Does My House Have Basement Water Seepage

Every homeowner will have to deal with basement water seepage at least once over the course of their home owning lives.

Water seepage happens when water from the outside of the home moves through the walls, insulation and ductwork to take up residence inside of the home. It often happens in the spring after the annual thaw has happened or after heavy rainfalls or storms. A contractor can help you determine whether or not the water you have found in your basement is from seepage or from a leak somewhere inside the house.

Many people get basement seepage and flooding confused—most likely because, left unattended, seepage can turn into flooding, which is why every home owner should have the name and number of a good contractor on hand.

A professional can help you determine the source of your basement water seepage and tell the home owner how severe the seepage is. He can also usually fix that seepage and keep it from recurring.

The way to tell seepage apart from flooding is to take an objective look at the current state of one's basement:

1. If the basement floor is submerged in water or has large water deposits that are growing and keep coming back, it is likely that the homeowner is experiencing flooding.

2. Seepage is usually from a single source and, depending on the size of that source can be a simple trickle down the basement wall or result in inches of standing water on the basement floor.

The main difference between the two is how easily the home owner can control the damage. It is easy to control and stop seepage. Flooding, on the other hand will require more than the help of a single contractor.

One of the best ways to keep seepage from damaging a basement is to make sure that proper waterproofing has been done to the outside of the foundation as well as to the inside of the foundation. It is also a good idea to waterproof any exterior walls and the roof of a home as well, otherwise the first heavy rain could bring the seepage right back.

Obviously before any home owner attempts to water proof his or her home, a contractor should be consulted. This professional will be able to guide the homeowner to the right water proofing material and can help the home owner decide whether or not water proofing is even necessary. Sometimes all that is needed to fix seepage is a quick repair job!