What Causes Wet Basements?
There’s a lot that goes into repairing and maintaining a home. From the top down, everything from the roof to the walls to the insulation will have a direct impact on your home’s overall quality. But it’s important to look underneath, too, and your basement needs to remain in top shape as well. And that means that your basement needs to stay dry.
Wet basements can lead to a wide range of issues ranging from mold problems to support issues and beyond. Wet basements are, simply put, a serious problem that you need to deal with – but instead of dealing with it, you need to prevent it. Prevention saves you money, keeps your family safe, and helps keep your home in the best shape possible.
But what causes wet basements? Knowing the most common causes can help you prevent the issue before it becomes serious. Here’s a look at some of the most frequent causes of damp basements.
- Leaking pipes – Many basements have pipes running through them delivering water to various areas of the home, or drainage pipes. A minor leak in these pipes can lead to increased humidity, water damage, and mold growth.
- Foundation cracks – Cracks and splits in the foundation walls can allow water to enter the basement and cause everything from increased humidity to total flooding. It’s important to identify cracks quickly and prevent them from developing further.
- Poor waterproofing – Even without cracks, a basement wall can soak up moisture from outside and allow it to enter the basement area. Exterior waterproofing, proper landscaping grading, and similar steps will help prevent this problem from occurring.
Those are the three main causes of wet basements, and being able to identify them and prevent them from developing into serious issues is one of the most important things you can do for your home’s overall safety. Our team can help you identify potential issues and confront them head on. Contact us today to keep your basement dry.