The basement of a house is the most important segment contributing to its foundation. A damaged or flooded basement can affect the structural integrity of the house to a considerable extent. When there is basement leakage, it dampens the floor, walls, and even the roofing. A wet place is excellent for breeding germs and also molds and mosses. Altogether they contribute to an unhealthy living space. Apart from this, a wet basement weakens the building foundation affecting its strength and stability. It is one of the major causes of the dilapidation of commercial and residential buildings.
It is always believed a dry and sunny place creates an ideal environment to dwell in. When you contemplate it closely, have you ever noticed how rainy weather affects your mood? You naturally feel gloomy and unhappy about everything around you. Similarly, a wet basement does the same to your building! So, basement repair is mandatory and demands immediate attention. When left untreated for a long time, it results in comprehensive damage.
What are the Causes of Basement Leakage?
There may be several underlying causes behind a leaky basement. It is not always faulty construction; there are often other serious issues. These predominantly include:
- The most common issue remains the rise in the water table that exerts an increase in hydrostatic pressure. When the underground water level rises, it swells up and builds up pressure on the soil. Thus, the water tries to escape through the cracks of the floor leading to seepage.
- The soil surrounding the building also absorbs water that seeps through the basement walls. Such cases require basement leak repair immediately to compensate for the damage.
- Poor plumbing is another predominant cause of wet basements. Improper drainage and faulty pipeline can raise serious damp issues.
- Improper landscaping allowing water clogs is another vital cause.
- Even windows that are not installed properly result in water seepage.
Your basement may be facing any of these issues if it is wet and flooded. Such problems can be fixed with the aid of a professional.
Prevalent Measures to Repair Basement Leak
Here are some of the most frequently executed techniques for basement crack repair that can prevent leakage.
- Installation of footing drains underneath the foundation is essential. This prevents underground water from coming in contact with the building surface.
- Footing drains must be installed during the initial stage of construction of the building. It cannot be established once a building is already in use. Thereafter curtain drains are installed where footing drains are not there. These drains divert the direction of the underground water flow. It can be done at any point in time.
- An interior drain is helpful to pump out water from the basement. Sump pumps are widely used for the interior drainage system.
- Seal gaps and cracks in the basement floor and walls. There are many chemical components available in the market that is used for basement wall crack repair.
- Waterproofing basement walls is indispensable in the prevention of seepage.
Always treat and repair a leaky basement to restore the health of the building and the residents too.