By now we have seen the devastation the floods have brought to its Louisiana residents, and the many days that it will take for them to start cleaning up and start a normal day. Flooding for many homeowners can bring a myriad of problems that are financially and physically hard to overcome. And although floods of this nature don’t happen yearly, it is always advisable for you as a homeowner to make sure your home is insured in case of a disaster, and to review your coverage yearly to make sure your personal belongings and home are safe.
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Dry out the foundation for a cleaner and healthier basement
This moisture can be particularly concerning if the basement is closely connected to the rest of the home through ductwork or if you plan to finish the space. John Carmody and Brent Anderson, writing for the University of Minnesota Extension, says the water can lead to the formation of mold or mildew, which can be harmful to your health.
If you finish your basement without first taking steps to dry it out, the floor and wall coverings will eventually start to molder and rot. To avoid this problem and keep your basement from getting too damp, you’ll need to find out how moisture is getting into your home and work to keep it at bay.
Causes
Moisture in the basement might be the result of condensation or water leaking into your home. The water could be coming from rainfall, snowmelt, a rising water table, or an interior water leak. During the summer, moisture might stem from the condensation of humid air on cool surfaces in the basement.
Proper drain installation will keep your basement dry
My last house had a basement that leaked water. I’m building a new home and want my basement as dry as the Atacama Desert. I’m confident that my drain tile was not put in correctly at my last house. What are the best practices when installing drain tile around a foundation? What materials would you use? What are the biggest mistakes you can make when installing foundation drain tile? — Beverly H., Fall River, Mass.
You’ve touched on a subject that’s near and dear to my heart. My college degree is in geology with a special interest in two things: geomorphology and hydrogeology. Those are fancy words for the study of the surface of the earth and the study of groundwater. Both of those disciplines are in play when it comes to foundation drain tile.
The last home I built for my family had a basement as dry as the Atacama Desert. It wasn’t hard to achieve this. Sadly, most builders either don’t understand how to do it or they decide to go cheap at this phase of the construction.
Foundation repairs likely following heavy rain
Since June 1 of this year, Mid-Missouri has picked up more than 15 inches of rain, over half of that fell in the month of July alone. This rain has caused some problems for many across the state.
“Water is the cause of many home problems,” Randy Gibbs, General Manager of Ram Jack of Mid-Missouri told ABC 17 News Tuesday afternoon.
Randy Gibbs is the General Manager of Ram Jack of Mid-Missouri, a company that specializes in waterproofing and foundation repairs. His business has been in high demand after recent bouts of heavy rainfall across Mid-Missouri.
“The waterproofing part of our business has increased literally overnight,” said Gibbs. “If we get a big rain, an inch or more, the next day at least fifty percent of the calls or more will be related to water. Water infiltration in basements or crawl spaces, things like that.”
He says a majority of these calls can be prevented following heavy rain and flooding, if you know your foundation.
