Life in an older house can have both rewards and challenges. Homeowners of older homes may feel content with vintage features, like oversize windows, high ceilings, and beautiful woodwork. However, there may also be several challenges, one of which is often related to damp or wet conditions in the basement and crawlspace areas. If you love your older home but find yourself longing for a dry basement, these practical tips can help.
Start outside the home
If you have noticed that your basement or crawlspace moisture issues worsen after rains or when snow is melting, then you may need to begin outside the home. Clogged gutters and damaged or missing rain spouts may be directing water from the roof toward your basement or foundation walls. As the water pools against old concrete or masonry surfaces, their increased porosity can allow the moisture to more easily seep through the wall and end up inside the basement or crawlspace. Landscaping can also create a similar problem around older homes, especially if sloped or hardscaped areas are helping to funnel groundwater toward the foundation of the home. Taking action to address these situations can help to reduce pooling and help to keep your older basement a bit drier.
Look at basement walls
The next thing to examine should be the visible interior and exterior surfaces of the basement and foundation walls. Cracks, holes, and poorly fitting windows, doors, and other openings can make it easy for water to seep through. As time passes, the influx of water can become greater as the cracks and holes enlarge and the aging surface of the concrete becomes even more porous.
Concrete and masonry quality standards at the time your older home was constructed were likely to be inferior to the quality of that used in new home construction today. The most effective way to solve the problem of porous masonry and concrete basement and foundation walls in an older home is often to choose the application of a waterproof seal on the exterior surfaces.
Waterproofing contractors may need to excavate the soil away from basement walls before applying the waterproof sealant. In some cases, it may be necessary to also install a drainage system to collect and move water away from the home. If solving the challenge of your wet basement is something you really want to achieve, contacting a reputable basement waterproofing contractor in your area is the best place to begin. A basement waterproofing service can provide additional information.