Water accumulation in basements is a common complaint of homeowners. Chronic dampness, flood, and several other factors can result in a costly repair. You need to call water damage restoration professionals to remove a pool of water from your basement. However, how do you keep the basement safe and dry throughout the year? Before facing an adverse situation, you can take preventive steps. Find the best ways to prevent the access of water to your basement.
Avoid the flow of water to your foundation –
Water can seep in along your foundation and access your basement. The best defensive step is to check your rain gutters and downspouts and clean them thoroughly. The build-up debris will cause blockage to gutters. When the guttering system does not work rightly, water flows over the sides.
You must also check the landscape grading. In some cases, constructors maintain some pitch during the construction. But, in due course, the pitch starts wearing away. The lack of grading will cause a disaster to your basement.
Install a dehumidifier –
Air passes through your house and reaches a higher level. This natural process can result in basement humidity, when the outside air is humid. Moreover, due to moisture permeation through your walls and foundation, basements become more humid.
The most important step to prevent it is to install a dehumidifier. But, to know the dehumidifier’s size, you have to measure the basement’s size. Check the basement’s humidity level regularly. The humidity level must not be more than 50%.
Seal your floor and interior walls –
You may take some more steps to make your basement floor and walls waterproof. It is better to use waterproof sealant for the concrete surfaces. The specially formulated sealants will create a solid membrane over the basement surface. They will prevent the small water leakage problems.
Make sure that your sealant coating is thick. It must fill the tiny pores of masonry to create the seal. However, sealants are not the ultimate solution to the problems. When there is no leakage sign in your basement, you can apply sealants.
Patch the cracks early –
Although it may be a minor crack in the foundation, water seeps into your house. When you have identified moisture signs on your basement’s walls, you must detect the source. You can call professionals to repair them.
In most cases, old houses have cracks due to different reasons. Repair these cracks without any delay. The thinner cracks are easy to seal with waterproofing substance. However, for the big cracks, you have to remove loose materials and patch them. Before facing any big issue, you have to take the right steps.
There are several other ways to keep your basement safe from moisture. For instance, you must check out the signs of molds and critters. Insects and critters always look for moisture and food. Thus, their presence in the basement is a warning sign. You may also engage professionals to ensure a thorough inspection of your basements.
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