Everyone is familiar with the concept of waterproofing. With waterproofing you take something that would normally allow water to pass through it, and you change it in such a way that water can no longer come through.

Some things you might waterproof are tents, shoes, a coat, or a basement.

In some of these cases, it is not necessary to keep out all of the water. For instance, while a coat may be considered waterproof, it can still allow through a tiny amount of water or moisture an still be effective in doing the job it was supposed to do.

This is true in some basements and exteriors as well. Some homeowners are okay if there is some moisture getting through their basement walls through cracks or weak seals on casement windows.

But not every application allows for this sort of leakage. Sometimes you need your basement completely damp proof.

When do you need damp proof products?

In construction terms a century ago, a little water was an accepted part of a major project. Even the basement of a house would be constructed so that dampness was allowed, as long as it was not wet or flowing water that could ultimately do damage to the foundation.

Today, we know more about construction and how to keep a house – and its occupants – happy and healthy. This means dampproofing a basement.

Dampproofing, or damp proofing, means keeping out all unwanted moisture. Doing this in a housing or industrial building situation can add years to the duration of the building, and it can keep your house healthier.

How does damp proofing protect your home?

Water has a corrosive effect on pretty much material used in construction. Wood, most metals, drywall, and even some foam products degrade when exposed to water over time.

We know that even small amounts of water, what someone might describe as “damp” instead of “wet,” can slowly work away by rusting or weakening the structure of your home.

When those construction pieces bear weight and shifts over time, it is important that they work as they were designed. Even small weaknesses caused by water can threaten the whole structure.

Also, it doesn’t take much water to invite the accumulation of mold. Mold spores will penetrate every structure and land where they can find moisture.

In order to keep your air, your building, and its occupants healthy, you need to keep out as much water as you possibly can. This means going beyond waterproofing and adopting an approach called dampproofing.

Mar-Flex offers a wide range of materials to damp proof your structure.