Basement waterproofing in Altoona
Help for the railroad city's older houses, steep side streets and tightly packed blocks.
Altoona had 43,963 residents at the 2020 census. The Pennsylvania Railroad founded it in 1849 as a shop and maintenance town for trains crossing the Allegheny Front, and the city grew up house by house along the valley and onto the hillsides around it. That history shows up in the basements.
What makes city basements different?
Many city homes are old, often with stone, brick or block foundations, low ceilings and basements that were dug for coal bins and furnaces rather than living space. Houses sit close together, often with a narrow walkway between them and a porch or sidewalk out front, which limits where anyone can dig. On the hilly streets, the uphill wall usually gets the worst of the runoff.
Common jobs in the city
- Interior drains in basements where outside digging isn't possible
- Repointing and sealing old stone and brick foundation walls
- Replacing worn-out sump pumps and adding battery backups
- Rerouting downspouts and correcting grading on small lots
Permits in the city
The City of Altoona Codes and Inspections Department lists repairing a foundation as work that needs a building permit, and its plumbing and electrical permits cover the trades. Ask your contractor whether your waterproofing job needs one and who will apply for it.
Common questions
Do I need a permit for basement waterproofing in Altoona?
Foundation repairs need a city building permit, and plumbing or electrical work has its own permits. Ask the company, or call the City of Altoona Codes and Inspections Department, before the work starts.
Can an old stone basement in Altoona be made dry?
Often it can be made much drier with drainage, repointing, a wall membrane and dehumidification. Whether it can be made fully dry depends on the walls and the lot.
Services in Altoona
- Interior drainage systemsA perimeter drain under the basement floor that catches seepage and carries it to a sump pump.
- Sump pumpsNew pumps, replacements, battery backups and discharge lines that send water well away from the house.
- Wall crack repairSealing leaking cracks in poured walls and repairing mortar joints and cracks in block or stone foundations.
- Exterior waterproofingExcavating to the footing, sealing the outside of the wall and adding footer drains so water never reaches the basement.
- Basement dehumidifiersSized, drained dehumidifiers and moisture control for basements that are damp, musty or prone to mold.
Nearby areas
Puddles by the wall, a damp smell, or a pump that won't stop?
Call and a Blair County waterproofing company will come take a look.