Many homeowners don't think about basement waterproofing projects until they are faced with a significant flooding emergency involving large amounts of unwanted water entering their home after a large rainfall or other natural occurrence. While solving these immediate water damage emergencies are important, large cracks in your basement walls and potential flooding problems are not the only dangers that face homeowners due to moisture in the basement. In fact, most water damage caused in basements isn't due to large floods, but instead due to small amounts of moisture seeping through the block walls over long periods of time.
The soil surrounding your basement always has a certain amount of water in it, which can increase or decrease depending on the time of year, rainfall and other factors. If you live in a dry western state, you may not have much problems with soil saturated by groundwater, but residents of coastal communities, the northeast, or the Pacific northwest may have serious problems with it. Saturated soil causes hydrostatic pressure on your basement walls and floors, which over time can push water through the blocks and cause some substantial damage.
Block walls can actually act like a sponge, soaking up water over time and allowing it to bleed through into the interior of your basement. In many cases, you can see evidence of this creeping water damage from white streaks on your walls. This, in addition to moisture in the air inside of your basement, can lead to the growth of dangerous black mold and mildew. And while mold and mildew can be killed using bleach or other products, only through a proper basement waterproofing job can you ensure that it won't return in the future.
Basement waterproofing to stop mold and mildew can be done both on both the interior and the exterior of your home. While specialized sealants and polymer coatings on the inside of your walls may stop the water damage problems for a little while, the only real permanent fix is to make sure that the footer drains on the outside of your home are properly installed and serviced to move excess water away from the home. By installing modern footer drains, you can stop water from ever reaching your basement floor and walls in the first place, effectively ending the need for interior basement waterproofing.
Mold and mildew can pose serious health risks to you and your family, not to mention the fact that they are unsightly and ugly to look at. By using all the best modern techniques available to waterproof your basement, you can get rid of dangerous mold growth once and for all.
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