Easy Basement Remodeling

Archive for the ‘Wet Basements, Fixes & Repairs’ Category

Installing a sump pump in your basement could be just the solution to your annoying water problems. Water normally enters your basement in two ways: through crack and the cover area. A sump pump will automatically collect and dispose of water that is near it.

Basement Sump Pump Features

Helps protect against flooding Removes blockages from the basement Lets the basement stay clean Eliminates water damage to carpets and furniture

Inspecting the Sump Pump

1.Open the cover and pour water into the sump tank. 2.The sump pump will be triggered once the float rises. 3.The water level will go down as soon as the pump has started. When the water is removed the pump will automatically shut off.

Problems with the sump pump are often problems related to the float. Frequently you can fix these problems by repositioning the sump pump. Sometimes the float may need to be replaced. You can tell that you need a new float if the sump pump fails to shut off when the water reaches the bottom of the tank.

Sump Pump Installation

You should install your sump pump just in front of the sump hole at the lowest point of the basement. PVC pipe is used to connect the sump pump to a larger drain line. Fill the sump pump will water to ensure that it is working properly. The sump pump should turn on automatically once it senses the water and turn off automatically once the water is removed. The floor should be slanted slighted toward the sump hole. If the floor is not properly installed it may take deeper water for the sump pump to turn on.

For houses in low lying areas basement repair is never ending. You can reduce the damage caused by leaks and flooding in your basement by installing proper sealants and waterproofing. You can often get assistance on repairing and maintaining your basement from companies that build basements. You will want to make repairs in your basement as quickly as possible to avoid additional expenses.

Repairing Basement

Foundations In order to stop leaks it may be necessary to waterproof and repair any cracks in your basement foundation. It is sometimes necessary to make structural changes to your basements, such as moving ducts and pipes, in order to make the necessary repairs. Leaky basements will result in mold and bad smells in your basement. You can usually repair the problem with the help of an expert. They will prevent further damage by sealing your walls and floors to stop the growth of mold and mildew. The musty odors that many associate with basements usually disappear once the basement is sealed.

Repairing Basement Walls

Flooding will usually damage basement walls first. Any unsealed cracks or wall joints are like an invitation to water. While it is not a long term solution, you can help stop the leakage with quick fix seals. Pumping water out quickly after a flood can cause structural damage to your basement walls. The damage must be thoroughly assessed before making repairs. One common repair for basement walls is sealing cracks.

Repairing Basement Floors

You can end up with a settled or heaved floor after a basement flood. Replacing these floors is really the best way to repair them. The water needs to dry completely and the basement needs to be empty before floor repairs can begin. Professionals should be hired to repair your basement floor, especially since special equipment is often required.

Uncomfortable basement flooding can be the result of water seeping in through walls, floors, ducts, and vents that have not been properly sealed. Water gets trapped in your basement which leads to bad odors and mold. You can prevent flooding with just a little effort in keeping your basement dry.

Flooded Basement Tips

Turn off all electricity and gas prior to entering a flooded basement. Get some air circulation in the room by opening doors and windows. You will need to check the interior and exterior of your walls for structural damage. You can help prevent flooded basements by installing drainage pipes to move water from low lying areas around your home and sealing the joints between the walls and the floors of your basement.

Pumping the water from the flooded basement should be your first step. You can either use a gas pump or an electric pump that is plugged into a power source outside the house. It can be very dangerous to hook up an electric pump to the homes electric system. It will take three to four days to pump out your basement. Once that is done you can begin the work of cleaning. Make sure you wear gloves and boots the entire time you are working in the wet basement. Pick up any debris from the basement and place it in garbage bags. Clean the walls and floors with a hose and quickly dry them using a heater or dehumidifier.

Flooded Basement Repair

Flooding can cause a great deal of structural damage to a basement. Things that need immediate repair include buckled walls, settled or heaved floors, and cracked walls. Often damaged floors will need to be replaced as they are beyond repair.

Almost all homeowners with basements need to deal with mold. Keeping moisture out of your basement is an almost impossible task. Leaks often result from cracks in the joints of the walls and floors. You will see mold and mildew cause damage to your basement structure, as well as any items in the basement if moisture is not quickly removed. You can tell you have mold in your basement if it smells musty or you see mold.

How Does Mold Form?

Areas that retain moisture have a tendency to allow molds to form and grow. You will see the growth of mold in walls, floors, and basement carpeting if any moisture seeps into the basement. Mold can grow quickly, forming in any moisture that is left in your basement for more than a day.

Preventing Mold Growth

The only way to prevent the growth of mold is to fix moisture problems as mold is capable of growing on any wet surface. You need to apply a waterproofing coating to your walls and floors since they are the most susceptible to moisture. You must keep things dry, sometimes with the use of air cleaners and heaters, to prevent mold from taking over. You have the least possibility of mold growth in the areas that are the driest. To prevent the re-growth of mold in an area you have already cleaned it is a good idea to disinfect the spot and dry it out as quickly as you can.

Removing Mold

You need proper equipment and gear in order to safely remove molds from the surface of your basement walls and floors. You should always wear gloves and eye protection and immediately wash the clothes you were wearing. You can reduce the spread of airborne mold spores by dampening the area prior to cleaning it. While it will not work for all surfaces it is generally a good idea to scrub the area with detergent. The best thing to do with a moldy carpet is to throw it away. Carefully disinfect the entire area after the mold has been removed. Dry the cleaned area as quickly as possible. If there is not enough natural ventilation to allow for quick drying consider using a dehumidifier or heater.

The most common cause of a leaky basement is water coming in through the joint between the floors and the walls after a rain or snow melt. The common area for this to happen in is the corners. Water almost never comes up through a basement floor if the basement has been properly constructed. Hydrostatic pressure is caused by the build up of surface water around the foundation. This pressure pushes water in through the corners were the floor and walls meet.

Waterproofing Your Basement

Waterproofing your basement will protect your home from this type of leaks. Basement waterproofing takes place both inside and outside your home. This first step is to look for areas around the outside of your home where water collects near the foundation. You always want water to flow away from your foundation. Make sure that your downspouts direct all water at least eight feet from your foundation and that gutters are in good condition and free from debris. You can prevent some leaks by ensuring that water is directed away from your homes foundation.

Curing a New Concrete Slab

You get a denser and stronger concrete when water evaporation is slowed down during the curing process. You can use any sealing material as a curing sealer instead of using a temporary sealer or water mister. Capillaries will naturally develop in the concrete as it cures. After it has cured for at least 28 days you should apply two coats of a sealing material to both the slab and the walls. This bonds and strengthens the concrete while at the same time keeping vapor, radon, and water out of your basement. The mortar on concrete block walls should cure for at least 14 days before a sealer is added. Regularly check any joints or cracks in your concrete for leaks. One easy way to test for moisture leakage in your basement is to tape down the edges of a piece of aluminum foil with duct tape in an area where you suspect moisture. In a few days check back to see if any moisture is lurking under the aluminum foil.

Local flooding can result in flooding in your basement. Since the water is trapped in your basement and can not easily dry it can lead to many other problems as well. You will need to use special equipment to pump out the water. Pumping out water too quickly can lead to structural damage to your basement, so be sure that this task is handled with caution.

When Your Basement Gets Flooded

You must wait for the flooding to stop before you can do anything to repair the problem. Prior to entering the basement be sure that all gas valves and electricity have been turned off. To avoid damage to the walls pump out the water in stages. You can check for areas that need to be repaired after you have cleaned up mud and debris from the floor. You may want to consider waterproofing to prevent water from leaking in through cracks and joints in your basement.

Often mud and debris enter your basement along with water during a flood. This can cause damage to any items you may have in your basement, as well as your basement walls and floor. Mold and mildew can also result from stagnant water that is trapped in your basement. Bacteria which cause disease can also grow in this type of environment. In order to dry your basement as quickly as possible you may want to consider using a dehumidifier.

Keeping Water Out of Your Basement

Covering your basement windows with plastic covers is one step you can take to keep water from entering your basement. If you keep a washing machine in your basement check the hoses to be sure they are not leaking. It is also a good idea to inspect for broken water pipes or sewer ducts. Taking these precautionary measure can help stop problems before they cause major damage. You may need to hire a professional if major damage does occur .


One of the main components of mold growth in basements is excessive humidity. Not only can mold and mildew damage anything that is stored in your basement, it can also cause many problems for those who suffer from allergies. You can protect your home from mold, as well as rotting and water damage, by using a dehumidifier in your basement. Basement dehumidifiers can provide for ideal humidity conditions in your basement.

The Health Benefits of Dehumidification

You can moisturize the air in your home and bring relief to those suffering from allergies and other reparatory problems with the use of a humidifier. Many problems, including swollen nasal passages, dry skin, and asthma, can be alleviated by the use of a humidifier with a warm and cool mist. A dehumidifier in your basement can help to control the spread of mold and mildew, as well as prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

How Dehumidifiers Work

These devices do not cool the air but instead remove excess moisture from the air. To release moisture from the air they cool the air so that it can release its moisture and then heat it up again with the combined processes of condensation and latent heat. The air that comes out of the dehumidifier will be approximately two to five degrees warmer than the air that goes in. You need to purchase a dehumidifier which is designed to work with the size of room in which it will be placed, otherwise it can cause excessive heat in a room. To prevent this you should consider purchasing a unit with a humidistat which is set to automatically turn off the unit when it becomes warm in the room.

Key Things to Consider

Features that you will want to be sure to have in your unit are an auto signal light and adjustable humidity control. You will also want your unit to be able to automatically turn itself off when the drain pan is full. Other helpful features are a deodorizing filter and adjustable humidistat.

There are many causes of basement foundation damage including improperly compacted fill soils, improper maintenance, and expansive clay. This type of damage can create unsafe condition in the building. You should contact a foundation expert the moment you notice this damage in order to prevent future problems.

What to Look For

You will often see foundation distress in homes built on expansive soil. Some common problems that are seen with settling include cracked walls, doors that will not properly close, and bulging floors. You will see vertical cracks with settlement. Misaligned doors and windows, wall rotation, cracked bricks, cracks on the floor, displaced moldings, and separation around garage doors, windows or walls are all early signs of settlement problems.

Reasons for Foundation Settlement

You will find foundation settlement most often in soil that has a high percentage of clay content. The tendency of these types of soils to move is transferred to a buildings foundation. The foundation is vulnerable to upheaval as these soils will move unevenly. You can have settlement problems in both pier and beam and slab foundations. If the soil moves evenly around the foundation you will not have settlement issues. You can also find rough floors, poor drainage, and tripping hazards with concrete slab settlement.

Liquid Concrete Repair (LCR)

This system can repair concrete foundation leaks and cracks through the use of an epoxy injection system. The main components of this system are epoxy injection cartridges, epoxy crack sealer, and injection ports. LCR kits are sold which include sufficient material to fix an eight foot long foundation crack.

Repairing Sunken Concrete

Old techniques for repairing sunken concrete were pretty much useless. The good news is that there are viable repair options available these days. Experts today use new technology to repair the sunken concrete. Slab-jacking, where grout is pumped beneath the sunken concrete to restore it to its original level, is the most popular technique used today. Another technique used when a building is in more distress is hydraulic jacking or piering. This technique stabilizes concrete slabs through the use of steel posts and hydraulic jacks.

The most difficult place in your home to clean after a flood, and the most vulnerable to flooding, is the basement. You need a basement insulation system that allows you to keep your basement at a comfortable temperature for your family as well as easily dry out after a flood. The ability of your insulation material to retain moisture is one of its most important qualities.

Different Methods of Insulating Your Basement

Fiberglass insulation which is placed in the walls is the most common type of basement insulation. You can significantly reduce moisture condensation by adding a polyethylene installation to the fiberglass insulation to create a moisture barrier. Another type of insulation commonly used in basements is rigid insulation. This type of insulation helps to maintain your basement at an even temperature and to keep out moisture as well as wind.

Basement Insulation Problems

Many people dont realize the importance of their basements. This often results in inadequate basement insulation. The truth is that basement insulation is vital to protecting your home since it is the first area of your home to feel the impact of flooding or high winds. Paying close attention to your basement insulation can prevent moisture problems throughout your home. It is best to hire a professional basement insulation contractor to add insulation to your home, as they have experience dealing with all the pipes, vents, and ducts that run through your basement. You want an experienced professional to ensure that you have safe access to things like switches, fuse boxes, and other essential components after the insulation is installed.

Benefits of Basement Insulation

Keeping your basement moisture free is the most important benefit of insulating your basement. Once your basement is insulated you will no longer need to worry about odors, leaks, mold, and mildew. Insulating a finished basement can also greatly reduce your utility costs.

Just because your basement is not flooded does not mean it is dry. You can also get a wet basement through leaks and water seepage. You need to properly seal walls, floors, vents, and joints in order to eliminate moisture from your basement.

Stopping Leaks

Preventing leaks is really the only way to keep your basement dry. There are a number of places where water can enter your basement including the joints between the wall and the floor, cracks in the walls or floor, and walls. You can prevent leaks by sealing any cracks and joints in your basement floors and walls.

Keeping moisture out to begin with is the best maintenance technique for keeping a dry basement. You need to prevent the collection of water outside your home, especially if you are in a low lying area. The way to get rid of this excess water is to install a drainage system. You should also protect your basement by installing waterproofing. You can prevent water from coming through cracks and joints by properly installing a waterproofing system. It is a good idea to regularly inspect your basement for cracks and leaks so that moisture problems can be prevented. It is much better to catch problems before they occur.

Benefits of a Dry Basement

Keeping your basement dry will eliminate mold and mildew and the musty odors associated with them. Having a dry basement makes it possible to use the room as an extension of your living space, for a home office, den, or playroom. Even if your basement is only used for storage, keeping it dry will protect the items that are stored there. You may also want to use a dehumidifier in order to keep the space dry and warm if you are using it as family living space.