Reducing Moisture in a Damp Basement
If you have a basement, you may have experienced dampness, seepage, or (in extreme cases) a flooded basement. While neither scenario is pleasant, water must be taken care of immediately to ensure that no other further damage is done to your house, mainly in the form of mold. Listed below are a few problems to be on the lookout for, and how to remedy them, or when to call in the professionals.
- Inspect and repair cracks- many cracks within the foundation develop from settling, which is the normal shifting of the earth's surface. The age of the concrete does not matter, as these cracks can occur even in the newest concrete. Evaluate the crack and determine if it needs to be looked at by a professional (hint- the larger the crack, the more moisture that can get in, and thus larger cracks should be looked at by a professional.). If it is relatively small, you may be able to fix it yourself. Start by removing any loose pieces from the crack. Next, apply a ready mixed patching cement or expanding sealant according to package instructions using a putty knife to smooth the product out.
- Extend your downspout- Most water problems don't start with the basement...they end with it. Sometimes, the water problems in your basement can come from your roof. Start by extending your downspouts bout and away from your foundation, so there is less chance that the water will leak into your basement.
- Another alternative to the downspout is to collect the runoff rain into a rain barrel. Not only is that going to keep the water from going into the ground, you can reuse the water in watering your potted plants and garden. (a great way to be green!)
- Invest in waterproofing paint- We carry DryLock (in Latex and Oil base), and it works great for this purpose. Sometimes, water can seep through your foundation, and this is by far the cheapest solution (if this is your problem). Paint all of your exterior facing walls with DryLock, and then paint over them with you desired latex paint. This should help stop (or at least slow down) any seepage that is happening.
- Check your plumbing- Do you have any condensation or leaks around your pipes? Check for drips on all pipes and fix any that are leaky. If there is condensation, get some pipe insulation, and wrap your pipes to prevent further condensation and water buildup.
- Is your dryer properly vented?- To avoid moisture problems, you drier needs to properly be vented to the outside, otherwise all that moisture will be trapped in your basement.
- Dehumidifier- Run a dehumidifier to rid your basement of any moisture it may have in it. Don't forget to dump out the collection tray every day...it does you no good to use a dehumidifier, only to forget to dump the water down the drain. Dehumidifiers pull gallons of excess moisture out of the air everyday, and this in turn can save you lots of money in repairs in the long run.
