Your home is more vulnerable to water damage than you might initially assume. Whether you have a basement or a crawl space, moisture in these spaces can travel up and through the rest of your home, putting your structural supports at serious risk the longer you let a leak or busted pipe go unfixed.
That said, the process of waterproofing your home does not have to be difficult. You can always choose to reach out to one of the professionals serving the Grand Junction, CO, area to better conduct a home inspection. During an inspection, you’ll want to keep a wary eye out for any signs of damage. These can include:
- Bowing walls
- Sagging floors
- Sticking doors
- Foggy windows
- Unusually high levels of humidity throughout your home
- Standing water
If you notice any of the above in your home, you likely have a leak on your hands. You’ll need to patch that leak up before you can start installing any home waterproofing measures.
Once your repair is out of the way, you can discuss what waterproofing measures might suit you best with an available expert. Some of the methods most commonly used in modern homes include:
- Interior drainage systems
- Sump pumps
- Dehumidifiers
- Vapor barriers
Note that not all waterproofing measures are permanent. You’ll need to schedule annual inspections after their installation to make sure they’re working as effectively as possible.
The Dangers of DIY Home Waterproofing
Once you know what kind of waterproofing measure you want to invest in, why not try and install it on your own time? After all, DIY projects are lauded as the perfect ways to help you save money on home repairs.
Unfortunately, when it comes to home waterproofing, taking on the task of solution installation can cause more harm than good. Some of the most common problems homeowners can encounter when waterproofing their homes on their own include:
Budget Problems
Homeowners often underestimate just how expensive it can be to install home waterproofing measures on their own. For starters, most homeowners won’t have access to those waterproofing measures that might suit their homes best. Many contractors can strike deals with manufacturers to receive high-end waterproofing measures at a reduced price, whereas lone homeowners will have to shop for their preferred waterproofing measures on their own.
Similarly, there is always a chance that the waterproofing measure you want to invest in may require specialty tools to install. These one-time-use tools can be a pain in the neck to find, expensive to purchase, and even more difficult to get rid of.
Mistakes
It’s not just your initial purchases that might blow your home repair budget, though. If you make a mistake while installing a home waterproofing measure, you may further damage the structural supports that have already started to cave around your home. By installing a waterproofing measure over this kind of damage or improperly, you can obscure those symptoms that might otherwise give leaks and cracks in your home away. As such, those problems can get exponentially worse until you have no choice but to reach out to a professional for help.
Should you eventually reach out to a professional for guidance, the cost of home repairs could be more expensive than it would have been had you communicated with a contractor in the first place. That price rises because contractors will first have to remove your DIY home waterproofing solutions before they’re able to fix your leak or install more effective measures.
A Loss of Time
Finally, waterproofing your home on your own takes a lot of time. If you’re already going to and from work every day, the last thing you want to add to your plate is an unfinished waterproofing DIY project. Even if you’re just working inside of your home, you may find yourself contending with unfinished drywall, improperly installed vapor barriers, and long-lasting leaks for more time than is reasonable.
If you have to take your project outside, your timetable can expand beyond reason. For example, if you want to waterproof your foundation, you may have to do some excavation before you’re able to start working. If you try to take it on alone, with or without special tools, you may find yourself contending with that workload for weeks or months to come.
Working with Professionals to Protect Your Home
When in doubt, there’s no harm in reaching out to the professionals in your area to determine how best you can waterproof your home. With an expert from Foundation Repair of Western Colorado by your side, you can assess your home during a free inspection and review a free repair quote on those services you might need to determine what you can afford and what your home might benefit from.
