Have you have ever thought “why tank a basement?“, well basements often act like a house’s foundation. It supports the house and everything in it. Basements are also great for protection against certain weather, including tornadoes and freezing temperatures. They have many uses, though, with daylight basements used as garages, maintenance rooms, or even for living in. The buried part of it can also be used for storage, laundry, and housing water tanks.
Whatever purpose your basement has in your home it’s important to ensure that you source a professional to help with basement waterproofing delaware county, or in your local area. You’ll not only want to make sure of this so as to avoid water damage, but other reasons include saving you money, time, and inconvenience. Let’s go into more depth:
Protecting Belongings
Perhaps you use your basement to store your most treasured belongings, like old report cards, photographs, seasonal clothes, camping, or fishing gear. You might even store food or cleaning products there, along with your washing machine and dryer to do your laundry.
Whatever you choose to use it for or whatever possessions you have in your basement, they’ll be the first things that will be affected if there’s water damage in there. It doesn’t even have to be excess water, additional moisture or mold will cause damage to items that may be irreplaceable or have sentimental value, as well. It will just take longer for you to notice, which means during that time there could be damage you’ve not even realized is there. This is regardless of whether you have waterproof bags because there’s moisture in the air that can still cause damage.
Additionally, mold not only thrives in such an environment but can be a potential health hazard if left untreated and allowed to grow. Mold can be particularly harmful to those with respiratory conditions, like asthma. It can also leave an unpleasant odor that often accompanies damp, not only thanks to the mold growth but also the insects that can make your water-damaged basement their new home.
If this happens, you can put up temporary waterproofing measures in your basement to stop this odor from moving to your home. It’s always worth reaching out to an expert to see what solutions they can provide. Remember this is an investment if it saves your home in the long run.
Lowering Utility Bills
Waterproofing your basement could help you save on heating bills, including gas or electricity if they’re used to help warm your home. This is because dampness won’t be allowed to penetrate the walls or floor so you won’t be using excess heating to keep your home warm.
The experts at Romeo’s Fuel suggest keeping a watchful eye on your heating bill. And, why not? The increase in bills makes a little sense during the summer season when there’s no need to keep your house warm. Thus, it could be a red flag for a basement leak. You may want to even consider updating your water tank, perhaps even considering a tankless water heater to further save on utility bills. You could end up saving more than you thought possible with a few sensible changes along with waterproofing your basement.
Preventing Foundation Cracks and Upheaval
New build homes often have a period when there may be slight movement as they settle. This can also occur when there is an occasional loosening of soil or changes in weather. However, if your home’s foundation has started to crack or has been unevenly laid, it could cause one side of your home to settle more quickly than the other. Although you can’t prevent this, you can waterproof your foundation, perhaps even considering basement waterproofing from Oriole, to ensure that water doesn’t reach it and cause any more unsettling or heave. There are two benefits to doing this: your basement floor will not become more uneven and water will not penetrate through your walls or floor and into your home.
Saving Money on Repairs
It’s understandable if you can’t complete renovations or repairs due to a lack of funds. However, the problem won’t go away, nor will it miraculously repair itself. For instance, if you see dampness on your basement wall, you may not think anything of it. As it becomes worse, you may mention you need to get it looked at. But when you notice there’s a little water line trickling down, you decide now is the time to act. Yet, it’s taken the best part of 6 months to a year to get to this stage and during this time, a bit of damp has now become a leak, albeit a small one.
Just think: if you had got someone to inspect your basement before you had seen water trickling down one of its walls, you actually may have saved yourself money. Waterproofing your basement is similar to this scenario. The initial expense will compensate you in years to come by saving your basement from flooding.
Retaining Your Property’s Value
Small cracks often become bigger cracks over time, especially if they’re left to grow. Leaks have a similar trait; small leaks if left can become bigger leaks or even a flood if left to fester. If you leave either, you have the potential for irreparable damage. In fact, any damage caused by cracks or water can considerably decrease your property’s value.
A basement leak can lead to as much as a 30% loss in your property’s market value, according to recent research. Why throw your money away? If you have money set aside doing nothing, why not invest it in Basement Refinishing and waterproofing to retain your property’s true value?
Avoiding Costly Claims on Insurance
The last thing any of us want to do is unnecessarily claim on our insurance. We risk our premiums increasing or finding it difficult to obtain coverage. Therefore, one of the best things you could do is protect your foundation and waterproof your basement to stop water from penetrating into your home.
If you manage to do this before you move into your home, all the better. However, if you’re able to do it before there are any signs of water damage, then you’ll have peace of mind and not have to worry about water damage to your basement. Consider instructing Water Damage Restoration services as a proactive measure to ensure the integrity of your basement and prevent potential water-related issues in the future.
Our basement is often the place where we spend the least amount of time unless it’s a room that’s used daily. Nevertheless, it should be regularly checked for cracks, movement, dampness, or leaks. If any of this is present then seek the advice of a professional immediately. How quickly you do this could make the difference between an expensive, major repair or something that requires only a few days of work, with no major upheaval to your family. However, prevention is better than cure, so if you want to invest in your property and retain its value, then consider waterproofing your basement if not before you move in, then at your earliest opportunity.
