The basement waterproofing process is something you really need to put high on your list of home improvement priorities. If you’re looking for a great method of managing your basement concerns, waterproofing is something you should seriously consider. Here’s what you need to know about the waterproofing process.
What Are the Most Common Basement Waterproofing Problem Signs?
Problem Signs
There are many problems you can experience that will indicate a need for basement waterproofing. Here are a few of the things to look for.
The smell of a musty basement is not one that you should accept as normal or common. This smell is actually typically because of mold, which means you’re really smelling a problem in your basement. If you smell a musty basement, you need to address basement waterproofing as soon as possible.
Have you noticed wet drywall in and around your basement? If your basement has drywall as part of the finishing process, you need to make sure it doesn’t get wet. Because drywall is an organic material, mold and mildew can eat through the drywall, which can be a huge problem. This wet drywall indicates that there’s a waterproofing problem.
If you’ve noticed condensation in and around your basement, you’ll need to look into whether you’re having basement waterproofing problems. It’s common for basement waterproofing issues to create condensation all around your basement, which is an important thing to pay attention to as you strive to fix your basement.
- Wet Basement Carpet
Carpet in your basement can be a great aesthetic choice, but it’s also something that can backfire if you don’t have proper basement waterproofing. Because carpet typically utilizes organic materials, it can host mold and mildew. If you have wet carpet in the basement, you need to focus much more on your basement waterproofing.
- Other Basement Problem Signs
Of course, these aren’t the only things that can indicate waterproofing problems in your basement. You need to keep your eyes open for all kinds of basement problem signs that could indicate your need for waterproofing in the basement. Whether it’s actual standing water or just high levels of indoor humidity, these basement problem signs are all just as important as the other.
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Basement Water Problem Causes
Causes
Why do you have basement waterproofing problems? These are just a few of the reasons you may end up with basement water concerns.
- Clogged Footing Drains
One potential reason for your basement waterproofing problems is the presence of clogged footing drains all around your basement. Footing drains will typically drain water out through your basement, helping you eliminate the water that might otherwise stay trapped. However, if you end up with a clogged drain, that water can continue to accumulate in the basement.
- Hurricanes and Nor’easters
Although your home’s drainage systems may work just fine when you’re experiencing normal weather, you might have more problems when you have serious weather events. Hurricanes and Nor’easters, which are two weather events you can experience in various areas of the United States, are things that can significantly increase the amount of water your home has to drain, which means you might need better basement waterproofing if you experience these things regularly.
- Soil Settling
Sometimes, basement waterproofing problems can happen just because you’re having soil settling issues. If the soil underneath your basement has started to move and shift, you might end up with a home that’s more strangely situated than it was initially. That often means issues with your basement waterproofing setup as it stands now. You may need to come up with a new basement waterproofing process in this situation.
What if you’re experiencing a lot of pressure on your basement walls and floor? Most of the time, this is because there’s too much water in the dirt. The water adds to something called hydrostatic pressure, which refers to the pressure water exerts when it’s at rest. With too much hydrostatic pressure, your basement walls can bow inward, causing water to leak into the basement.
Solutions
Fixing your basement waterproofing problems isn’t always easy. However, there are a number of basement solutions you can use for better waterproofing options.
A sump pump is an incredibly useful tool for a basement. Essentially, a basement sump pump allows you to remove accumulated standing water from the basement. Whether you need it because of consistent issues with basement standing water or you’re just trying to prepare for any basement problems in the future, a basement sump pump may be a crucial and integral part of your basement waterproofing process.
Once you’ve pumped out all the water you can, you might still have some lingering moisture, condensation, and patches of water you can’t quite pump out. The best way to get rid of this and ensure it doesn’t cause serious amounts of crawl space humidity is to use a basement dehumidifier. These dehumidifiers can help your basement stay nice and dry, especially when you pair them with other waterproofing measures.
If you tend to have water that accumulates around the edges of the basement, you may want to consider an interior drain. This drain style creates an opening all around the edge of the basement, allowing water to move out of the basement as easily as possible. When you have a specialized interior drain as part of the process, you can ensure the gap doesn’t allow water inside.
Most basements need an egress window to make sure they stay up to code. This egress window functions as a fire escape. However, you need to make sure your egress window is also part of the waterproofing process. You can maintain a waterproofing process that takes your egress window into account; you just need to think about it as you’re creating the waterproofing process.
- Other Basement Waterproofing Fixes
There are many other things you may never have considered that will be part of the basement waterproofing process. If you’re considering basement waterproofing, you need to ask yourself a variety of questions about it. A basement repair expert will be able to give you more information about basement waterproofing and your potential options.
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It’s not enough to waterproof your basement in a short-term or low-quality manner. You need a real waterproofing process that will be beneficial for your basement in the longest term possible. However, if you’re going to have this type of long-term waterproofing available, you need quality solutions from a Groundworks basement waterproofing expert.