Water damage can be one of the most troublesome and costly problems associated with home ownership. Hurricane Irene and the other recent “100-year” storms that seem to be happening twice a year lately, have left a lot of people with water damage. Water in your basement can cost thousands of dollars to clean up and cause extensive damage to walls and floors, destroy carpeting, ruin furniture and lead – pretty quickly – to mold, mildew and strong odors. Deteriorating submerged block foundation walls can stress the structural integrity of your home at its most vital point, the foundation. Every new home built in your neighborhood changes the age old flow of surface water and can aggravate existing water problems. Surface water can leak through cracks in walls or the hydrostatic water pressure in the water table can cause water to leech up from cracks in your slab. Here are the top 4 things you can do to ensure a dry basement.
1. Direct Surface Water Away from your Foundation. This may sound obvious, but it can sometimes be overlooked in the initial design of a home or when landscaping and adding additions. Changing the direction of water flow can be accomplished in a number of ways. Faulty or outdated leader drains should be directed towards catch basins, dry wells, or if your property has pitch, out to fresh air. If portions of your or your neighbors’ lawns are pitched towards your foundation, the addition or removal of earth can be a quick fix to insure proper lawn drainage. This, done in tandem with Fench or curtain drains, which provide a channel for storm water to flow away from the house, can sometimes be the difference between a wet or dry basement.
2. Waterproof your Basement. Faulty areas around cracks and holes in the basement walls should be chipped out and then filled and patched. Then the interior walls should be treated with waterproofing. Many waterproof mixes will not adhere to painted walls. You must first remove the old paint by sanding, wire brushing or sand-blasting the surface before the waterproof mixture will adhere. Consider cutting an interior drain into the floor to handle any basement drainage.
3. Install a Sump Pump. If you live in an area with a high water table like most of Westchester, NY, exterior solutions may not be enough. Sump Pumps may be the only way to keep you above water. The new hydro back up systems keep the pumps going even during prolonged power outages. A dehumidifier is a perfect solution for any extra humidity and can keep the subterranean areas mold and mildew free.
4. Protect Exterior Foundation Walls. This is a more extensive project, but may be worth the investment. The drainage areas around your home would ideally consist of perforated pipe, gravel and filter fabric. Houses built pre 1960 generally have clay footing drains that are now becoming inundated with silt and are rife with problems and due for replacement. Land excavation of the perimeter (or portions of the perimeter) may be necessary. Once you have excavated down to the footing, waterproof the exposed walls with tar and apply a water proofing membrane that will direct the moisture down to the footing drain and away from the house.
Every home offers its own unique drainage problems. Some of these fixes you may be able to handle on your own, but for others you will need to hire a general contractor. Let the water damage specialists at MC General Contractors take a look at your particular problem and together we can work out a complete, affordable solution. MC General Contractors have been diagnosing and solving drainage problems as well as mitigating water damage in Westchester County, New York and the surrounding areas since 1994. They are fully licensed and insured, so give them a call today for a free estimate. 1-855-CHEAPEE www.MrCheapeeInc.com