Waterproofing your basement might not be the best option for you. In fact, it could be in your best interest to actually promote flooding and access moisture to your underground space.
While waterproofing your basement may seem like a no-brainer of a good idea,
there are several perks to avoiding such a seemingly helpful service. Especially if you’re planning to store expensive items in your underground storage area or finish it in order to add to your home’s living space, you may be tempted to secure an effective drainage system, complete with a quality sump pump, and well-sealed walls. Before you take steps toward such waterproofing, though, you may want to consider whether you’re a candidate for failing to secure your basement from access moisture. If you fit into one of the following two categories, waterproofing might not be the best option for you.
1. You like to go shopping and redecorate often.
While some people might be devastated when they notice bleach marks on their favorite shirt or cracks in their most used mixing bowl, others get excited. Why? Well, if you’re one of those people, you know why: They get to go shopping! The thrill over getting something new can even outweigh the frustration over an additional expense, for these people.
If you’re one of them, you understand. As far as your basement is concerned, as long as you make sure you have flood insurance, having your basement flood can give you reasons to hope and pray for more rainy days. And the more furniture and other décor items on the floor of your underground gallery, the more you’ll get to shop for! So that new couch you’ve been wanting? Go ahead, pray for rain. And don’t forget to not go shopping for a sump pump.
2. You’ve always wanted to experience a tropical rainforest climate.
Rumor has it that the Fountain of Youth is located somewhere in Florida, which may or may not explain the droves of folks who retire to Floridian communities each year. While the moist heat may not appeal to some, it clearly does seem attractive to the many people to wait their entire lives to drip with sweat under the glaring Florida sun.
Perhaps even that kind of humidity is too dry for your style. Even amid cooler temps, you ache for dampness, moisture, wetland-style humidity that takes your breath away. Well, if that’s you, then, by all means, do not consider waterproofing anything! What’s more, you may want to make sure to have carpet (complete with a thick pad) installed in your basement area. The more fibers you have to trap the moisture, the more dampness you’ll promote. Clearly, a dehumidifier would be counter-productive, as would proper drainage, if a rain forest environment is your goal.
If either of those categories describes you, you will want to take certain precautions such as flood insurance and careful storage of irreplaceable valuables. For instance, shelving units or pallets are a must, to keep anything you don’t want to buy again, off the ground. And you need to store any photographs or important papers (like your homeowner’s insurance policy, showing that you have your flood insurance) in airtight containers.
If, by chance, you’re not a shopaholic or a tropical-type, you may want to consider waterproofing after all.
