A Leaky Basement? Get To Its Roots

The signs of dampness on the walls, or floors of your house, be it in plain sight or not, is due to the water seeping into it. The inexplicable pools on the floors, the spots of brown spreading, slowly but steadily, through the ceiling, and the ever lingering musty odor in the air, are not coded messages or ciphers. Nor were they sent from the future, or by an alien species (which would cause a lineup, for sure) thousand light years away. No, these are clear signs of water seepage happening in your house.

Leaky basements are quite common in areas with excess precipitation, humidity or condensation. Moreover, in this season of unpredictable rainfall, house owners, with already leaking basements, are bound to distraught. Damp surfaces, with water dripping at spots, rusting nails and fixtures, rotting wood, peeling paint and lifted tiles on floors, are all clear signs of water leakage.

One other indication of leakage is efflorescence. Efflorescence is the deposit of a thin white film of minerals, on the wall, by water. This is frequently misjudged as a characteristic of an aging building. Often, ground water is the source of these deposits, the salts in which are deposited on the walls, when the water evaporates. This process is hugely affected by the humidity of the air, hence efflorescence is seasonal. It is a collateral damage of rainy seasons and winters, as high humidity slows down the rate of evaporation, correspondingly increasing the rate of salt deposition. 

When water leaks into the walls and floor of your basement, it does not necessarily mean that the foundation has been compromised with its structural integrity damaged, and the concrete slabs cracked. At times, a small broken pipe or a loose joint in a faucet can cause havoc. Occasionally, the dampness may also be due to the condensation around the pipes and not due to an actual repair in the pipe itself. The first step to repairing a leaky basement is in determining the source of damage. Depending on the cause of the leak, you have to commence with a relevant repair technique. In scenarios where condensation is the root cause of dampness, waterproofing of the basement walls and floors is required; in some cases, dehumidification may also be necessary. Dehumidification prevents moisture on the walls, due to condensation, and the subsequent mold formation. But, dehumidification is not sufficient when the cause of dampness is seepage. The repair becomes more complicated when dealing with a foundation or concrete crack. Hence, proper and thorough evaluation of the damaged area and expert knowledge is required before deciding on basement repair procedures. DryShield Water Solutions Corp is a waterproofing company based in Toronto. They specialize in basement waterproofing, mold remediation, dehumidification and crack injection processes. To avail our free basement waterproofing quote, call us at 1-800-277-5411.