Basement Waterproofing in NJ: Your Waterproofing Options

New Jersey basements are humid, especially in coastal areas. The entire state is affected by being so close to the Atlantic. Southern New Jersey is actually classified as a humid subtropical climate. The summer months of July and August are the worst, and this is when New Jersey basements suffer their most serious moisture problems.

Seal It Up and Shut Out Moisture

When it comes to waterproofing, you've got two options, each of which has its pros and cons. You can seal up your basement and protect it from moisture either internally or externally.

Interior waterproofing means attaching sealers to the wall and floor inside your basement. Usually, this sealing agent is something like epoxy or urethane, which is injected into the cracks where water seeps in. It hardens and keeps the water out. Interior sealers last a long time and are sometimes permanent. This method is not as effective as external waterproofing, but it's much easier and less expensive if the house is already built.

The exterior solution is a waterproof coating and drainage system that prevents moisture from entering and leads it away from the house

Exterior waterproofing is best done when a house is being built because afterward, it's a pretty big, costly operation. However, exterior sealing prevents the water from getting into your foundation completely, which means it's better at protecting your home. Recently, waterproofing companies use polymer-based products that are flexible and actually stretch to cover any new cracks that open up.

Drain the Water Away

There's another solution which isn't actually 'waterproofing' since it doesn't prevent water from coming in, but can get you essentially the same results. This solution is to run a dehumidifier in the basement to remove moisture from the air.

New Jersey is a tough climate on houses but there are things you can do to keep moisture levels down

Basement waterproofing in NJ is a requirement for any house in the state. Remove any shrubbery right around the foundation of your home because this is also a cause of water seepage.