subject: Preventive Measures For A Wet Basement [print this page] A wet basement is a common problem inside the house. Most of the homeowners face this problem every year. There could be different types of problem in the basement like dampness or flooding. In chronic basement, the leakage could cause many serious problems like destruction of personal property, furnishings, appliances and could also cause permanent structural damage to a homes foundation. Presence of moisture also gives rise to wood-eating insects, wood rot and decay. In below mentioned paragraphs we will talk about the causes and some ways of preventing wet basement.
One common cause of basement leakage is improper surface drainage, such as a yard sloped toward the home. In many cases, the problem can be solved by re-grading the yard to slope away from the homes foundation or diverting surface water around the house.
Poorly positioned rain gutter downspouts, missing, leaking or clogged rain gutters also causes wet basements.
Prevention is always the first and best approach. Therefore, you should try to prevent the problem in best possible way. Look closely at the grading around your property and make sure your rain gutters are in good working order.
Downspouts should direct water runoff from the roof to a discharge point at least several feet away from the homes foundation. Use a splash block at the end of your downspout to avoid soil erosion.
Buy a good dehumidifier to lower the natural humidity level in your basement. Make sure your dehumidifier is the proper size for your basement. Ask for a drain hose attachment so you don't have to empty the water collected every day. Keep the doors and windows to your basement closed, year round. Opened doors and windows allow extra humidity to enter your basement, causing condensation.
To remove little humidity from the wall surface or floor, waterproof paints and sealers can be quite effective, but do prepare the solution according to the manufacturer's instructions.
In case the problem is not solved then you can contact a professional basement waterproofing contractor. But properly verify all the details about the contractor before hiring him like his company details, certificate of insurance and also check his experience to check the types of projects handled by him in past. A good contractor can easily solve your problem.
