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Signs of Basement Foundation Trouble
Do you have problems with a wet basement and have been worrying about how to keep it dry? Worried about the next thunderstorm headed your way? Perhaps it’s time to have your basement and foundation inspected so you’ll know why you’re having these problems.
The foundation of your home is just that… the foundation. It literally holds your house up. Without the proper support, you could be looking at expensive repairs as a best case scenario. Worst case, your home could become so dangerous it would eventually be condemned. Water and moisture can do serious damage to the foundation of any home.
Foundation Troubleshooting
Even if you notice very minimal leakage in your basement walls, you should not to put off investigating the problem. During a dry spell, you can get a false sense of security that a water leak was just a one-time occurrence. Foundation leaks and moisture problems never get better on their own. It’s something that will affect the value of your home and might even prevent a sale in the future. A smelly, leaking or wet basement keeps you from using the space, even just for storage.
Signs of Foundation Trouble
Do you see cracked walls, cracked or uneven floors in your basement? Have you noticed damp spots on the basement walls that increase in size with each rain? Take a minute and see if you can see a white chalky substance on the basement walls or mold growing over them? Is your basement filled with musty odor and you’re having trouble pinpointing the problem?
These are all the beginning signs of a foundation problem. It might not be serious at this point but it is certainly a good time to contact a foundation company to troubleshoot the causes.
The basement walls can get exposed to moisture often from a low grade concrete mix used during the construction of your house. It can also happen due to some cracks resulting from shifts and settling of the house or caused by penetrating tree roots. There's also a lot of pressure pushing on your basement walls from the expanding and contracting soil outside your foundation. Regularly check your basement for moisture problems even if you don’t use it on a regular basis. If your basement is finished, it’s going to be harder to notice problems until they’re really bad. Cracks can appear in the drywall, paint can peel back, and flooring can be soft and mushy and you’ll never see the cause until it’s too late. Musty smells are a great warning sign there’s trouble brewing in a finished basement.
A basement or foundation contractor can inspect your situation and let you know what the best course of action is. It could be an easy fix requiring some new drainage tiles on just one wall. Or a sump pump installation might do the trick. But it might be a complete foundation support installation, with all new drainage, and a wrapping on the inside and outside of the foundation walls. The best thing you can do is talk to several foundation contractors. Get several quotes from reputable foundation companies and you’ll be sure of what the problem is and how much you should be spending. And make sure there is a guarantee. A guarantee will give you the confidence to know you can resume use of your basement without worrying more water or moisture will cause problems in your home. Also, don’t fall for any foundation contractor who tells you things are so bad you must sign a contract that minute. Things can be bad but you have time to get more than one quote.
Basement wall repair and foundation drainage repairs usually can be done in one to three days, depending on the seriousness of the problem. Many companies have a particular method but try to avoid those who only want to paint the foundation walls with a moisture-resistant material. These coatings usually only last about a year before they give out. True drainage solutions are your best bet: drain tiles, sump pumps, wall re-enforcement, wrapping foundation, and filling in cracks and crevices. The average foundation repair system will cost from $4,000 to $8,000 but costs can go higher depending on how much work is needed to permantently fix and guarantee the issue.
Find a Foundation Inspector & Repair Pro
If you need to talk to a qualified foundation inspection service or a foundation repair company, submit a request to ConstructionDeal.com. There's no cost or obligation to hire anyone. It's a fast, free and easy way to find foundation pros. It's saves time because foundation contractors call you. And four free quotes will save you money by making sure you get to choose the best quote.