The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-09-06
WET CELLAR IS
REPAIRED
EASILY
Varied Methods of Water
proofing Possible to Keep
= Out Excess Dampness


The subject Of interpreting
is one which although of real in
terest to only those who are ac-
tually confronted with problems
requiring interpreting treatment,
is Of potential interest to every
one who has to do with the con-
struction of buildings or the build
ing of foundations.
There is practically no section of
the country which is habitable that
one can be perfectly sure of having
a dry cellar. and there are many
places that are apparently dry
which develop trouble with the cellar
during or after construction.
Varied Methods.
Methods OF waterproofing seem TO
vary so much among builders that
one Is left rather in the dark as to
which Is the best method, because
one man tells you one thing while
the second man condemns what the
Ilrst told you. Perhaps there is no
pest way, each lnethod having its
particular field Of usefulness and
being especially adaptable to some
certain set of conditions.
one builder will tell YOU that the
only way to really WATERPROOF
celiar is to apply the mixture, what.
ever 1t may be, to the outside of the
wall OF the cellar. He will probably
ten you that nothing applied on the
INSIDE OF the wall will hold against
the water pressure on the outside
ana tnat the surest method is the
best in the long run.
Inc next man will tell you that
the inside q the wall is the prouer
pace TO apply the coating. In
sunstantlat1on OF his views ne offers
instances of personal knowledge of
Waterproofing jobs in which outside
applications failed, and other in.
stances in which inside iobs wera
successful.
OiEMixed Concrete.
The third man tells you that no
coating process will really do the
work ana that you are wasting
I ~ 70 Follow the advice of either
" the other two. In his opinion.
tnere is no remedy for wet condi.
tons other than ofr.rnixed corcrata
He offers instances where oI,ts;G.,
application failed when cracks do.
veloped in the coating and tho ioh
had to be practically done over ~
order to locate all the cracks which
OF course, were below the surface
OF the ground. He offers another
case where failure occurred viii
inside application where cracks 90
Cured due either to water nressnre
walls. '''lOil
Then you have a kind OF a sneak.
ing idea that it might be hest to
wait until dry time and try to
sell quickly at an attractive price
ana try another house, picking ont
ury location. People do these
tnlnss, you reason, and besides n
wouldn't be stretching the ethical
cUoe very much to sort Of forget
al ABOUT the pond downstairs.
would, on the contrary. i'm.
ooupteqly be highly honorable to
suggest that the cellar was slightly
camp In especially wet weather. If
there was no fire in the furnace.
But after a lot Of thought it oc-
ours to you that, after all. modern
science has developed airplanes am.
tomob1les and radio and other won.
derrul inventions, and there ought
10 De some way of keeping a little
water from flow Gg into a cellar
not more than few feet below the
ground. And there is.
Inside and Out.
Waterproofing inside the wall is
good. So is interpreting outside,
Both have fields IF application and
III some cases both are used on the
same wall. There is a large huild.
ing IN New York city, constructed
within the last year, which has
both coatings. Rarely are both
coatings needed III ordinary house
construction. Oil mixed concrafe
may be used in The construction of
the walls. provided that sufficient
extra thickness is allowed to COM
pensate for the lower crushing
strength resulting from the mixture
with oil in5tead of wafer. How.
ever, il the wall is built, ana then
develops water trouble, .his method
is Impossible AMI either OF Tho
other two must oe relied upon for
relief.
For foundations whera there is
a high head OF water. that is
where the excavation Is carried "a
a considerable depth, il may he
necessary to use the wateroroofinp
on the outside. FOR ordinary house
foundations. the cellar floo.. is
usually within six feet of the grade
level which gives, under the worst
conditions, head of less than six
feet. Assuming en- average head
of four feet, the naximum water
pressure developed would be about
two pounds per square inch. For
such low heads, the waLerproofing
may, be applied to- the inside with