Most people don’t even know how waterproofing works, that is, until they need it done to their basements. When you discover leakage in your basement, all that matters is that it gets fixed, and fixed fast. You want to prevent it from happening again. But what about the results that the waterproofing system can cause, or the side effects? Charles Pellaton owns Quality Dry Basements in Connecticut, and he is an expert in basement waterproofing. His company is one of the only companies in the area that offers “gravelless waterproofing.”
The most common form of waterproofing basements was this: Contractors would come in and actually dig a trench to hollow out some of the solid fill around the inside perimeter. This leaves the foundation bare, and then the concrete and earth fill is removed. This trench then relieves the perimeter of pressure, called hydrostatic pressure, from the basement floor. Then the contractors placed a perforated tile in the trench and surround it with river gravel, the substance that has covered the floor of rivers for centuries. The theory is that if this gravel can hold strong against a river, it can hold strong against the water in the ground under your home. And that theory is true. So, this water can now move horizontally around the bottom of the home, and is absorbed and warded off by the river gravel. The gravel isn’t washed or treated after being extracted from the river, as its effectiveness is believed to be maintained by leaving it as is.
So, what’s the problem? Well, you’re taking gravel from the bottom of a river and putting it under your home. There might be bacteria or other substances still within that gravel, and now that’s under the floor. Then, you have to consider the fact that this gravel doesn’t really ever completely dry off. So, now you have a hotbed for mold under your basement floor, and that’s exactly what happens. Maybe water isn’t popping up in your basement, so that’s one problem solved. But now you have a basement full of mold and mildew. Mold ruins the quality of the basement and can even be dangerous.
That’s why companies like Quality Dry Basements are switching to a method that does not use river gravel, or gravelless basement waterproofing. This system was created by Hydra Stone GL Basement Systems. This system instead involves drilling holes into the floor along the perimeter and inserting this Hydra stone, which is actually hollow and allows the water to flow through horizontally. So, the water flows through this hollow stone and keeps moving, never allowed to enter the walls or floor. This is opposed the water flowing through the trenches and being absorbed by the gravel. The Hydra stone prevents the chance of mold and mildew. While the process of removing the solid fill to reveal the foundation is essentially the same, as this is the way to protect a basement floor and still conceal that protection, the actual substance being filled in makes all the difference: mold versus no mold.
You can be confident in basement contractors that use this system. They are really on the cutting edge of the waterproofing industry, and know the best, most efficient way to waterproof your basement and keep it that way. The Hydra stone is even cheaper than the river gravel. The contractors will completely drain and dry out the basement floor, trench everything out, and fill that with the cheaper Hydra stone. This system is the new most preventative option out there and it will last the longest with no mold. It is so important to find a contractor who offers this system. Filling trenches with river gravel is just a step backward now, and there’s no need to have that gravel under your floors when there is a better option out there.
