| Remedies for a Wet Basement
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| | basement is actually leaking, the water
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| By: Robert Clarke
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| | should not just "appear". You should be
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| A wet basement can be just a nuisance or
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| | able to see where it's coming in as it
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| even real nightmare. Each year, thousands
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| | leaks, in the form of a puddle or stream
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| of homeowners are faced with the
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| | or water.
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| unpleasant side effects of seasonal
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| | Helpful Tips
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| rainfall. Problems they can face range
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| | Your rain gutters should be cleaned of
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| from just dampness to even flooding.
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| | leaves and debris at least once per year.
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| Chronic basement leakage is a serious
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| | Downspouts should direct water runoff
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| problem that can destroy personal
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| | from the roof to a discharge point at
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| property, furnishings, appliances, and
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| | least several feet away from the homes
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| sometimes even cause permanent structural
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| | foundation. Use a splash block at the end
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| damage to a homes foundation. Excessive
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| | of your downspout to avoid soil erosion.
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| moisture is a huge attraction to
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| | Never bury your downspout lines unless
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| wood-eating insects, wood rot and decay.
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| | you can empty them out to daylight.
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| Despite the pervasiveness of the problem,
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| | Buy a good dehumidifier to lower the
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| few homeowners are aware of the causes of
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| | natural humidity level in your basement.
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| water leakage.
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| | Make sure your dehumidifier is the proper
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| Common Causes
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| | size for your basement. Ask for a drain
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| One common cause of basement leakage is
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| | hose attachment so you don't have to
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| improper surface drainage, such as a yard
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| | empty the water collected every day. Get
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| sloped toward the home. In many cases,
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| | a unit with a built-in de-icer.
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| the problem can be greatly alleviated by
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| | Dehumidifiers are actually refrigeration
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| re-grading the yard to slope away from
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| | coils and can freeze up and stop working.
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| the homes foundation or diverting surface
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| | Keep the doors and windows to your
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| water around the house.
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| | basement closed, year round. Opened doors
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| Other common culprits include poorly
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| | and windows allow extra humidity to enter
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| positioned rain gutter downspouts,
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| | your basement, causing condensation. Your
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| missing, leaking or clogged rain gutters.
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| | dehumidifier will also run less.
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| A downspout that is improperly positioned
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| | Waterproofing Paints and Sealers There
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| to drain against the side of the house,
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| | are several good waterproofing paints and
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| allows water to build up along the
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| | sealers on the market today. Waterproof
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| foundation wall, until the backed-up
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| | paints and sealers can work well for
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| "reservoir" finds a weak spot in the
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| | minor dampness on walls and floors. Pay
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| foundation wall.
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| | special attention to the preparation
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| The most difficult cause of basement
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| | instructions from the products
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| leakage is a high water table. A high
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| | manufacturer. Be aware though, interior
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| water table problem occurs when the home
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| | waterproof paints and sealers don't do
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| is built too deeply in the ground, into
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| | anything to alleviate the "source" of the
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| the level where water remains constant
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| | problem.
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| throughout the year. A high water table
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| | Time For a Professional? A professional
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| problem can also be caused by under
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| | basement waterproofing contractor can
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| ground springs or sustained periods of
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| | offer you a variety of solutions,
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| rainfall that cause the water table to
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| | depending on the source of your problem.
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| rise during the wet seasons.
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| | Methods can include outside excavation,
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| Is it Leakage or Condensation?
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| | installation of drain tile, parging your
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| You should try to determine if your
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| | walls, interior drainage systems or epoxy
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| problem is actually water "leaking" in or
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| | cove systems
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| if it's just condensation forming on the
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| | Summary Prevention is always the first
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| cool surfaces. Condensation occurs when
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| | and best approach. Look closely at the
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| warm, humid air comes into contact with
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| | grading around your property and make
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| cooler basement walls, floors, water
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| | sure your rain gutters are in good
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| pipes etc.
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| | working order. Get a good quality
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| As an example, just take a cold bottle of
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| | dehumidifier to reduce humidity in your
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| soda out of your refrigerator and set it
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| | basement.
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| on the counter. After several minutes,
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| | If you've done your best to correct your
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| you'll notice steam forming on the
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| | problem and it still leaks, it might be
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| outside of the bottle. After many minutes
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| | best to bring in a professional. Check
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| pass, you will see a small puddle of
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| | companies for local references, ask for a
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| water forming at the base of the bottle,
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| | certificate of insurance, check the
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| as the beads of moisture start dripping
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| | companies warranty to see what's covered
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| down. This is a classic example of
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| | and check them out with your local Better
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| condensation, not "leakage". If your
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| | Business Bureau.
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