There are a few dangers of not waterproofing your basement.
Depending on the age of your home and the area that you live in, you may or may not have ever experienced the joy of a flooded basement. In this area of the country, many homes have basements, and when we get a lot of rain, water tables rise and rainwater rushes down slopes or overflows gutters and collects around old foundations: the perfect recipe for gross water inside the house, where you want it least. The solution is to waterproof your basement, but it can be an expensive process sometimes, and one that people often put off as long as they can. Read on for four dangers of not waterproofing your basement.
Damage To The Structure
Masonry, like your foundation, is an extremely sturdy building style, but persistent exposure to water will eventually cause severe damage. If you have a cracked or crumbling foundation, it is putting your whole house at risk. When you have a basement that leaks or floods, you are risking this sort of continuous exposure to water. When you have a significant flood, you also will see damage to the internal structure of the home: walls, flooring, and so on.
Potential For Electrical Hazard
If you get enough water in the basement of your home, you risk a significant electrical danger. Many homes in this area with basements are old enough that there are likely to be outlets that might not meet code in terms of how high off the floor they are: if you get enough water to reach these electrical outlets the danger could be catastrophic. Waterproofing your basement is the first step, and upgrading your electrical system should follow
Destroyed Possessions
What do you have stored in your basement? Out-of-season clothing, holiday décor, boxes of memories? All of these things could be destroyed by a flooded basement. And while the clothing could probably be replaced (maybe not that old baby onesie you hung onto for sentimental reasons, however), many of the other items can’t. Since you use the basement to store important things, you should protect them by waterproofing the basement.
Mold And Mildew Damage
Finally, once water gets somewhere it doesn’t belong, mold and mildew follow soon after. Even if you dry up the water and you don’t see any obvious water damage, you could still end up with mildew and mold. They grow in spaces that are hard to get to, like under flooring and behind walls, that you may not even realize got wet. And once they start to grow, the danger persists, since the spores spread and can cause illness and respiratory distress.
Lanham Construction For All Your Construction Needs
Lanham Construction is an award-winning and dependable construction company dedicated to serving your home or business with whichever construction project you have in mind. Our professional team is eager to serve customers throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. When you pick Lanham, you won’t ever have to worry about the process. We’re here to help every step of the way.