Basement waterproofing is essential because leaky basements and moisture build-up can decrease the value of your property. Also, it helps in reducing excess moisture and eliminates musty odors and allergens that affect your health.
Water affects and weakens the structure of a property and causes damage to its foundation. Waterproofing helps you ensure a strong foundation and reduces deterioration. However, people do not consider getting waterproofing done, which makes a home with many mistakes. Following are the mistakes that one should avoid when waterproofing your basement:
1) Trying to fix the issue by yourself without any expertise:
People often try to fix the problem by themselves, which might end up in a disaster to save money. Basement waterproofing should be left over to experts and should be done by someone who is professionally capable of it, leading to efficient work and long-lasting effects.
2) Opting for waterproofing paint as the ultimate solution:
Waterproofing paint may seal the moisture, but that remains for a certain period of time. The root cause of the leakage problem won’t get solved by this paint; it will only cover that area to a limited extent. Hence It is advised to look for some permanent solution rather than temporary ones like waterproofing paint. Proper waterproofing should be done to the basements to avoid any problematic situations.
3) No water management of roof water run off:
The most commonly overlooked problem is managing the roof water runoff. This will lead to a wet basement and make a home for many problems, ultimately damaging the foundation of your property. The first step to fix the leaky basement is appropriately managing the exterior water. Make sure to get gutters installed with downspouts that take roof water a minimum of 8 feet from the foundation.
4) Not doing the waterproofing on time:
Wet basements lead to many issues that may hamper the base of a property. One of such issues is that a wet basement could turn into a home for mold. A mold requires only 24 hours to grow. If you overlook this problem and let the mold grow further, it will destroy the foundation of your property.
5) Ignoring the signs:
You might often ignore the signs of water damage like moisture in the air. Many times when you go into a room having some water damage, you will be able to smell it before you see it. And if there is such type of damp smell in the air, do not ignore it, as it means there is a leak somewhere that is creating damage.
6)Not hiring the best person to do the job:
The major waterproofing mistake that people often make is while choosing who to call for waterproofing. Choosing the right person to do the job can be difficult in itself. But if you end up choosing the wrong person, you may open the door for additional problems for yourself. The best way to hire the correct person for waterproofing is to research and opt for the best.
