The Dangers Of A Wet Basement
A wet basement can be a frustrating situation to have in your home at any time during the year. It is a particularly disastrous condition to have as the reasons for it are simple and fairly easy to fix. Most of the dangers are based in structural and health issues. A basement that always has water in it is not a healthy situation.
A definition of this condition would be that there is standing water on the floor during the majority of the time. This not usually caused by the water table rising. This is caused by water either leaking or seeping through the cement walls into the space. Standing water brings many structural issues in with it such as rot and a slippery floor.
One of the largest health issues attending this wetness is the possibility of mold. This is something that can be a deadly mix for any family and should be dealt with as quickly as possible. No one should be allowed to stay in this area until it has been remedied. Mold is a very invasive problem and can grow on any surface that comes into contact with it.
When a basement is being built, an eight to ten foot hole or bowl is dug in the packed earth. Drainage pipes are installed around the bowl and the cement floor is poured. The forms for the walls are erected and the walls are then poured and allowed to set. If the two mating surfaces between the floor and the wall is not prepared properly the seam will not seal.
If the seam between the two surfaces do not seal water can be allowed to seep through. This will result in the condition of a basement that is wet. A damp basement is simply that, walls or floors that have a film of moisture on them. This is not the danger that is represented by it being truly wet.
The fix that can be made for this type of condition is fairly straight forward if not a little inconvenient. The outside of the cement wall should have been waterproofed before the dirt was tamped back down around the new walls. This will have to be done at this time to fix this problem.
A waterproofing material is available that can be applied on the inside of the cement walls, however, this is a stop gap measure only. If the seams that are leaking can be located, a crack filling product can be employed to simply fill it in. This will take care of minor issues and take a minimum of time and money.
After all leaks and seeping has been dealt with, the mold, if present, will have to be cleaned up. The surfaces that have had the mold growth should be thoroughly cleaned or removed and replaced. This will aid in the prevention of any re-growth. Only when everything has been sealed and cleaned should anyone be allowed to re-enter this formerly wet basement for extended periods.
Looking for a leaky basement service provider can be difficult. Make sure you get information from different sources before you choose your foundation crack repair service provider.
Looking for a leaky basement service provider can be difficult. Make sure you get information from different sources before you choose your foundation crack repair service provider. http://www.waterproofingsolutions.ca
Author Bio: Looking for a leaky basement service provider can be difficult. Make sure you get information from different sources before you choose your foundation crack repair service provider.
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