Wet Basement: Four Common Causes
Your basement shouldn’t be damp, period. It’s an extension of your home, and it should be cool, but dry. The same goes for crawlspaces, but both are often filled with moisture due to the wet weather that Maryland regularly receives. It’s important to keep a basement dry since failing to do so can lead to rot, mold, mildew, and other problems. But it’s not always easy to identify just what the issue is.
If you’ve noticed that you have a wet basement or crawlspace, we here at AA Action Waterproofing think you deserve to know exactly what you should be looking at. Identifying the cause of the moisture is the first step towards overcoming the problem. With that in mind, here are some of the common causes of damp basements.
- Drainage Issues – Maryland’s weather can send thawing ice or snow as well as rainwater directly towards your basement walls. If your property isn’t graded property or has drainage related issues, it could mean that you’re putting your home in the path of more water than it can handle.
- Damaged Foundation Walls – Cracks don’t have to be large to let water in. Even tiny splits and cracks can lead to major water related issues, and after the spring thaw these become even more noticeable due to the damage freezing could have done. If you spot a few cracks in the foundation walls, that’s a likely culprit.
- Poor Waterproofing – Even a basement wall without any noticeable cracks can still wick moisture into the home. Poor exterior waterproofing can cause significant basement leaking, and it’s important that you review whether or not you’ve taken the steps to keep your home protected from this issue.
- Leaking Pipes – Sometimes it’s not even the weather. It’s rare, but on occasion a leaking pipe in the basement could be the source of the moisture. Check pipes around damp areas to make sure you don’t have a plumbing issue. One of the other factors above could be at play as well, but this is one thing to consider.
Once you know what is causing the moisture in your basement you’ll be able to know what steps you should take to correct the problem. Consider each of the points above, do a routine examination of the basement walls – inside and out – and see if you can identify the issue. Then you’ll be read to start the next phase and prevent more moisture from entering the home.