Waterproofing a damp basement can be a scary task to undertake – especially if you don’t do it every day. There is a lot of information to know and many decisions to make. Be sure to avoid common waterproofing mistakes with these helpful tips.

1. Avoiding the problem
Are your personal belongings heaped in a dry spot in your otherwise wet basement? If this is your best strategy to getting a dry basement, there is a long way to go. Many people purposely don’t go into their basement; ignorance is bliss, after all. The big problem with avoiding your wet basement problem is that over time mold, mildew and other creatures will live down there. The reason this is a big problem (besides being gross) is that it will slowly eat away at your home’s wood structure. This won’t bring your house crashing down right away, but it does create problems that become much more expensive to fix later on. And it can give you, your kids and pets allergies and other health symptoms, too.

2. Throwing in a sump pump
Many homeowners have had bad experiences with sump pumps because they may have tried to install one in the basement before. This usually involves jack hammering the concrete floor, a muddy sump pump pit, water everywhere and a lot of frustration.

The reason for the frustration is usually because it’s a stressful situation unless you’re a basement waterproofer and you’re probably out of your comfort zone by a mile. You can install a sump pump by yourself, but professionals do it every day so they know what the best pumps to use are, what kind of liner or “pit” to use, where the discharge should go, etc. This will make your sump pump last as long as possible, so you get the most for your money.

3. I’m moving soon anyway
If you’re like me, when you’re buying a house you may scrutinize every little thing. That means you’ll probably notice if a home’s basement is damp, has puddles or even more water in it. No one wants to buy a house in this condition because they know that they’ll have to spend money and time to fix the problem. That’s really not a bonus when buying a house – it’s a big deal to buyers.

By getting your wet basement dried out before you sell your home, you’re sending buyers a signal with your actions that you took care of the house well and it’s worth more money than if you hadn’t. Plus, it’s more convenient for buyers because they don’t have to dry the basement out.

4. Having a wimpy dehumidifier
Dehumidifiers are a must in any basement or crawl space. They help prevent humid conditions that allow mold and mildew to thrive in your basement and they keep the air comfortable and dry. The thing is, not all dehumidifiers are created equal.

Dehumidifiers have cold coils in them that help condition (wring moisture out of) the air. In dehumidifiers you get at your local home improvement store, the cold coils are small. As a result, the machine dehumidifies the air, but only to a certain point.

If the cold coil is small and wimpy, then it can’t dehumidify all the air that is passing over it. Much air passes through with moisture still in it. The bucket on the dehumidifier can only hold so much water coming out of the air. Your basement may get somewhat drier, but it probably won’t be dry enough. (This is especially true of larger homes, which then have larger basement areas to dry out.) What this means to you as a homeowner is there is still a possibility that mold and mildew can be living in your basement and home.

The way to avoid this is to get a high capacity and efficient dehumidifier. The cold coil on this dehumidifier is much larger than regular, residential dehumidifiers. That means… you guessed it… it dehumidifies a lot more air at one time, until the space reaches the level of humidity set.

Look for a dehumidifier that uses a lot less electricity than the home improvement store models. That’s more money in your wallet in electric costs. Plus, certain industrial dehumidifiers almost double the amount of water they can take out of the air over their counterparts and also drain automatically, with no bucket to empty. That sounds like a win-win situation to me!

5. Not calling a professional sooner
Whatever your reason for not calling in a professional sooner, some basement waterproofers are experts in their field for a reason – they waterproof each and every day with the best products and services available. That gives them plenty of experience, tips and knowledge that the rest of us do not have. When you call a responsible basement waterproofer to dry out your basement, you may literally sleep better because you know you’re in good hands and your wet basement problems are under control. So why not call a responsible basement waterproofing company in your area today?

Author Bio: To find a responsible Kalamazoo basement waterproofing expert, contact Ayers Basement Systems today.
Marianne Snyder frequently writes about home improvement topics like basement waterproofing, crawl space repair and home energy audits.

Category: Home/Home Improvement
Keywords: basement waterproofing, dry basement, dry crawl space, Kalamazoo