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Spring weather brings about lots of heavy rainfall. A heavy amount of rainfall can cause your basement walls to be subjected to increased stress from an effect called hydrostatic pressure. This effect grows much stronger when the surrounding soil is saturated with water. This is because the soil then pushes against the walls of the foundation, causing cracks to form. Essentially, the more it rains, the higher the pressure will become!
These heavy rains can be redirected using both interior and exterior water drainage systems. They are installed to protect the foundation of your home from the damages caused by hydrostatic pressure and intruding moisture.
Interior drainage systems function as one of the most fundamental residential waterproofing systems for effective moisture control. An interior type of system keeps water from accumulating around your foundation.
The system consists of a perforated drain pipe that is installed beneath the foundation. It works in conjunction with a sump pump system, so it will be important to make sure any previously purchased sump pump systems are up to date. Mold and mildew growth, as well as problematic water on your basement floor, can be prevented with the installation of an interior drainage system.
It is not capable, however, of preventing water from seeping into your basement or crawl space from bowing and cracking foundation walls. Every cracked wall needs a vapor barrier for protection and a sub-floor drainage system for redirecting the water away from your living space. Protecting one of the largest investments you have ever made, your home, is very important.
Another cause of a large amount of water finding its way to your foundation or basement can come from clogged gutters and downspouts. Ideally, these tools will lead water away from your home by eliminating it out into your yard or other nearby space. When they are not able to do their job, the water is simply dumped down into your home’s foundation.
What Water Problems Can Affect My Home?
Your home, especially the basement, can be negatively affected by many common water problems. They indicate that your home is in need of a waterproofing solution to prevent an increase of the damage that is dealt over time. Keep your eyes peeled for the following signs of possible problems that are caused by moisture intrusion:
- Cracking, Bowing & Leaning Walls
- Cracked or Bowing Floors
- Water seeping in through foundation walls
- Water stains forming on walls and floors
- Mold and mildew growth
- Dysfunctional sump pumps
Most of these issues haven’t seemed serious as they first developed, but will always develop into big headaches for you as a homeowner. After a while, they become more difficult for the average person to fix, and more costly too.
Some dangers can create some more serious problems as well, aside from high costs and the inability to make repairs. Standing water can cause mold growth, for example. As the quality of the air in your home deteriorates, the possibility of experiencing some serious lung issues in the future increases. Other risks increase as long as water is leaking into your basement through foundation wall cracks, like infestations of unwanted pests, or a weakening foundation.
Waterproofing companies provide a special array of repair and installation services that aim to address intruding moisture directly, cutting off or redirecting the main problem at the source. Specific remedies are formulated for the following complications of moisture intrusion:
- Leaking basement
- Standing water in your yard
- Water stains in your living spaces
- Basement flooding
- Standing water in your crawl space
- Basement or Crawl space mold and mildew growth
- Damp & humid basement conditions
The Importance of Checking Your Home for Water Damage
More often than not, basements experience moisture problems. They are also most of the time not well understood or treated properly. Without an adequate drainage solution, small leaks turn into much larger problems, like health complications caused by mold growth, safety issues as electrical outlets or HVAC units corrode, and expensive costs to repair structural elements of your home. The earlier you can spot a symptom and identify a problem, the easier the repairs will be and less damage will be done.
Why Choose Exterior Drainage Over Other Solutions?
Waterproofing solutions are subjective, that is, to the nature of the leak or other source of moisture intrusion. There is leaking that can occur in your home that some simple plumbing remedies will fix! As for the sources of water that cause it to intrude into your basement and foundation walls, the appropriate type of waterproofing system is for you. There are plenty of “solutions” out there today that promise to address these concerns and relieve you of all your cares, however, they don’t get rid of the problem at those sources.
Dampproofing, for example, is so engrained as an effective means of waterproofing your home that it is performed (in most areas) on your foundation during the construction of your home. Unfortunately, dampproofing has a very short lifespan, as it deteriorates quickly over time, and offers a very limited amount of protection from intruding moisture.
Some other “solutions” homeowners turn to in order to avoid the process and installation of a more established solution is to purchase items from their local hardware stores that promise a lot of the same remedies. Sealers and fillers, like epoxy, can work wonders for cracks in foundation walls, if they are in fact the right products that are rated for the job!
A true waterproofing system is a real solution for redirecting water from intruding into your basement, crawl space, or home’s foundation. The process is an important piece to developing a system that is unique to your home and it is fundamentally what gets the job done right. A properly constructed and installed waterproofing system can last decades for an increased quality of life of the homeowner and their family.
Some of the ways the quality of life is increased are as follows:
- Preventing the moisture that encourages mold and mildew growth.
- Protecting your home’s structural integrity.
- Increasing the overall value of your home.
- Keeping water out of your home’s foundation and basement or crawl space.
- Providing the longest-lasting protection against moisture intrusion possible.
Take the steps mentioned above to look around your home for possible signs of intruding moisture. If you have noticed a handful from the list that are questionable or have already found some more serious issues, it may be time to consider beginning the process of investing in a waterproofing system for your home.
Whether you are experiencing the problem inside or outside the home, there are solutions for you. No need to go on one more month dealing with the negative effects of moisture intrusion, because it’s not just any house, it’s your home.
The experts at Basement Masters Waterproofing have over 25 years of experience. Treating each project as if it is being done on our very own home, our company offers top quality and lasting Northern Virginia and Maryland foundation repair and basement waterproofing services. We adhere to a strict, yet simple set of guidelines that are focused on honesty, integrity, respect, and responsibility, and offer warranties on all of our products and services.
