Water in the basement can lead to mold, musty smells, damaged walls and floors, and ruined furniture and belongings. It’s necessary to remove water, fix underlying cellar water problems, and do something to keep your basement dry.
Condensation, wet basement walls, musty smells? Is some of this sounding familiar? If it does, you may have water in your cellar.
Water in your basement can result in damaged walls, floors, destroyed carpets, ruined furniture, and even mold buildup.
Now you’re probably wondering if it’s safe to leave things in your basement or should you move them upstairs?
Read on to learn seven reasons why you might have water in the basement and how you can solve the problem and stop it from happening again!
Warning Signs of Water in the Basement
To begin, in order to make certain that there is water in your basement, you must be able to identify the indicators. These signs are not as evident as seeing a puddle on to the floor.
Here’s a set of other ways in which water in the basement occurs:
Saturated base of concrete walls (a ring of dampness)
Condensation on the walls and floor
Water trickling out of the walls
The odor of mold or mildew
Stained or blistering walls
Standing water on the floor
Deteriorating carpet or wood
Found one or more of these signs? Well, you’ve got water in the basement. Let’s find its source.
Steps to take now if your basement is wet:
Priority #1: Stay safe. Standing in water while handling any electrical device can cause shock or electrocution. If you must drop into a flooded basement, wear rubber boots and ensure you can stay dry. Don’t touch wet electrical wires or devices.
Try to determine the source of the water. Is your basement normal water problem a one-time event or have you got a steady problem? If the problem is water seepage, it’s susceptible to keep happening if not managed. If the drinking water is from a plumbing leak, contact a skilled plumber for help.
Have standing water pumped out as soon as possible. If your basement is merely partially flooded, you can suck up standing up water using a wet-dry vacuum. Otherwise, you’ll need to contact a plumber or a disaster mitigation specialist to pump water out. After pumping the cellar, it can be necessary to operate a dehumidifier to help dry the area.
Remove materials and items that might attract mold. Some materials like paper, fabric, wood and leather will attract basement mildew if indeed they remain wet for more than a day or two. Dry out and save what you can; discard all others if possible.
Now that you know that finding the source of water is important you are now ready to get into the heart of the matter. Let’s check out seven reasons there may be water in your basement.
An Interior Water Leak
When trying to identify the source of water in your basement, commence by checking for inside leaks. Showers, sinks, toilets and bad pipes are all places that can cause leakages. Always find where the normal water is and look for any leaks for the reason that area.
Fixing a leak is relatively easy. You are able to do it yourself or contact a plumber. Once the leak is fixed, water in your basement will be gone for good.
Ineffective Grading
It is important for the ground around your foundation to slope from your house if it is in the wrong direction because water will accumulate. After accumulating against the building blocks, water will slowly but surely make its way into the basement. click here for more details
To fix this, build up the dirt around the building blocks to produce a slope going away from your house.
Missing or Defective Gutters and Downspouts
Missing or defective gutters and downspouts will lead to rainwater being directed towards your house’s foundation. This water will eventually accumulate and get inside the basement.
The solution is to clean all gutters regularly. Also, place extenders on all downspouts to disperse water at least 4 feet away from your foundation.
A Cracked Foundation
Water will seep through any cracks in your foundation. Sometimes, it even causes more cracks. Too little properly connected joists and poor soil drainage also creates cracks.
You should know that solutions will vary in line with the cause of the cracks. However, for cracks caused by structural problems, proper footing and connections should be used to seal the gap.
Poor Drain Tile and Sump Pit
Truth be told many homes lack subsurface drainage. In older homes, basements weren’t built with any under the floor drainage system. Even if modern homes have one, they often experience several problems with it.
Building or even fixing a subsurface drainage system is a complex task. Hence, it is advisable to call in the professionals.
Condensation
When warm, moist air hits your cool basement walls and floor, condensation may happen. However, this is one of the simpler basement moisture problems to resolve.
If there is a bathroom or kitchen in your basement then use an exhaust fan. Whenever you are taking a shower or cooking turn on the fan to avoid moisture build-up.
Eliminating junk and adding air-conditioning vents are also effective ways to distribute both the moisture and air in your basement properly. Covering areas where condensation normally accumulates with insulation will also prevent this issue.
Window Wells
Sometimes window wells will have leaks that cause moisture to build up in your basement. To repair a leak from a screen well, simply check if there is a drain outside.
If there is, cleaning it or replacing it will stop the leak. If there is no drain, then go ahead and install someone to curb the issue.
Things of the Past
Gone are the days when you had to hurry to preserve those treasured antiques, family heirlooms or that photography album with all the current family memories, by carrying them upstairs to safety, because there was water in the basement. There are now several ways professionals can curb this matter.
Having water in your basement make a difference your well being due to toxic molds. It can also cause serious structural harm to your home and devalue your home. This devaluation will make it harder to market it should you put it on the market.
If you have water in your basement, act now. The longer the challenge remains unattended to, the larger and much more expensive it will be to repair it.
However, the tips presented here provide a sure way to not only fix the condition but prevent it from reoccurring, saving you time, money and reducing stress.