I think it’s safe to say that we’d all love to have a
house with an indoor swimming pool or a private sauna. Of course, I think it’s
also safe to say any water related features in our homes should be intentional. Walking down to your
basement and seeing water running across the floors is nobody’s idea of a good
time, I know from experience! Today we’ll cover identifying the source of your
wet basement problem, and in subsequent posts we’ll cover solutions for each of
the 3 main sources of wet basements.
You’re Not Alone!
Losing belongings to water damage and dreading heavy rain
showers is a nightmare, not to mention the potential for mold that could be
damaging to your health. Here in Birmingham, Alabama we see wet basements a
lot, and it’s not just a local problem. The American Society of Home Inspectors
estimates that 60 percent of homes have wet basements. Sixty percent! Are you ready to stop worrying about both the visible and hidden damage potentially taking place in your home today? Good!
The First Step
Before you can fix the problem, you absolutely must
identify what the water source is. Now, if there is a constant river
running across your floor, or water pooling in a certain area, that is one
thing. But what if your basement smells musty & just feels damp? You need
to narrow down if you have a humidity problem, or water actually coming through
your basement walls. We’ll start with
this today, and dig into the solutions on Friday.
A tried and true test is to take a piece of foil and tape
it straight to the concrete block wall. Secure all four sides and leave it
alone for a couple days. When you come back, notice if there’s water on the
outside of the foil. This indicates a condensation (humidity) problem. Remove
the foil from the wall, and note if there is water on the inside. This means water is seeping in through the
walls.
Assignment time!
Go stick that foil or plastic wrap to your wall &
when you come back Friday for our next post, you will know what kind of
moisture problem you are dealing with. Share a comment with what you find and
get ready to tackle condensation problems first!
