“If something bad smells in the basement, it will eventually make its way to the attic.” ~ Anthony Liccione, American author and poet
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Depending on your basement, you may be very interested in waterproofing techniques or not interested at all. The issue comes down to whether or not your basement is damp or even wet. Coming up in the lessons in this section are different typical basement wetness scenarios and the recommended actions you should consider to remedy them.
As you study the material here, keep in mind that there are four main sources of water that can cause moisture problems in your basement:
- Rainwater and snow melt
- Humid air entering a cool basement during hot weather
- Water vapour passing through walls and floors.
- Ground water.
Different sources of leaked water require different strategies for keeping it out of your basement. Which of the upcoming five moisture scenarios in the upcoming lessons does your basement fit into? These lessons are important and explain what to look for. Figure things out now ahead of time, before you make any plans for finishing your basement.
In This Section...
Scenario#1: The Perfectly Dry Basement
SCENARIO#1: THE PERFECTLY DRY BASEMENT: If your basement has never leaked water, consider yourself fortunate. Just to be safe you should still test for the movement of water vapour through walls and floor using at least one method.
Continue ReadingScenario#2: The Dry-But-Sometimes-Humid Basement
SCENARIO#2: THE DRY-BUT-SOMETIMES-HUMID BASEMENT: Your challenge with a situation like this is to find out where the humidity is coming from, then see how you can stop it effectively.
Continue ReadingScenario#3: The Leaks-A-Bit-Sometimes Basement
SCENARIO#3: THE LEAKS-A-BIT SOMETIMES BASEMENT: This is also a very common situation and almost always involves rainwater or snow melt, not groundwater.
Continue ReadingScenario#4: The Leaks-A-Little Regularly Basement
SCENARIO#4: THE LEAKS-A-LITTLE-REGULARLY BASEMENT: It’s especially important that you don’t rush into finishing before your basement has proven itself dry.
Continue ReadingScenario#5:The Leaks-A-Lot Most of the Time Basement
SCENARIO#5: THE LEAKS-A-LOT-MOST-OF-THE-TIME BASEMENT: You’ll almost certainly need professional help to make this kind of basement dry. Even then success can’t always be guaranteed.
Continue ReadingTearing Out an Old Basement Best Practices
TEARING OUT AN OLD BASEMENT BEST PRACTICES: Gutting a basement is a big, heavy and potentially dangerous job. This danger is manageable, so don’t be frightened off.
Continue ReadingWhat To Do If You Find Mold
WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND MOLD: Mold is an essential and healthy part of the natural world, but when you discover mold in your basement, that’s another matter.
Continue Reading