Why is there water in my basement!?!?!?

3/19/2018 (Permalink)

If you discover standing water, slimy surfaces, or developing mold patches on a basement wall, it is crucial that you do not leave them untreated. The longer water damage is neglected, the harder it will be to repair and restore, and the costs can escalate.

FIRST:  Find the source of the water damage. Moisture can make its way inside a house from several different routes. Once you locate the source, you can start to think about a solution, but your first response should be one of investigation and examination. You can't fix what you don't see.

Most reported reasons why basements develop signs of water damage are;

Water Damage from Outside
- A leak in a home's roof can lead to a water problem in the crawlspace, as strange as that sounds. If a broken tile or other components let water in, it runs down the internal walls and through to the basement.
- For those of us living with Idaho snowstorms, basement windows need internal an internal drainage system.  Otherwise, the snow will just accumulate, melt, and seep into the basement.
- When landscaping, make sure that grades are designed to run away from the property. That way, the water cannot pool and seep through the foundation walls.
- If damp is only ever an issue following a rainstorm, the problem could be a poor quality sealant. This is an easy problem to fix. All that is needed is to replace the interior barriers around doors and windows. Sealants dry out, so you may have to keep replacing it every few years.
- Obstructed, ice dams, or cracked guttering could also be the culprit as overflowing water ends up right above the foundation of the house and the basement.
- You might simply have a high water table. If this is the case, the obstacle will unfortunately persist. There is not much that can be done to change it, but installing a sump pump will significantly decrease the chance of flooding leading to water damage.

Water Damage Inside:
- Interior plumbing, appliance malfunction, leaky faucets, frozen pipes, and condensation buildup may result in structural or water damaged personal items.
- If you can spot water making its way up through drains, the municipal sewer system may be under too much strain. You can alleviate this in your home by investing in a backflow valve. These are inexpensive and easily available. If a septic tank backs up, be sure to call SERVPRO to safely and quickly remove waste products from your water damaged Idaho home. "Like it never even happened."