Unfortunately, your home is always likely to come under threat of a variety of natural problems and external concerns. One of the biggest problems you’re likely to come across, in fact, is damp and mould. No matter how much you take care of condensation throughout the year, there may still be a chance that your home is going to come under threat of damp conditions in time to come. If you have a basement or cellar, you’re certainly going to want to damp proof it if you stand any chance of fighting back against the threat of damp and mould.
But exactly how does damp proofing a cellar work? Cellar damp proofing is something that many homes have to go through to ensure that they don’t experience ongoing issues with wall rot and mould. At LABS, we are always ready to help support you when it comes to cellar damp proofing. While it is certainly possible to try and damp proof a cellar or basement on your own, it’s never advisable – why not rely on local experts to help take care of the nitty gritty for you?
Cellar Damp Proofing Basics
Essentially, what you are going to need to do is try and prevent water from entering your home at all costs. Your cellar or basement, as it is at the very bottom of your building and foundations, is always likely to be at risk of water ingress.
The best way to start looking onto cellar damp proofing is to focus on the outside. Of course, there is work to be done inside and out – however, to be able to understand how water could enter your property, we advise running a complete audit of the outside of your property to check for any signs of potential ingress.
A damp proofing expert will be able to take a look at sealing your exterior walls for you. In many cases, this will require installing a waterproof membrane, of sorts, to ensure that your basement is not letting in any water, or moisture from soil outside. However, it’s also important to understand that waterproofing is not necessarily the same as damp proofing in practice.
Membranes and Pumps
In the vast majority of cases, regardless of what you may be using a basement or cellar for, a simple membrane should be applied to prevent water pressure from causing serious damage to your home. This membrane is installed with a gap of air, too, to allow for breathability and to reduce pressure along the way.
Of course, when damp proofing a cellar or basement, you must also think carefully about how you are going to drain excess water away. Crucially, in case of high waterlogging, you are going to need to have a pump in place which will work to reduce water levels for you in case of heavy weather or soil moisture.
A sump pump is normally recommended for installation in case there are occasions where water starts to build up in your cellar. This can be easily connected to your electrical power, meaning that you can rely on our team to do all the complex installation for you.
You can also cement your basement to make it waterproof. However, this may not always be an efficient option in all cases. Therefore, do make a point of reaching out to LABS to learn more about what will work best for you.
What is the Average Cellar Damp Proofing Cost?
The cost of cellar damp proofing, as you may imagine, can differ from case to case. This is because the size of your cellar, and the job required, may need additional support and tools. Therefore, when you reach out to LABS, we will be sure to let you know of a fair and competitive rate for damp proofing before we go ahead and start any work for you.
Damp proofing a cellar takes time, effort, and an expert hand. It is never advisable to try and tackle the procedure on your own. Paying for experts to audit, consult and proof your cellar or basement for you will be a worthwhile investment. This will especially be the case if you know your home is particularly at risk of flooding.
The average ballpark for our conversions is as follows:
Circa £8k – £12k Storage conversion
Circa £12k – £15k Storage+ conversion
Circa £18k – £25k habitable basement
Want to know more about damp proofing a cellar? Not sure what the process entails, or how much it is likely to cost you? Be sure to get in touch with our team of experts now on 0114 230 2865 and we will happily break it all down for you.