Dampness issues in basement are widespread, but they need to be handled differently for different places. For instance, it may not be a major issue in a rarely used basement. Wet basement Toronto, however, are connected to your house via ductwork or openings. Moreover, now people use their basements as living and sleeping areas.
Wetness issues are not just uncomfortable but can cause serious health issues. Mold and mildew growth on your carpets and wallpaper can devastate them. Hence, dealing with the moisture issues is of substantial importance. Waterproofing services can treat the basement water issues, but doing it with perfection comes at a price.
The good thing is that not all leaky basements need waterproofing or a new drainage system. The water source is often sited on the outside, above ground and can be easily repaired.
Causes and solutions of wet basement
Inspect the landscape grading
Cause: Usually loose soil is used to backfill the areas when houses are constructed. Backfill settles quicker than undisturbed soil. It gets compressed with time, forms a downward sloping grade to your basement allowing the water to drain and pool against the floor making a way in through cracks.
Solution: Make sure the grade falls away from your basement walls and foundation by inspecting your house all around. For the starting it should have 2ft. of distance from the basement and the ground should incline an 8-inch perpendicular drop. In most of the cases, this resolves the issue.
Check for walkways for slope
Cause: Patio or walkways are made of concrete and if they are not efficiently sloped towards the building, it can cause damp basement. The concrete surfaces should slope away from the base by ¼ inch every straight line foot of distance.
Solution: It is tough to resolve this issue. Concrete slabs are mud-sealed to slope away from the building. Patios and walkways can be repaired and reconstructed after the foundation has been treated to proper slope.
Check the roof downspouts flow
Cause: An inefficient discharge of the gutter downspouts attracts inefficient drainage outside the home. Roof downspouts can cause flooding in places which are susceptible to drainage issues. It causes water spills at your foundation base. They are designed to direct water to footing drain system and sump pump via a drain pipe along the foundation wall.
Solution: Downspout with extensions that direct roof water away from the base is a good way to get rid of the water. The water is guided away from the house.
In order to prevent the rain from harming your external finish, the top of your basement should be 8-inches above the soil for sufficient landscaping. The plants should be planted at 2-ft away from the foundation wall and deep enough to prevent water from coming into the foundation.
Even after taking these steps, if you are unsure about your wet basement Toronto issue and solution, then hire waterproofing contractors to do the job for you. They are professionals and will do the task in a much better way than any DIYs.