What To Do If You Have A Leaky Basement

stock-photo-3413377-flood-damageMany of the problems associated with mold in your basement and crawling spaces are varied, but two of the main health problems associated with it, is asthma and allergies. Although not everyone reacts to mold the same way, scientists and doctors agree there are some molds that cause infection on people with weak immune systems. Air quality in your home is important. Molds left unattended can be harmful to your health. So, what can you do to avoid these health issues if you have a leaky basement?  Read the articles below for more information on this topic.


Your basement need not be damp and drab

Homeowners hoping to spread their wings around the house are increasingly heading downstairs to create more living space.

Whether it’s for a home office, a home theater room, a playroom for the kids, or even a laundry room, more and more homeowners are turning their dark, damp and dreary basement into a brighter, more functional space.

Though what to do with your basement is up to you, there are certain things every homeowner should consider before converting their basement.

  • Be wary when painting basement walls. Painting the basement walls will be high on your priority list, but you can’t just use ordinary house paint down there.

Easy Outside Repairs for a Wet Basement

Water flows downhill and that means down your driveway, patio or lawn, and into your home and down the basement wall until it stops. Your basement wall is now functioning as a mini Hoover dam. A reservoir of wet earth and pressure builds up against your basement wall. The pressure pushes the water into your wall, finding its way through the smallest crack, or worse yet, the pressure creates its own cracks in the wall.

The more water produced by a rainstorm and the more sources of water being thrown into your basement wall, the worse your problem. This problem can become so severe that structural failures occur from the pressure against the wall or the erosion of the sub-grade upon which the foundation of your home rests. At that point you can have whole corners of your basement wall cracking and falling away requiring expensive foundation underpinning.


YOUR HOME: Water in the basement?

In the 30-plus years that David Kichula, a certified industrial hygienist, has worked in his field, among the many lessons he’s learned is this: If water wants to get into your basement, it will find a way.
The trick, he said, is to try and figure out where the water is trying to go, and help it along.

”If water wants to go from Point A to Point B, and the basement is in the way, you’ll probably get water. We help the water get from A to B, without flooding the basement, by redirecting it,” said Mr. Kichula.

One way is to install a French drain outside your home. This is a ditch covered with gravel or rock that moves away from your basement. Hollow pipes along the bottom vent the water that trickles in, and keeps it out of the basement.


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