Got Water? Take These Steps To Keep Your Basement Dry

Homes are designed to keep the elements out, so it’s no surprise that many homeowners are alarmed to find puddles of water in the basement. No matter the state your basement is in right now, taking these steps can help you get it dry again. 

Dry Out the Space

It may be obvious that you don’t want to leave standing water in a basement, but even smaller amounts can cause serious trouble over time. Take a moment to consider what water sitting in your basement can do. In addition to causing wear to concrete floors and walls, it also encourages mold growth in fibrous materials (drywall, carpeting, wood, etc.) and can compromise indoor air quality.

For these reasons, you’ll want to take steps to dry out the basement as quickly as possible. That will often mean physically removing water with pumps and then using fans or dehumidifiers to pull excess moisture from the air and building materials.

Find the Leak

You’ll need to find the source of your leak before you can fix it. This can be a challenge; however, if water entering your basement or crawlspace is a relatively new occurrence, then there might be visible signs to point you in the right direction. It can be helpful to make a note of any visible issues when you call to schedule basement waterproofing Parma. This way the contractors know when the problem started and any known issues that may be contributing to it. 

Repair Water Damage

Once you have the leak fixed, you can take steps to remove any damaged building materials and furniture and make necessary repairs. Water can completely destroy materials such as drywall and carpeting, so you’ll probably need to have them replaced. Use proper safety equipment if you suspect there is mold in anything you handle.

You want to minimize moisture in a home’s basement whenever possible. Once things are dried out, finding and fixing leaks are the next steps in that process. Then, any damaged materials should be repaired or replaced as needed.