Nobody likes moisture. Your home doesn’t like it either! It always leads to difficult situations and is a sign for serious water problems. Some homes even have reported foundation damage, just after a few months of moisture.

So how does one deal with this annoying occurrence? Well, moisture is always a sign for water damage. Issues with excess water can happen from a number of reasons. From leaky pipes to underground water springs, these issues must be solved immediately.

1. Sump Pump

The key part of a basement waterproofing mechanism is the sump pump. What the sump pump does is it pumps out excess water, previously gathered by a piping mechanism, usually a weeping tile. This works great for all homes, but sometimes whether due to poor installation or manufacturing, the sump pump does more harm than it does good.

Some homes need multiple sump pumps and backwater valves, so besides installing a sump pump you should mind its quality, installation, power and effectivity. Just like gutter, it should be regularly cleaned from debris and dirt.

2. Weeping Tile

Moisture happens because of improperly drained excess water. That water can come from the roof, from the piping and from bellow the ground. Some homes have soil that is prone to water accumulation and that’s why they frequently face floods. To solve this issue, you have 3 options:

• Exterior basement waterproofing
• Interior basement waterproofing
• Draining mechanism in your backyard.

Weeping tiles have existed for centuries and they were created for improving agriculture. Today we also use them for backyard drainage. The philosophy is simple: If we stop water form accumulating in our backyards, we stop it from putting pressure on our exterior walls. This way we prevent any kind of possibility for basement moisture, leaks and floods.

3. Window Well

If you want to make a living area out of your basement, you must be willing to invest. Besides improving our drainage mechanism, window wells significantly change our basements looks for the better. With providing ventilation and natural light, a window well can make our basements look like they belong in a million dollar mansion.

So a window well improves comfort but how does it affect moisture? Sometimes the causes for moisture are simple, sometimes it has do to with high humidity. If we don’t have windows, there won’t be a way for the air to circulate. All rooms who lack ventilation have moisture.

4. Roof Maintenance

Most assume that roofs and basements aren’t linked in any way. However, if the roof is damaged, the basement can be affected as well and vice versa. And if roof damage can do harm to your basement image what it does to the rest of your home!

From severe foundation damage, to destroying your floor walls and furniture, roof leaks shouldn’t be ignored.

Roof shingles don’t last forever. With time they crack and curl. The most common material for shingles is asphalt but it is also the one with the smallest life span. If weather is nice and you regularly clean them, asphalt shingles can last a maximum of 20 years.

Contrary to that, metal and tile can even reach 100 years. But numbers should be taken so seriously since each home and roof is different. That’s why you should schedule regular inspections and protect your home from serious damage.

5. Gutter Maintenance

An important part of a roof’s structure are the gutters. If they get clogged, detached or damaged in any way, rainwater can reach the basement and increase moisture levels, creating cracks and leaks. Water reaches the basement through 3 paths:

• Through exterior walls and window cracks
• With large splashes on your yard
• Through roof cracks and attic leaks

Gutters should be cleaned 2 times a year and after every storm. This way you ensure that water’s pathways are always clean and undisturbed by leafs, bird nests and pesticides.

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Danny White