7 Main Reasons Behind Water Problem in Basement

A little TLC can keep your basement dry year-round.

Image: freshwatersystems.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - Are you wondering how water keeps finding a way into your basement? It's time to see the root causes of basement flooding alongside some practical solutions.

1. Issues in Footing

Sometimes, the water damage is caused by a problem over the footing, while other times, the problem lies under the footing.

For example, thawing and freezing periods may lead to ground shifting. This settling lets the water in the foot and damages the whole basement foundation.

2. Floor cracks

You often wonder why your basement has so many cracks in the floor. There are some reasons behind the appearance of these cracks. One primary reason is poor construction or use of low-quality material by contractors.

Other reasons are earth movement, settling foundations, and damage from tree roots. When your floor has cracks, water can easily find a way to get in.

3. Walk-up Basement

When your basement has an exterior entry point like a staircase, you shouldn't think much about water flooding in this area. If it's raining outside, water will come into this area via stairs and ruin your carpet and other things.

You need to get help from experts who offer you basement Minneapolis waterproofing services. They set up the whole basement in a way that water doesn't find any entry point.

4. Pipe Penetrations

Your basement has many utility connections like water pipes, gas lines, heating ducts, etc. Many people do laundry in the basement and have other water connections for the utility sink or bathroom.

When a pipe breaks in your basement, water starts gushing into your basement. Even a small water leak leads to dampness in the whole basement environment. So, you need to hire professional plumbing repair experts to deal with this issue.

6. Over the Sill Plate

A sill plate connects the house with the foundation as a bottom horizontal wall member. It gets coverage from siding and wall sheathing. When two building materials bond, chances of gap and space are pretty unavoidable, thereby sometimes over the sill plate is the perfect water entry point for your basement.

6. Wall Cracks

You often see cracks in your walls. The primary cause of these cracks is hydrostatic pressure that pushes the wall inward from its surrounding soils. Another reason is tree roots damaged or structural damage. No matter what causes these cracks, they also offer the water away into your basement.

7. Failed Pumps

Another primary reason for basement flooding is a small size or a failed sump pump.

These pumps rely on electricity and have backup batteries. If the battery dies or the pump doesn't work correctly, water finds a way into the basement.

When you install a small size pump in the basement, it doesn't handle a large amount of water. Therefore, you end up with a soggy mess in the basement. You need professional waterproofing services to get rid of excess water.

Source: Salem-News.com Special Features Dept.