3 Serious Problems That Water in Your Basement Causes (Or, Why You’re Right to Hate the Word ‘Moist’)
The statistics show that homeowners spend at least 62,834 dollars on basement remodeling!
Your basement is an important part of your home since it provides a perfect place for storage or for an extra apartment in your home. However, because of its location, it is prone to moisture.
Once moisture settles, it can create a host of problems for you if you do not nip it in the bud. It is important that you do not feel overwhelmed and ignore the problem since that could cause the issues to worsen.
Here are some of the worst problems with basement moisture and solutions for fixing them.
1. Health Problems
When your basement becomes damp there is usually mold growth. Mold can be dangerous.
This is because it can become the catalyst for a host of respiratory illnesses including bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma.
Mold is also likely to start degrading the material that makes up the walls of the building. This can cause the release of dangerous gases into the air. Waterproofing your walls will help to prevent moisture from seeping in.
2. Get Water Away From the House
Water getting into your basement can cause deterioration to the foundation of your home. This is evidenced by the cracks and peels you will see once moisture starts seeping in.
Do a check of your home because when the ground around the house slopes inwards to the house it can cause moisture to get into the basement.
Water can also get into the basement if the ground is level. The best solution to this problem is to make sure that the ground around the house is sloped away from the building.
This can be achieved by placing dirt around the house and making sure it slopes away from the house for at least six feet.
3. Get Gutters and Downspouts
Odors and stains in your basement are the natural offshoots of moisture. You may want to check out your gutters and downspouts periodically to make sure they are in good shape.
When your gutters and downspouts are damaged or missing, rainfall causes water to be directed towards the foundation of the house. This results in a build-up of water around the perimeter of your home and this will cause water to get into the basement.
The solution make sure you have long enough gutters and downspouts around the home. You should also check that your downspouts have extensions that discharge water at least four feet from the house.
A Final Look at Problems with Basement Moisture
Problems with basement moisture can result in health issues for your family as well as damage to your home. This means that you have to deal with moisture as soon as it starts seeping into your basement, you cannot afford to delay.
Make sure that you take care of your home by doing regular inspections so that you can see if anything is going wrong. If you would like more information about controlling moisture in your basement, please contact us.
