Solving Wet Basement Problems

By Author: Bradley Nixon
Total Articles: 45
Comment this article

Basement moisture problems can take many forms. Sometimes it's just a particular corner of the basement that gets wet during rainy weather or when snow stars to melt in the Spring. In other cases, there might be a visible leak location like a crack in a foundation wall that allows ground water to enter the basement. In other cases, water can seep into the basement between the joint that separates the slab floor from the wall.

Even Minor Basement Moisture Problems Should Be Addressed as Soon as Possible

It's easy to ignore a little dampness in a corner of the basement. This is especially true when the basement is unfinished and when the clothes washer and dryer are located upstairs, eliminating the need for family members to visit the basement on a regular basis. But homeowners who allow even a minor moisture situation to persist in the basement are putting their home and their health at risk.

Basement moisture is hazardous because it creates ideal conditions for mold to grow on wood, paper, clothing, cloth and other materials that contain cellulose. Besides ruining materials and rotting wood (which eventually ...
... causes structural damage in a house), mold poses a serious health hazard because it reproduces by putting mold spores into the air. Airborne mold spores have been linked to a variety of serious respiratory and allergy ailments.

Small Foundation Cracks Usually Get Larger

Another reason to address a basement moisture problem sooner rather than later is that moisture leaking into a basement may indicate a structural problem with the basement foundation. If this is the case, it will be less costly to fix the problem in its early stages, before it gets worse.

When a small crack or gap develops in a basement foundation wall or a basement slab, it indicates that the foundation isn't strong enough to resist pressure from soil and water, or even from gravity, if soil settlement has created a void (empty space) beneath part of the foundation. These problems typically start small –a new crack that doesn't look big enough to indicate a structural issue, for example. But even a small crack can indicate a structural failure. Remember that concrete is exceptionally strong in compression, but relatively weak in tension. A masonry wall can support a tremendous load from above if the wall rests on stable, strong soil. But a masonry wall can't stretch in response to soil pressure from the side, and that's how many wall cracks begin.

Look For Contractors With Basement Waterproofing and Foundation Repair Expertise

Can your basement moisture problem be handled by basic waterproofing techniques, or are there structural issues with the foundation that are responsible for your wet basement? To make sure a basement water problem is addressed in the most thorough manner, it's best to contact a contractor with experience in foundation repair as well as basement waterproofing. A foundation repair contractor can distinguish between nonstructural shrinkage cracks or expansion joint gaps and more serious structural issues that are often associated with excessive basement moisture. It always makes sense to solve a little problem before it becomes a bigger problem.

Omni Basement Systms can solve any basement leak in Halton Hills, ON and surrounding areas! Vist them online for a free basement waterproofing estimate in Ontario.