Water penetration mainly comes from the outside through the foundation and can cause among other things damage to the wall systems, insulation, rot on wood members, mould and damage to personal property. Water penetration in the basement can be prevented by following these simple guidelines and regularly inspecting the components and areas that may cause water penetration and subsequent damage in your home.
1. Check all the downspouts and extensions and make sure that they are well connected and are shedding the water at least three feet away from the house to prevent water penetration.
2. Avoid planting bushes or trees next to the foundation so that roots don’t affect the foundation.
3. If you are planning to build a planter make sure that you do waterproofing behind because watering the plants maycause moisture penetration in the foundation.
4. Any holes near the foundation must be sealed so that water does not penetrate.
5. The ground must slope away from the house so that there is a natural drainage of the rain water away from the foundation.
6. Any cracks in the foundation must be sealed to prevent water from penetrating.
A home maintenance inspection will cover all these areas and more so that you do not have to worry about water penetration in your basement. Many solutions are now available including epoxy injection for cracks, applying waterproofing sealer and installing a waterproofing membrane. A qualified contractor will give the best solution if there is an issue already.
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