Basement Waterproofing Services in Philadelphia, PA
Homeowners in Philadelphia, PA tend to ask about five kinds of basement work, and this page lays them side by side. Whichever fits, your request goes to one independent local contractor, who visits and puts a price in writing. The referral itself is free, and this site never does the work.
All Basement Services
Full basement waterproofing is a whole-basement system, usually an interior drain along the footing that empties into a sump. An exterior membrane means digging along the outside of the wall, which is rarely possible on a rowhouse with party walls on both sides and no side yard. Rubble stone, brick, block and poured concrete each call for different methods.
Basement leak repair tracks down a single entry point, such as the front vault, a party-wall seam, a window or a pipe opening. It also explains how ordinary seepage differs from a combined-sewer backup.
Foundation crack repair compares injection for poured concrete with repointing for stone and brick, and flags which cracks or bulges deserve a prompt look.
Sump pump installation explains pits, pumps, check valves, battery backups and alarms, plus the right place to send discharge water. Anything connected to the house drain needs a master plumber and a permit.
Basement drainage deals with water before it reaches the wall: gutters, downspouts, grading and interior drain tile, along with the backwater valves a combined-sewer city brings up.
From Symptom to Service
You don't have to name the problem yourself. Find the line that sounds most like your basement; the contractor works out the rest in person.
- Damp along more than one wall after storms. Begin with full waterproofing, then read the drainage page.
- The same wet spot, time after time. Leak repair is usually the right starting point.
- Crumbling mortar in a stone wall. The crack repair page explains repointing and why old stone is worth checking once a year.
- A pump that won't stop, or won't start. The sump pump page describes what a replacement involves.
- Puddles along the outside wall. Fixing gutters, downspouts or the slope of the ground, all covered on the drainage page, may be all it takes.
- Water rising from a floor drain. Treat it as a likely sewer backup: in Philadelphia, contact PWD's 24/7 Water Emergency Hotline at (215) 685-6300; in a township, reach your township or sewer authority.
Next Step: An Estimate
Fill in the short form when you're ready. One independent contractor will set up a visit and leave you with a written estimate to think over. Contractors may pay to advertise here, while asking stays free and no homeowner is handed anything for it.