While older homes have above ground crawl spaces that allow for airflow, a lot of newer homes have underground basements that are more susceptible to water and basement leaks. A dry basement is critical to a healthy home. Water is one of the most dangerous elements of your home. It’s quiet, it’s sneaky, and often you don’t know the damage is done until it’s too late.
Signs that you need waterproofing
Some of the signs are easier to spot than others, but it’s important that you’re prudent in searching for the signs of water damage. There are a few tell-tale signs that water might be affecting your home.
Check your carpets
If you feel dampness or moisture in cloth or fabrics around your home (not just the basement), you may have water issues. Often these issues can begin underneath the home and work their way up.
Mold and mildew
The smell of mildew can be a tell-tale sign. Often our noses can grow accustomed to smells around our home, so don’t take it lightly when someone suggests, “what’s that smell?” Mold and mildew are not only bad for your home, but it’s also incredibly dangerous to you! Mold grows in places you least likely see at first glance. Many folks have unknown mold allergies and are not sure what is causing the indoor air quality to be poorly. If you have been feeling bad and no doctor can figure out the problem, maybe check your home for any types of mold or mold exposure. Summit Environmental Solutions (SES) can show you how to prevent mold growth.
Efflorescence
If you’re seeing or feeling white chalk on your basement wall, this is a mineral deposit on your walls left behind by evaporated water. This is a big sign that you not only have moisture control issues, you might also have a leak.
What is basement encapsulation?
Encapsulation transforms damp or wet basements by elimination moisture intrusion points and air leaks. The improvement keeps your home dry and moisture, mildew, and damage free. How do we do this?
Basement leak repair
The first step is to identify leaks and repair those issues. Leaks can include water leaks and air leaks, as often one leads to the other.
Drainage
Our encapsulation team is capable of designing a drainage system for excess water flows around your property. Remember that not any two houses are exactly the same, and often times the solution may be tailor-made for your home. Channeling water away from your home effectively is the first step to eliminating moisture problems around the house. This is the first step in keeping water away from the house.
Vapor barrier
To prevent future moisture from coming through, a vapor barrier is installed with an airtight reinforced polyethylene guard. This barrier runs under posts and installed appliances and runs up the foundation and walls. This is the second step in keeping water out of the basement.
Concrete slab
You can safely walk on the vapor barrier, but many homeowners prefer laying concrete slabs down above the barrier when waterproofing basement walls and floors. If you’re planning on finishing your basement and turning it into usable living space, you’ll want to be sure to do this step.
