Friday, January 10, 2014

10 Tips on Fixing a Leaky Basement in Kingsport, TN

Kingsport, TN experiences all types of weather throughout the year, including snow, ice, and heavy thunderstorms. With all of this moisture, it's really no surprise that homeowners have problems with leaks in their basement. Unfortunately, a lot of Kingsport homeowners won't do anything about the basement moisture problem until it's far too late and too much damage has been done. Don't let this happen to you. Be proactive about the situation and get your wet basement problem fixed before it costs you a small fortune to get repaired! 

Aside from being a pain, a leaky basement can cause a variety of problems for your home and for your family's healthy. A wet basement has a lot of moisture, obviously, and this moisture can cause damage to your wooden support beams, floor joists, and to anything you have stored in this area of your home. Also, basement moisture can lead to the growth of dangerous mold which can make your family really sick.  

Here are 10 Tips to Fixing a Leaky Basement in Kingsport, TN: 

1. Adding gutter extensions - Often times, leaky basements are brought on by rain falloff that's not driven away from the home properly. To avoid unsightly extensions, you can contact Seal-TIte to install underground gutter extensions to avoid tripping and to keep things neat.  

2. Plugging the gaps - Water can be seen dripping through cracks in the wall or in gaps around plumbing pipes. A call to Seal-Tite can get these foundation and plumbing problems taken care of quickly.  

3. Fix the slopes - You may want to check if surface water is draining away from the house properly. Your house should have a crown of soil that slopes down away form the house, at least 6 inches over the first 10 feet in all directions to ensure water is driven away from your foundation.  

4. Landscape - Having a slope on your property isn't the only solution to a moisture-filled basement - you can also landscape the grounds around your home to include features that redirect water even before it reaches the house. Aside from being functional, it can also be your chance to make the grounds around your home more attractive.  

5. Repair drains - If water seems to come from the lower walls of the basement, or where the walls meet the floor, you might have a hydrostatic pressure problem wherein water is pushed up from the ground. Check if your home has footing drains, which carries water away from the foundation. If you don’t have a drain, we can install one.  

6. Pull the curtain drains - For basements without footing drains, or at least if they don't work, curtain drains can also divert water away from your home. It is a shallow trench composed of gravel and perforated piping that can intercept water uphill at your house and it will divert it a safe distance away.  

7. Install a sump pump - Despite your best efforts, water can still find its way into your basement, and the best way to deal with it is with a sump pump. A sump pump is installed in the lowest part of your basement floor and sends water away from your house.  

8. Get a back up pump - In situations where your sump pump might fail, you might not notice it right away, which is where a back up battery operated sump pump can be useful. Also, if a power outage occurs, you are still protected.  

9. Waterproofing the walls - Even if you divert all the water away from the house, your walls still need protection, and this is why you should waterproof your walls to prevent any damage or deterioration, as well as ensure no stray water creeps through.  

10. Call a professional - The above tips range from the simple to major. Instead of trying to deal with this work on your own, it's best to call in a professional from Seal-Tite who will be able to take care of the problem for you fast, and for a price you can afford.
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