Taking care of the basement essentially means keeping it dry. There’s one major reason why a basement is more likely to get wet than other areas at home: It is underground and could retain & absorb water from the foundation.
Hence, the homeowner must ensure that the basement is kept dry. This way, one avoids structural damage due to moisture and unwanted mold growth. Here are some tips you will find helpful to maintain a dry basement:
5 Simple Tips for Maintaining A Dry Basement.
Rectify Exterior Grading
This helps to ensure that water runs away and not into your home. By observation, it should be easy to determine if water tends to pool around the house. It could be in the garden, driveway, or patio.
If water can’t get away from the house to start with, then one can hardly have a dry basement. Consult an excavation company to have your grading looked at and corrected if needed.
Fortify Your Foundation
A good foundation is dry, free of debris, holes, and cracks. Inspecting the foundation for faults will help to highlight the warning signs.
If a basement is dry enough, consider an interior sealing to lock out moisture. If not, focus on redirecting possible sources of moisture away.
Have Good Downspouts and Gutters
Gutters and downspouts are best kept clean and unclogged if you want a dry basement. Also, gutters should flow away from the house, and downspouts shouldn’t drain directly at the foundation.
The use of gutter guards can help with debris control. However, do well to make periodic checks of the gutters nonetheless.
Correct Leaks
Leaks in the basement preclude any possibility of dryness, of course. Planned checks for leaks are advised.
Insulating one’s plumbing systems, especially those running through the basement is good too. This way, condensation during summer is avoided.
Free Up Basement Space
Lumping all unwanted stuff in the basement isn’t always a good idea. Jampacked spaces don’t allow the necessary airflow and promote moisture buildup. Hence, it’s best to rearrange that space and ensure it’s free for air circulation.
Conclusion
With these tips in mind, keeping the basement dry should be an easy task. It’s quite important to emphasize one point, and that is about waterproofing the home.
Waterproofing is a surefire way to avoid any damages. Without waterproofing, the paint may peel off, and cracks can develop. There’s also the risk of molds and mildew. Overall, waterproofing is a great way to maintain the integrity of a building and its foundation. Contact B-Dry Boston today to learn more about our waterproofing services to keep your basement dry.
