The winter is a time when many homeowners unexpectedly find that they need the help of a waterproofing contractor. With Toronto’s fluctuating temperatures, an unsealed basement can be flooded many times over the course of the winter months.

Basement leaks are an especially critical problem in the winter when the water leaking into your foundation cracks can freeze, increasing damage by widening the cracks. Of course, prevention is the best solution to this problem. It’s best to get your basement inspected and waterproofed as soon as possible unless you’re sure a waterproofing contractor has already done work on it.

As a homeowner, you are probably concerned about your budget as much as your home. You should keep in mind that taking care of your home is a way to invest in its long term value. Still, some questions may be on your mind:  Is waterproofing work harder in the winter? Will it be more expensive, and is it as effective? Here are a few things you should know about winter’s effect on the waterproofing process.

1. Frozen Soil

Pretty much any basement waterproofing project will require some digging around the foundations of your home. Your waterproofing contractor will need access to your basement’s exterior walls to check for leaks and fulfill other tasks.

Why is this a problem? Well, frozen ground is tough to dig through. If not worked correctly, the hard-frozen ground can even damage digging equipment. Depending on the situation, a cold spell can lead to a more difficult waterproofing operation.

Frozen soil can be overcome with proper technique and equipment. Basement waterproofing is never a DIY operation, but especially not if you’re working in an un-ideal time like the winter months. When it’s cold, you need the help of a waterproofing contractor.

2. Preventing Frost from Creeping In

As we mentioned earlier, your waterproofing contractor needs to get at the footings of your home’s walls. This involves digging out the soil around your home to leave the wall exposed for inspection.

This process works fine when the wall is left exposed to cold weather, there is a chance that frost can work its way into the cracks in your walls, causing structural damage by forcing cracks wider. It’s the contractor’s responsibility to protect your wall and make sure this doesn’t happen.

3. A Tricky Cleanup Process

Cold complicates the cleanup process for a waterproofing operation. Snow can get mixed into the soil, making it difficult to replace the soil around your home’s walls.

Though your home will be able to handle the water coming from unexpected snow melt in the soil, snow in the soil can lead to the ground around your home being soft, and even falling hazards.

Choose NTL Contracting for Experienced Waterproofing Experts

If you’re looking for a way to make sure your basement stays dry and usable all year round, the best solution is a waterproofing contractor. At NTL Contracting, we’ve been serving Toronto and the GTA with top-notch workmanship in waterproofing, underpinning, and demolition for over 25 years. With full insurance covering all of our labor, we are confident we can bring you the results you’re looking for your home improvement project.

Our business is fully Canadian-owned and operated. We offer free quotes, so why not contact us today to learn more for free?

  • The cold weather can make waterproofing operations more difficult
  • An experienced waterproofing contractor should be able to handle all types of weather.
  • NTL Contracting is the waterproofing business to go to when you want reliable and fairly-priced work done on your home.