Time to Head Indoors: Below-Grade Waterproofing During Cold Weather Months Provide Year-Round Benefits

There’s a time and a place for everything, even when it comes to making repairs and improvements to a building or structure. Sure, the occasional emergency may dictate the time and place but, if you have a say in the matter, there are ideal times to get things done. For example, foundation and crawl space work benefits from keeping an eye on the seasons.

While we still have a few weeks of summer to go, those within the water industry know it’s never too early to plan ahead, especially when the amount of work we encounter is likely to revolve around the weather.

In the fall and early winter months, there is often less water near the foundation while the temperature and humidity in crawl spaces tends to drop. Decreased water makes it easier to install drainage and encapsulation or pre-finishing materials, while lower temperatures mean the work to be done is more bearable. With a variety of waterproofing and encapsulation jobs in demand, you can rest easy knowing you have a wide selection of premium product solutions available at your disposal via our sub-brand, Emecole Metro.

Crawl Space Encapsulation

Figures vary depending on the source, but it’s safe to say that at least 50% of indoor air comes from the lowest level. If the basement or crawl space area takes on any water, it’s likely that mildew and/or mold will begin to form. The smell and airborne contaminants that come with that atmosphere will be carried into the rest of the home or building. Installing an encapsulation liner can help keep moisture, contaminants and odors away from your living area and helps keeps mildew from forming.

The thickness of an encapsulation liner may vary depending on the purpose of the crawl space or storage and the homeowner’s budget. Thicker liners offer much better protection. Think of the following comparison: Both a contractor-grade garbage bag and a plastic grocery bag are made to hold goods, but only one of the two will really hold up when demands increase. Emecole carries a variety of liners, Options of liner are 10 mil, 10-12 mil, 20-22 mil, 90 mil, and 180 mil for every situation.

All EmeSeal liners from Emecole Metro are manufactured to offer optimal protection from water, vapor, and soil gases but we do not typically recommend starting with our 20-22 mil. We recommend the 90 mil. White Liner for most projects. However, for basements or crawls that need a little something extra, our 90 mil material offers a permeance rating of only .001 and adding layer of drain fabric (felt) in damp conditions, with all liners can also help prevent the liner from sticking to the ground.

Foundation Drainage

Sometimes, a structure needs more than just encapsulation. In these situations, foundation drains help remove the extra water. Typically, most home or building owners don’t even consider such things until their foundation begins to leak significantly, but we’re now in an ideal period for installation in most of the US as this leaking is at a minimum.

Methods of drainage will vary depending on the amount of water and the style of the foundation (block vs. poured, monolithic vs. slab) but the idea is the same: install a drainage system around the perimeter to keep water out of the basement. In many cases, flooring is broken out approximately a foot and a half around the perimeter so gravel can be laid and a perforated pipe or Emecole Metro’s drain tile system put in place to drain the water into a pit for ejection.

Because all foundations vary slightly based not only on construction but on the water content in the surrounding land, we offer four options that can help prevent water buildup and dry out the space. A drainage system then creates the ideal environment for encapsulation to truly ensure that everything stays dry and the air in the building is as healthy as possible.

A New Place to Call Home

On the subject of a good time to work indoors, we’re excited to acknowledge that Emecole Metro is now fully settled in their brand-new facility! Located only a few blocks from their former location, the new property gives them room to grow, an ideal office setting to improve communication, and their very own dedicated training room for the trainings they provide to the contractor community. Emecole Metro also now have a larger warehouse space that will allow them to hold additional stock, meaning they can begin to offer faster service when you find yourself in a pinch.

While there’s still plenty of work to do in the great outdoors, we are excited for the continued growth and collaboration with Emecole Metro and their continued focus on the necessary water control work that’s needed from the indoors. With the support of Metropolitan Industries, Emecole Metro is ready to help contractors, from all job types and backgrounds, provide the best service to their end users.

The Emecole Metro team would love to provide you with more information on the indoor water control opportunities that are in need of servicing.

Begin by calling 815-372-2493 or visit the Emecole website to view their entire product line.