the concrete. Small basement foundation fissures or concrete blocks with a high porosity level frequently allow seepage.
Utilizing a basement waterproofing sealer is the best strategy to address and prevent water absorption. We must first evaluate the issue to determine the finest basement waterproofing sealer: Do you currently have water damage or active water seepage? If so, you must first complete a few tasks before you can start to consider sealing your concrete.
- What source does the water have? If a crack is allowing water to leak, you must first seal the crack. Is the crack vertical or horizontal? Is the leak coming from an expansion joint or a seam? Speak with a concrete crack repair kit expert or use a crack repair solution on your own to seal the crack.
- A calcium chloride test can be used to ascertain how much moisture is actually present in the concrete itself. A sealant can be selected and applied to guard the concrete against further water damage once the fractures have been repaired and the amount of moisture in your basement has been established.
- A moisture vapor barrier coating will be the optimum choice if the moisture content of the concrete, as measured by ASTM F1869, is greater than 3 pounds but less than 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet per day.
- Use a penetrating concrete sealer if the concrete’s moisture content is less than 4% as measured by a concrete moisture meter. Concrete basements can be effectively sealed with penetrating concrete sealers by doing so in advance.
It is preferable to conduct a calcium chloride test to evaluate a concrete slab’s moisture vapor emission rate (MVER) in order to ascertain how much moisture is present. A little amount of calcium chloride (salt) is positioned beneath plastic on a spotless piece of concrete to conduct the test. Over the course of around 72 hours, the calcium chloride (salt) absorbs the moisture from the concrete slab. The moisture vapor emission rate (MVER) is then computed based on the calcium chloride’s weight growth. It is advisable to employ a moisture vapor barrier coating if there is a significant amount of moisture in the concrete (above 3 lb according to a calcium chloride test). For around 18 USD, a calcium chloride test can be ordered directly from Amazon.com.
There are a few different approaches you can take when it comes to sealing a basement. You can engage a reputable basement waterproofing business to visit your residence, evaluate the damage, and charge you a colossal sum of money. Alternately, you might do it yourself using an industrial-grade waterproofing sealant that is simple to apply.
You should take advantage of the opportunity to seal your basement before winter for a few reasons. Melting, flooding, and an all-around rainy season are brought on by spring. Basements are vulnerable to flooding and water damage when the snow melts and the ground is damp.
Choosing a Treatment
Of course, preventing basement water issues is the simplest solution. You can prevent basement floors and walls from ever experiencing water seepage by using a concrete sealant in a preventive manner. Although it is preferable to apply a concrete sealer as soon as possible, you can do it at a later time as long as you thoroughly clean the slab and remove all paint before doing so.
The Lithi-Tek 4500 primer and Siloxa-Tek 8510 waterproofing sealer are the best concrete sealers to use when sealing basement flooring and foundation walls.
It is preferable to apply a moisture vapor barrier coating like the Vapor-Tek 440 if you want to put flooring in the basement.
Alternately, use the Lithi-Tek 9500 if your concrete has never experienced a moisture or dampness issue and you’re searching for a preventative, economical option.