It is important that you waterproof your basement for a number of reasons. You want the base of your house to be as stable as possible and ensuring that it is waterproofed can help keep out moisture. Waterproofing the basement means that your property will be stable and can fetch more money in the long run. You also need to know that waterproofing makes it impossible for the basement to crack and this will make it more long-lasting. It will not have any water or humidity getting into the house. There are many signs that can show that a basement requires to be waterproofed. If you see efflorescence in a basement, this is just one of the signs that it requires to be redone and waterproofed.
Here are 6 signs that you are in need of waterproofing your basement:
Musty odor and damp basement
This is a very clear sign that your basement needs to be waterproofed. If the basement has an odor that makes it smell like the locker-room in middle school, then it means that water has been seeping over the years. Even if there are no signs of seepage, the smell should be enough to make you decide to waterproofing the basement.
There is the presence of mold
If you see any kind of molding in your home, this is a clear sign that there is water seeping in the said areas. If you see any mold in your basement, then you have to take it upon yourself to do some form of waterproofing. The fact that there is mold in the basement means that you have to move with speed and sort out the problem. Bring an expert to check the extent of the damage and have the waterproofing done.
Visible efflorescence
Efflorescence refers to the white substance that is visible on the walls. It comes about when salt migrates to the surface of concrete and other types of porous materials. It coats the concrete and this can only happen when there is leakage of water to the surface. When you see this, it means that your basement needs waterproofing.
The walls and the floor have cracks
If your walls or your floor have cracks, it means that there will be a water seepage problem. As such, you need to ensure that you have waterproofed it as soon as possible. If the cracks are the only issue with the floor or the walls, then you can just waterproof this section with ease. It will also be much cheaper.
Bowed Walls
There are instances when the concrete walls will look curved or bulging. They will finally cause a crack that runs horizontally and this can allow water to infiltrate. This will bring a lot of compromise to the foundation. Steel bracing could easily fix this problem.
Walls have watermarks
When water runs down the basement walls, it is going to leave watermarks. This is a sign that water has infiltrated over the top of the basement. You need to waterproof the space so that water does not cause damages to the whole foundation.