The challenges that come with basement water damage are uniquely frustrating since they can be immediately dangerous both to your home’s comfort and stability and to the health and wellness of your family but, unlike the need for roof repairs or plumbing repairs, finding water damage in your basement doesn’t isolate any particular area which needs servicing.

Waterproofing your basement is essential to keep your home safe.
Waterproofing your basement is essential to keep your home safe.

As a result of this confusion on where the problem originates, and whether the problem is a result of interior or exterior issues homeowners who find themselves looking for basement waterproofing services often end up spending an unnecessarily large amount of money on inspections and repairs that don’t fully solve the problem.

Fortunately, with one simple secret from the pros you can identify precisely where your home may be having trouble with water seepage as well as whether the waterproofing solutions are most needed on the exterior of your home’s foundation or within the walls and floor of your basement itself.

The Foil Test

If there’s any question about the structural stability and reliability of your basement and foundation it’s absolutely worthwhile to test for issues as opposed to responding to them. Water damage restoration can quickly become one of the most damaging and expensive problems a home can face and identifying these problems prior to damage arising is an excellent way to save your home from the troubles which come with basement floods.

Luckily, preventing water damage in your basement is easier now than ever using a simple test you can do on your own. Simply tape a piece of basic kitchen aluminum foil to the wall of your foundation during the next rainstorm and leave it attached for a few days. After some time has passed, remove this foil and identify whether there’s any sign of moisture buildup on the side which was against the wall, the side that was away from the wall, or a combination of both sides.

Water on Wall Side: Seepage

If you find any water on your basement walls, there is most likely water seepage from the exterior of your home.
If you find any water on your basement walls, there is most likely water seepage from the exterior of your home.

If peeling away the foil from your wall reveals any sign of water buildup which formed between the foil and your wall then it’s very likely that your home is experiencing water seepage from the exterior of your home.

This kind of issue tends to be more difficult to respond to than interior signs of moisture but by narrowing down the cause of the issue you can save a significant amount of time and money on repair costs. If you find that your home is experiencing water seepage from an exterior source the issue could be originating from problems with your gutters, siding, foundation, or basement windows and just about all of these problems can be solved with a professionally installed waterproofing system which seals up all of these potential openings.

Water on Basement Side: Condensation

Consider installing a dehumidifier in your basement if you notice condensation on the walls.
Consider installing a dehumidifier in your basement if you notice condensation on the walls.

If a few days after applying aluminum foil to your wall reveals droplets of water on the inside facing side of the foil your source of water damage is originating from within the basement, itself. In response to this, homeowners can perform a number of different projects to decrease the risk of water damage throughout the entire space.

First and foremost increase the amount of ventilation in your basement by opening windows whenever possible, then consider installing a dedicated dehumidifier, between these two simple tasks homeowners can reliably reduce a significant amount of water damage. If, however, signs of water damage still remain after you’ve taken these steps, getting in touch with an experienced basement waterproofing professional is the best way to ensure that you stay free from future water damage issues.

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