It is very important to determine the water source. One of the first things you have to do when facing such a problem is checking your gutter system; gutters can be choked-up with leaves. It is suggested that you extend your gutters eight feet away from your house. In order to do this, you can use plastic pipes buried and connected to underground drains. You have to be careful not to place the end of the gutter too close to your neighbor's house because you can find yourself with a lawsuit. You may find yourself in the situation when the ground surrounding your house slopes toward your home, therefore gathering water near your foundation. See if the water irrigation system for your house is releasing too much water near your house; also look for any cracks in the basement walls.
Signs of trouble with wet basements and foundations
Cracks in poured concrete walls, driveways, and pavement, have to be dealt with because they can damage your property's structure. Due to hydrostatic pressure, water is forced through cracks and voids inside your home. You can find waterproofing paint at almost every hardware store but this product does not provide you with the best solution for your problems. Water will manage to break through the paint cover. Drainpipes and French drains are very often used to prevent basement and foundation leaks. Using a French drain has the following advantages: it is not very expensive, it is quite easy to construct, and very efficient if it is installed properly. That is why we strongly recommend consulting an expert. Look for low areas of ground surrounding your house because water can easily accumulate here and infiltrate your foundation causing permanent damage. You may find yourself in the position where the ground surrounding your house slopes toward your home therefore gathering water near your foundation. In this situation the best thing to do it trying to create a slope away from your walls and basement and install a drain system.
Tips when hiring a waterproofing contractor.
The easiest thing to do is to check for cracks in the basement walls, make sure that the gutters are not clogged. This is something you can do on your own and it will not take a lot of time. Another thing you can do before hiring a waterproofing contractor is to ask your friends and family to recommend a contractor they used, a contractor that performed a job they were satisfied with. It is wise to organize meetings with different waterproofing contractors and have them check your house and prepare a plan for the work that needs to be done. This way you can choose the one that offers the most convenient solution, after a detailed comparison. Then, the only thing left to do is paying any deposit that might be required and have the contractor start work. You have to remember that it is better to consult a specialist because there are many technical parameters, standards and quotas to respect in order to finally solve your problems.
