How To Deal With a Wet Basement: 3 Steps You Can Take to Damp-Proof Your Home

Posted by elain martell on November 15th, 2021

Your basement is a place where you store your household items and work on projects. But, over time, it can become a source of water damage to your home. Wet basements can cause wood rot, mold growth, and a variety of other potential problems for the health of your family. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to damp-proof your home.

You can install a sump pump or dehumidifier to keep water out of the basement and prevent mold from developing. Here, are some ways to damp proof your home today!

Dealing With a Wet Basement

1. Review Your Basement

Before any damp-proofing work is done, take a good look at your basement. Are the wood floors dry? Are there any signs of rot in the walls? Are your walls actually rotting? If so, take action to make your basement dry, or at least in good shape for re-use down the road.

2. Improve Your Drainage

Many homes have plumbing and drain problems. The stucco exterior may be damaged and causing water to enter your basement. Could the whole foundation of your house be sinking? If so, the entire basement could be sinking and water would eventually find its way into your home. Fix these issues and ensure that the water can\'t get into your home.

3. Keeping the Water Out

Sealing windows, doors, and cabinets to keep out moisture is the first step to damp proofing kent for your home. There are a lot of great products that can help you seal windows, doors, and cabinets that let moisture and drafts in.

5. Optimizing Ventilation

Even if you have an air conditioner for the summer, you still need to ensure that the duct work runs efficiently and provides a vent to the outside. Â This way, you can prevent the development of mold if it does get wet.

Conclusion

Basements are one of the least frequently tended to parts of the house. They don’t receive as much attention from home owners as other areas like the roof or the walls.