Johnstown Basement Waterproofing Guide (2026)

Updated October 23, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Rules change, so confirm with the agency listed before you start work.

Quick reference

Topic	What to know	Source
Contractor registration	Required if a contractor does $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year	PA Office of Attorney General
Liability insurance	At least $50,000 personal injury and $50,000 property damage	PA Office of Attorney General
Written contract	Required for home improvement jobs over $500	PA Office of Attorney General
Right to cancel	Three business days after signing	PA Office of Attorney General
City of Johnstown permits	Needed for all repairs, renovations, remodels and new construction except painting and flooring	City of Johnstown
Before digging	Call 811 at least three business days ahead	PA Public Utility Commission
Mine subsidence	Usually not covered by homeowners insurance; separate state coverage available	PA DEP
Indoor humidity	Below 60%, ideally 30% to 50%	U.S. EPA

What makes the Johnstown area wet?

Johnstown sits at about 1,161 feet where the Stonycreek and Little Conemaugh rivers meet to form the Conemaugh River, in a valley walled by steep hills. A 1985 Pittsburgh Geological Society field guide describes the Conemaugh Gorge downstream of the city as having about 1,400 feet of relief, the greatest local relief in Pennsylvania. The same guide describes the bedrock as the Conemaugh Group (sandstone, siltstone and shale with thin coal beds) and the Allegheny Group (shale, siltstone and fine sandstone with workable coal seams). Shale-heavy ground drains slowly, so water lingers against foundations after rain. The 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Cambria County airport put average yearly precipitation at about 41 inches, with June the wettest month at about 4.4 inches.

What does the flood history tell a homeowner?

The National Park Service records that the South Fork Dam broke on May 31, 1889, and the flood that followed down the Conemaugh Valley killed 2,209 people. After the March 1936 flood, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began a project in 1938 that reshaped about 9.2 miles of river channel through the city. On July 19, 1977, the National Weather Service says 10 to 12 inches of rain fell over the southern half of Cambria County, the Laurel Run Dam and several smaller dams failed, and 78 people died. Basement waterproofing can't protect against that kind of surface flooding. What it can do is manage the groundwater and seepage that come with a wet climate in a steep valley. If your home has flooded from the surface before, talk to your insurer about flood coverage separately.

Could old mines affect my foundation?

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection says millions of structures in the state sit over abandoned coal and clay mines, and that damage from mine subsidence is usually not covered by a homeowners policy. DEP offers Mine Subsidence Insurance, with coverage from $5,000 to $1,000,000. Its list of possible subsidence damage includes foundation cracks, cracked concrete floors, unlevel windows, porch columns pulling away, and depressions or cracks in the yard or driveway. DEP also notes that settling, frost, erosion and poor construction can cause similar damage. You can look up your address on DEP's online mine subsidence risk map. If your basement cracks keep widening, have the cause checked before paying to seal them.

What does Pennsylvania require of waterproofing contractors?

Waterproofing counts as home improvement, so the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act applies. According to the Office of Attorney General:

Contractors doing $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year must register with the Attorney General, and the registration is renewed every two years.
The PA registration number must appear on contracts, estimates, proposals and advertisements.
Registration requires at least $50,000 of personal injury liability and $50,000 of property damage coverage.
Contracts over $500 must be in writing, signed by both sides, and include the price, start and finish dates, a description of the work and the homeowner's right to cancel.
The homeowner can cancel within three business days of signing.
The law limits down payments on jobs priced over $5,000.

The Attorney General's website has a contractor search. Registration isn't a quality guarantee, so also ask for references and a detailed written scope.

Who issues permits around Johnstown?

It depends on your municipality:

City of Johnstown. Building permits are required for all repairs, renovations, remodels and new construction except painting and flooring. The city is a member of the Laurel Municipal Inspection Agency, which provides building code services.
Richland Township. The township administers the Uniform Construction Code through its codes enforcement officer, and its amendments add permit requirements for residential gutter and siding replacement.
Westmont Borough. The borough has adopted the Uniform Construction Code; permits are valid for one year and lapse if work doesn't start within 90 days.
Upper Yoder Township. Residents are asked to contact the township's building code official before any construction or building changes; the township works with the Cambria-Somerset Council of Governments.

Other boroughs and townships set their own procedures, so call yours. The contract should say whether a permit is needed and who gets it.

What about digging outside the house?

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission says homeowners and contractors must call 811 at least three business days before digging. PA One Call then notifies utilities to mark their lines. That includes trenching for a foundation membrane, a new footer drain, or a buried line for downspouts or a sump discharge.

How dry should the basement be?

The U.S. EPA recommends indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally 30 to 50 percent, and says wet materials dried within 24 to 48 hours usually won't grow mold. The agency also advises grading soil so it falls away from the foundation and keeping roof gutters clean and in repair. Both cost far less than any drainage system, so start there.

Questions to ask before you hire

What's your PA home improvement registration number?
Where exactly is the water getting in, and how does your plan address it?
Could these cracks be from settlement or mine subsidence rather than shrinkage?
Does my municipality require a permit, and will you get it?
Where will the drain and pump water go?
What does the warranty cover, for how long, and does it transfer?

Common questions

Do waterproofing contractors have to register in Pennsylvania?

Yes, if they do $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year. They register with the Office of Attorney General and must show their PA registration number on contracts, estimates and ads.

Does homeowners insurance cover mine subsidence damage?

Usually not, according to the Pennsylvania DEP. DEP sells separate Mine Subsidence Insurance and has an online map for checking whether a property is over mined ground.

Do I need a permit for basement waterproofing in Johnstown?

In the city, building permits are required for all repairs and renovations except painting and flooring. Outside the city, ask your borough or township.

Johnstown basement waterproofing guide (2026)