4 Tricks To Solve Wet Basement Problems

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Solving wet basement issues is a priority if you are to preserve the structural integrity of your foundation and protect the overall resale value of your home. Not only can seeping water turn your basement into a damp, smelly space, but it can also encourage pests to infest your home and even cause mold concerns. In this article, you will learn practical steps you can take to ensure that your basement stays dry.

Repair footing drains

Typically, most homes have a footing drain built into the basement floor to drain water away from the foundation. If the drain pipes are clogged, you will usually notice water seeping into the basement at the seams where the foundation walls meet the floor. To fix this problem, you need to unclog the footing drain to relieve hydrostatic pressure that is pushing water into your basement.

Look for a cleanout pipe capped a few inches above the basement floor, which should give you access to the footing drains. Next, insert a garden hose into the cleanout pipe and flush any debris in the piping to allow water to freely flow away from your foundation. If this doesn't do the trick, call in a plumber to dislodge any debris in the drains with an augur.

Plug gaps in the basement wall

Sometimes, the source of your basement moisture is a hole or crack around plumbing pipes in your basement. Carefully check for any water dribbling from the basement walls and seal them using hydraulic cement or polyurethane caulk. This should stop any water oozing though from surface runoff or soaked soil around your foundation.  

Restore the foundation crown

Typically, your home is supposed to sit on a crown, which is basically a pile of soil that slopes away from the foundation, diverting gutter runoff away from the foundation. Over time, this soil slope around the house can settle, allowing water from the roof to settle near the foundation and seep into your basement walls or window wells.

A basement waterproofing contractor can come in and restore the crown by pouring some dirt around the foundation to ensure surface runoff and gutter runoff doesn't get dumped near your home.

Install a curtain drain

This is a shallow trench filled with gravel and a pipe that diverts water from wet soil around your home away from your basement. The pipe intercepts water uphill of your home and drains it in a pit downhill. Such a drain system can be a permanent solution to basement flooding, especially if your home doesn't have footing drains installed.

For more information, contact Safe-Guard Waterproofing or a similar company.


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