Dealing With Subsurface Water Leaking Into Your Basement
Is your basement wet all the time? Have you tried patching cracks and gaps and airing out your basement to no avail? Unfortunately, this might mean that you have a groundwater problem.
One of the easiest ways to confirm your suspicions is to check your city or county records. They will likely have water table depth information that can be used to verify whether the water level near your property is unusually high.
The bad news is that there is very little you can do yourself to solve a groundwater problem. Patching cracks may temporarily keep some of the water out of the interior, but it won’t keep the outside of your foundation dry. The foundation will continue to weaken and deteriorate over time, and water will find its way in again through capillary action.
If your basement is constantly wet from a groundwater problem, chances are that you already have a mold problem as well. Mold and mildew can release toxins into the air that are harmful to your health, and can also weaken wooden structures. Professionals can provide mold remediation service to ensure that all of the mold is removed from your basement.
Another reason your best bet is to call in a professional foundation repair company, is that they can offer permanent water management solutions to keep water away from your foundation.
A relatively simple solution is to inject absorbent clay into the ground around your foundation that will absorb excess water and then help disperse it away from the foundation slowly.
Another option is to install an interior drainage system and a sump pump. This solution involves chipping into the perimeter of your foundation and installing drainage pipes. The pipes will collect the water that enters the interior of your basement and drain it to a sump or basin that collects the water. A sump pump then pumps the water out and away from your house.
An exterior drainage system works in a similar way, but is installed on the exterior perimeter of the foundation to route water away from the foundation completely. The problem with this method is that it involves digging a trench around the outside of your foundation. This process can be incredibly expensive, and it will likely require you to dig up landscaping and remove exterior structures like decks or patios.
Finally, a professional company like AA Action Waterproofing, can waterproof the interior and exterior of your foundation, if necessary.