Is Waterproofing a Cottage Different Than Waterproofing a Basement?

It’s a place to get away from it all – relax, unwind and recharge. But, unless we take care of our cottages like we take care of our homes, problems will arise and, instead of relaxation, we have another stressful headache. Waterproofing your cottage is just as important as waterproofing your home – but it is not always the same process.

Cottages are often built on rock slopes to take advantage of nice views and the best location - but it is almost impossible to build a proper basement on these sites, so many cottages have a crawlspace instead. This is why waterproofing your cottage is different from waterproofing your home.

Crawlspaces with dirt floors can become damp more easily than a basement, particularly during rains and spring runoff. The extra moisture can cause two main problems. First, it makes it easier for mold, mildew and other fungi to grow and create an unhealthy environment throughout the cottage. Second, damage and rot to the structure (is your cottage made of wood?) and contents of your cottage can happen much faster.

For many years, the conventional wisdom was that the best way to combat moisture in crawlspaces was to create proper ventilation. The idea was that dry air would enter through one vent and the moist air would leave through another. We now know air does not always flow that way and it is more likely to go through the following process:

1) Air in a cottage is generally warmer than the air outside and it rises.
2) As the air inside rises, it draws air in from the outside.
3) Some of the outside air comes in through the vents in the crawlspace and pushes the crawlspace air up into the cottage.
4) As it enters the cottage, the air from the crawlspace brings with it the environment from your crawlspace, including, humidity, odour and unhealthy mold spores.

A crawl space fan can make the problem even worse as the air circulated by the fan will draw more moisture from the ground – and that moisture will end up in your cottage. In addition, vented crawlspaces make it more difficult to cool cottages in the summer and heat them in the winter.

So, what is the best way to keep the moisture in your crawlspace to an absolute minimum? Basically, you need to recreate the situation you have in your basement as closely as possible. In other words, seal off the crawlspace, both from outside air and from the ground below and stop water from entering.

Use vent covers to stop air entering from the outside and stop the crawlspace air from rising into the cottage.
Seal the crawlspace floor and walls with a proper vapour barrier
Condition the air in the crawlspace with a dehumidifier to get rid of any remaining humidity.

Take the same precautions you do with your house and make sure that rain and runoff are channeled away from the crawlspace
A controlled environment in your crawlspace will virtually eliminate the problems caused by a vented crawlspace.

Ahhh, a nice dry crawlspace, clean air in your cottage, no more moisture damage, cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Now that’s relaxing!