For most of my life, I’ve always been able to enjoy a finished basement. For one, as I got older, the basement room became mine. There was carpet practically everywhere except the deep pockets of the basement where the laundry room was.
Living in the basement was a joy about 99% of the time. As for that 1%, it was the annoying ordeal with the damp, mildewy odors from either water leaks underneath the carpet or water entering in through the foundation and getting jammed up between the walls. It’s an uncomfortable circumstance not just for me but for many homeowners out there. Mildew, and water damage in general, can ruin multiple areas of the basement.
Affected carpet corners can quickly turn into entire sections if the water leaks aren’t discovered soon, ceiling tiles can sag and deteriorate and so on. Instead of running into these problems year-round, tackle the source by following simple checks like these.
1. Foundation Surveillance: The most sure-fire cause of water damage can come from your home’s foundation being exposed more than it should. It may be that your home - and neighboring homes as well - was built on uneven ground in certain spots. The ground may be lower or sloped towards the foundation, which makes it easier for standing water to form or snow packs to settle. The longer the swampy conditions persist, the faster foundation cracks may start to show.
Once that happens, some areas of of the basement floor may sprout pools of water under the carpet or along the sides of walls. Counter this dilemma by going to your nearest home improvement store and get enough dirt and/or soil to lay alongside where the ground meets your foundation. The goal’s to form a slope that leads outwards towards the grass,
almost like a man-made gutter. Which brings me to my next point...
2. Gutter Check: The beauty of the fall season can quickly be overshadowed by the piles and piles of leaves deposited across your yard and on your roof. Which is why you must always check to make sure your gutters are clear of any leaf clumps, twigs, dirt or any object that prevents water from freely flowing through the gutters. If water can’t find its way out through the gutters, it’ll eventually find somewhere else to go - and that can spell disaster for areas inside your home, including the basement.
3. Sump Pumps: If you’ve seen recent strings of flooding occur in the basement, always check to see if your sump pump is working correctly. If vital pieces of the sump pump are not working, excess water can’t be redirected outside and that pretty much guarantees the water’s going up onto the basement floor.
4. Snake Your Pipes: If your basement has a bathroom, half-bath or full bath, it can be both a curse and a blessing. It’s a blessing because it’s one more amenity for the home. It’s a curse if the pipes and drains are clogged. Water obviously goes elsewhere towards the sewer drain after each use, but if any part of the pipes below are jammed, the “standing water” effect will commence and only gets worse over time if left untreated. That’s why it’s helpful to snake the drains once or twice every six months.
You clear a path from all potential clogs and keep a steady stream (and pressure) going. In the end, having a basement is a great addition to anyone’s home. It’s great for storage and extra living quarters and anything else a homeowner can think of. Just as long as you stick to minor home improvements every now and then, you can help avoid water damage - the one thing that can quickly sour all those good vibes.
Living in the basement was a joy about 99% of the time. As for that 1%, it was the annoying ordeal with the damp, mildewy odors from either water leaks underneath the carpet or water entering in through the foundation and getting jammed up between the walls. It’s an uncomfortable circumstance not just for me but for many homeowners out there. Mildew, and water damage in general, can ruin multiple areas of the basement.
Affected carpet corners can quickly turn into entire sections if the water leaks aren’t discovered soon, ceiling tiles can sag and deteriorate and so on. Instead of running into these problems year-round, tackle the source by following simple checks like these.
1. Foundation Surveillance: The most sure-fire cause of water damage can come from your home’s foundation being exposed more than it should. It may be that your home - and neighboring homes as well - was built on uneven ground in certain spots. The ground may be lower or sloped towards the foundation, which makes it easier for standing water to form or snow packs to settle. The longer the swampy conditions persist, the faster foundation cracks may start to show.
Once that happens, some areas of of the basement floor may sprout pools of water under the carpet or along the sides of walls. Counter this dilemma by going to your nearest home improvement store and get enough dirt and/or soil to lay alongside where the ground meets your foundation. The goal’s to form a slope that leads outwards towards the grass,
2. Gutter Check: The beauty of the fall season can quickly be overshadowed by the piles and piles of leaves deposited across your yard and on your roof. Which is why you must always check to make sure your gutters are clear of any leaf clumps, twigs, dirt or any object that prevents water from freely flowing through the gutters. If water can’t find its way out through the gutters, it’ll eventually find somewhere else to go - and that can spell disaster for areas inside your home, including the basement.
3. Sump Pumps: If you’ve seen recent strings of flooding occur in the basement, always check to see if your sump pump is working correctly. If vital pieces of the sump pump are not working, excess water can’t be redirected outside and that pretty much guarantees the water’s going up onto the basement floor.
4. Snake Your Pipes: If your basement has a bathroom, half-bath or full bath, it can be both a curse and a blessing. It’s a blessing because it’s one more amenity for the home. It’s a curse if the pipes and drains are clogged. Water obviously goes elsewhere towards the sewer drain after each use, but if any part of the pipes below are jammed, the “standing water” effect will commence and only gets worse over time if left untreated. That’s why it’s helpful to snake the drains once or twice every six months.
You clear a path from all potential clogs and keep a steady stream (and pressure) going. In the end, having a basement is a great addition to anyone’s home. It’s great for storage and extra living quarters and anything else a homeowner can think of. Just as long as you stick to minor home improvements every now and then, you can help avoid water damage - the one thing that can quickly sour all those good vibes.
