If you own a home with a basement, you understand the importance of keeping it dry. Once water enters your basement, it causes mold, mildew, unpleasant smells, and a variety of other problems. In some cases, water damage can also cause structural issues in your home.
Your property values and the health of your loved ones depend on your ability to prevent water damage in the basement of your home or business. If it’s too late to prevent moisture from entering your building, it’s essential to understand the causes and remediation steps you can follow.
In this article, we’ll explore the causes of water damage and the steps you can take to fix it.
Why Is There Water in My Basement?
If you have water in your basement, you will need to identify the root cause. If you don’t know why there’s water in your basement, you’ll continue to accumulate water and associated problems.
There are a few different possibilities for why water is accumulating in the basement, but some of the three most common issues are pressure, pipes, and overflows:
Pressure
If water is coming through the concrete in your basement floor, it’s likely due to hydrostatic pressure.
When wet weather or higher groundwater causes pressure at the base of your concrete basement, water enters the area through cracks and other weaknesses in your foundation. It can also result in cracked walls and other structural issues. If your basement is suffering from hydrostatic pressure consider getting your basement waterproofed to prevent future damage to your homes foundation.
Overflows
If water is accumulating near the exterior of your basement’s foundation, it might be leaking basement windows, gutters overflowing onto the ground, or landscaping trenches directing water towards your foundation.
All these issues can cause water accumulation. In some cases, you might also notice stains spreading on your basement’s foundation walls.
Many people don’t realize that short downspouts can also be at fault for this type of water accumulation. If the water is expelled too close to your home, it can gather near your basement’s foundation and cause endless problems.
If you don’t have plumbing or construction experience, it can be challenging to diagnose a basement flood’s source. Contact our licensed plumber if you want an experienced professional to assess your basement and remedy the problem.
Methods to Prevent Water Damage in Basement
If you want to protect yourself from future basement water damage, the best strategy is to reduce your exposure. There are specific methods that effectively prevent water seepage, so assess which one is most suitable for your circumstances and contact our professionals.
Improve Landscaping
Landscaping needs to facilitate efficient water flow. If pools are continuously accumulating near your basement’s edge, it’s only a matter of time before a major leak occurs.
By using a skilled landscaper, you can redirect streams away from trouble spots and prevent water damage in your basement.
Enhance Drainage
If faulty drains are directing water towards your basement’s edge, it’s time to adjust your drainage system. For example, if your downspouts are too short, consider redesigning these fixtures with extended reach or installing a trench drain to divert water away from your home.
Restore Foundations
If you have a crack in your foundation, it’s critical to repair it quickly. Not only will this help you prevent water damage in your basement, but it will also prevent structural issues from developing in your home.
Install or Repair Sump Pump
A sump pump will keep the crawlspace near your basement as dry as possible. If you don’t have a sump pump installed, investing in one might be critical to preventing water damage in the future.
If your sump pump is no longer functioning correctly, repair it before water damage becomes an issue–a replacement is often cheaper than continual repair work.
Maintain Your Plumbing System
If you want to prevent burst pipes, sewer backups, and other plumbing issues, regularly service your plumbing system. By using our licensed plumber to inspect your pipe system often, you can rest assured that no significant issues will develop unnoticed.
Upgrade Your Windows
The quality of the windows in your home impacts your basement’s viability. If these openings are vulnerable, you might be exposing your property to preventable water issues. By replacing or repairing your current windows, you add an extra layer of defense against flooding.
Keep Your Eyes Peeled
The best defense against water damage is to keep your eyes peeled for problems and act quickly to deter any developments. Spotting an issue before it develops into costly damages is critical for homeowners that want to protect a sound investment.
Look for discoloration, mold, moisture, accumulating water, and other similar signs of pooling.
All these measures offer a comprehensive water damage protection strategy. If you use multiple steps, you can protect yourself from all types of water damage and benefit from expert assistance.
If you need advice regarding which prevention method to use for your home, don’t hesitate to contact our professional MT Drains & Plumbing specialist. It’s best to use our experts to guide you through the plumbing and maintenance processes.
How to Repair and Restore Your Basement
If you already have water in your basement, it’s too late to prevent the impact of the leak. The next step is to begin repairing and restoring your home to ensure you don’t expose your family to harmful molds, growths, and toxins.
The type of water remediation work that needs to occur will depend on the damage.
Start by removing any water that’s currently in your home. If it’s a small amount of water, you can wipe it up with towels. However, any reasonable amount of water might require our commercial water removal service.
Once water is removed from your home, open all the windows, and dry out the area. It will prevent mold from accumulating in your basement and expose any further leaks. Throw away drywall, carpets, and any other materials that have been in water—the longer you leave damaged materials in your home, the more likely you are to expose your family to harmful substances.
While some of these steps can be taken individually, it’s wiser to use our water removal expert to take care of any remediation. If you need to replace drywall, flooring, and other critical elements in your home, our professional consultants streamline the process. It ensures that your basement is back in working order as soon as possible.
Water Damage in Basement—Contact the Experts
Whether you’ve already experienced water damage or want to protect your home from future problems, get in touch with our industry experts. At MT Drains & Plumbing, we’re here to help our clients prevent and repair water damage in their basements and beyond.
We’re always available to provide service, advice, and guidance to our local clients. As plumbing experts, we specialize in water remediation, basement leak repair, cracked basement walls repair, and other services. Let us take the hassle out of fixing water damage in basements—call us today.
