Recognize Possible Causes of Leaky Basement
For the average homeowner, there is nothing worse than a leaky basement. Whether your basement is finished and used as livable space or unfinished and merely someplace to store items, it is nonetheless a valuable part of your home that cannot be utilized to full potential if it is wet all the time.
Over the years, we have seen many homes seriously damaged due to a leaky basement simply because the homeowner did not go into it often enough to just have a look around from time to time. Even if a basement or crawl space is only used for storage or utility access, a quick visual inspection is the best way to get a jump on water entering through cracks or other damage and repairing it.
At New Canadian Drain & Plumbing, we are the number one leaky basement repair company in the Greater Toronto Area, and we can help you solve all your plumbing needs quickly and affordable. While visually inspecting the basement is a great way of determining water leakage, there are other possible causes to look out for. Some cannot be mitigated at the source, but steps can be taken regardless to direct water flow away from your home and repair damage that may have occurred.
Possible Causes of a Leaky Basement
- Cracked foundation walls can obviously lead to a leaky basement. These are most noticeable in poured concrete foundations, and can appear several years after construction regardless of the quality of the work or building methods that were used. Possible solutions are epoxy or urethane injections, or replacing the waterproof membrane on the outside of the foundation. The former is relatively simple, the latter not so much as it typically requires excavating outside the house.
- Two other possible causes for a leaky basement are problems with cove joints and basement floor cracks. Possible solutions would be to fill the cracks, and install either an interior drain tile system or a sump pump to force ground water out.
- When a basement foundation is poured, part of the construction involves a series of tie rods placed around the perimeter as a means of further strengthening the cement. Tie rods can shift or become damaged, just like any other part of the home, thereby causing spaces between the concrete and letting water inside. In this case, epoxy or urethane can be injected into the spaces between the tie rods to seal the cracks.
- Window wells, window frames, and egress windows are a common cause of a leaky basement. In a case such as this, the solution is fairly simply: Replace the caulk or sealant around the perimeter of each or, in the case of a window well, install a cover to keep the water out. Each of these are inexpensive options worth considering.
- Landscaping problems can beset any home or business with a basement, whether it is a newly built structure or a building that is a hundred years old. Ideally, the ground around a home should slope away from the structure, especially one with a basement. This gives rain water a clear path to flow opposite the foundation, but over time – thanks to natural erosion or yard work – the ground will flatten out, resulting in standing water and a direct path for it to damage a basement foundation.
- Environmental changes, which can cause a house foundation to settle and result in cracks or gaps. Drought, rain, snow, or wind can change the landscaping around your home, eroding the soil and creating channels or gaps in the ground that will lead water directly into the basement. Tree and shrub root growth are another problem caused by nature that can result in a leaky basement.
- Heavy machinery or vehicles too close to the house, or nearby construction that changes the landscaping. If a large tree on your next door neighbor’s lawn is removed, that could create a new path for water to get to your basement.
There are numerous causes for a leaky basement, some of which can be easily fixed, others not so much. Visit us on Google+