5 Signs Your Home Needs Professional Waterproofing Services

Did you know that 68% of all new homes don’t have basements? Unfortunately, the percentage of homes without basements continues to increase yearly, and one reason for this is costs.

Another reason is problems with water in basements. Basements are prone to water problems because of their location. However, you can also encounter water issues in a crawlspace.

Waterproofing services help homeowners protect their basements and crawlspaces, and you might wonder if your home needs these services.

Keep reading this guide to learn about five signs indicating your home needs waterproofing services.

1. Basement Smells Musty

When you walk into your basement, what do you smell? Of course, it’s good news if you don’t smell anything, but what happens when you sense a musty odor coming from this area?

Musty smells occur from moisture. You might also smell musty odors in your bathrooms or other damp areas, but this is never a good smell. As a matter of fact, smelling musty odors in your basement is a bad sign.

Musty odors occur when a closed area contains high moisture levels. As a result, the moisture gets trapped in the area and has nowhere to go. In most cases, musty odors occur in areas with poor ventilation.

When you smell this in your basement, it’s a sure sign that you need basement waterproofing services. A basement shouldn’t contain these odors. So when you smell this odor in your basement, it’s a sign of a problem.

Basement waterproofing services seal the walls, stopping the moisture from entering. When your basement has the proper waterproofing services, you’ll no longer smell musty odors in this space.

2. Mold in Your Basement

Smelling musty odors in your basement demonstrate the presence of moisture and might indicate your basement contains mildew. Of course, this smell can also tell you there is mold in this space.

Many people understand the dangers and signs of black mold, but this isn’t the only mold species you can find in a house. Mold comes in many species, including penicillium and Cladosporium.

The truth is that all mold species are harmful to your health and home, and mold tends to form in musty places. Mold forms from trapped moisture in warm areas.

Therefore, finding mold in your basement signifies that you need foundation waterproofing services. You can clean the mold you find in your basement with bleach water or hire a professional to eliminate it.

However, you’ll continue finding mold in your basement if your walls and foundation allow water to enter your house. So if you want to stop mold from forming in your home, you must fix the moisture problem.

Basement waterproofing is the service you’ll need to fix the problem. The water won’t enter your home when you have sealed walls and proper exterior drains. As a result, you’ll no longer have mold in your house.

3. Water in Your Basement

You’ll also know without question that you need to hire a waterproofing company if you see water in your basement.

You might find water in your basement from a leaky appliance or pipe, but you can also experience water in your basement from leaks and cracks in your walls and foundation.

Additionally, you’ll have a higher chance of seeing water in your basement if you don’t have gutters or a drain system. In any case, water in a basement is a sure indicator that your foundation needs waterproofing services.

Many people wonder how water gets through concrete walls. The truth is that water can penetrate through concrete. Sealing your concrete walls stops this from occurring.

Water can also seep through cracks or holes in the walls of your foundation. Your gutters direct water away from your home, assisting with the drainage your house needs.

Many homes also have exterior drains to assist with forcing water away. Additionally, you can put a sump pump in your basement to pump water away from your home.

4. Cracks on the Basement Walls

If you don’t see mold or water in your basement, you might want to look at your basement walls for cracks. Your basement walls might stop most of the water from entering, but it won’t be able to do this forever if you see cracks.

Cracks forming on the walls are a sign of problems, and you shouldn’t ignore these cracks. They might not be leaking yet, but they will eventually.

A professional waterproofing company can look at your basement walls to see if the cracks pose any risks. If they do, they might suggest waterproofing services.

5. White Spots on the Walls and Floors

An additional sign to know about is efflorescence. You probably haven’t heard of this term before, but it’s something you should learn.

Efflorescence is a term that refers to white spots you see on your basement floors or walls. But what causes these white spots?

The white spots are signs of dried salt. Cement contains mineral salts. When water penetrates through the concrete walls, it carries some of these salts with it.

When the water enters inside and dries up, it leaves white spots, and waterproofing companies call this efflorescence. So if you see this in your basement, it means that your walls are leaking.

Waterproofing your basement is the best way to stop water from getting inside your home, and it’s important to hire a company for these services if you experience any of these signs.

Stopping the water from entering protects your home and helps you prevent many problems, including mold and damage to your home’s building materials.

Get Waterproofing Services Before Damage Occurs

Waterproofing services seal your basement, blocking water from entering inside and causing damage. Your home might encounter damage if you wait too long to seal your basement, so don’t hesitate.

Contact us at Sedona Waterproofing Solutions in Concord, NC. We offer all types of foundation repairs, waterproofing services, and drain services.