Water damage can be a devastating problem for a homeowner to have to address, but this is an issue that many first-time homeowners may not have the experience needed to address. To help you be better prepared to protect your home against this threat, you will need to be informed about the answers to some of the more frequently asked questions concerning residential water damage.  

What Is Causing Water to Collect in the Basement?

Pooling water in the basement can be a fairly common issue for a home to encounter. This is particularly true for those with homes in low areas. Often, this problem can result from poor drainage of the soil around the home. When this is the issue, water will form pools around the home following storms, and this moisture will gradually seep into the basement through the walls and floors. This problem can also cause severe soil erosion around the base of the home, which can worsen this problem by allowing the pools of water to come into direct contact with the walls of the basement. High humidity and poor ventilation can also be a cause of this problem as it can lead to substantial amounts of condensation forming in the basement that could cause small pools of water to form.

Do These Issues Need to Be Repaired If They Are Minor?

Unfortunately, there are some homeowners that will make the critical error of failing to have these issues repaired when they seem to be minor. However, prolonged exposure to moisture can lead to some serious damages to the basement. For example, it is possible for mold to start growing as a result of these moist conditions, or the concrete may start to develop deep cracks in it. Both of these problems will worsen until they are repaired, and delaying this work will only make the problem worse and cause the final repair cost to be much higher.

What Are the Steps for Preventing Basement Water Intrusions?

Luckily, if this is a problem that your home frequently encounters, it may be possible for you to mitigate this problem by having the basement waterproofed. When waterproofing the basement, contractors will apply a waterproof coating to the walls and floors to prevent moisture from being able to seep in through the small pores in these substances. Additionally, it might be necessary to install a sump pump. These pumps will activate when they detect water and pump the moisture out of the basement through a series of drainage tubes. Lastly, homes with soil-drainage issues may need to have gutters and gravel installed along the perimeter of the house to help prevent standing pools of water from forming or eroding the soil.

Talk to a company such as Atlantic Heating and Cooling for more information.