Water damage in your basement? It’s a problem that needs to be taken care of right away. If not, it will continue to get worse and can become costly – and unhealthy – very quickly.

There is moisture in the soil that surrounds your basement. If there is a lot of water in the soil, either from groundwater, heavy rains or thaws, it will find it’s way into your basement through cracks in your basement and foundation walls.

Condensation can also be a source of moisture in your basement. When the warm moist air inside your home meets the cold basement walls, condensation forms. Enough condensation can be just as bad as a leaky basement.

No matter how it gets there, once water gets inside, it can damage your basement and its contents in a number of ways:

• Damage to finished basements – water can stain and weaken wood studs, panelling and flooring
• Mould and Mildew – spores are present in the air, but remain mostly harmless until they find a nice damp spot in your basement where they can cultivate and grow. Mould and mildew can aggravate allergies, cause breathing problems and generally create an unhealthy environment in your home – not to mention the unpleasant, musty odour.
• Basement and foundation wall damage – as water enters through small cracks, it can make the cracks larger and damage the walls. Unsightly mineral deposits are left on walls and floors as water evaporates.
• Your belongings – anything you have in a leaky basement can suffer water damage and be ruined. Unsightly stains, mould and odours can affect clothing, furniture, sports equipment and stored items.
• Dirt and insects – water that leaks into your basement brings with it anything that was outside the wall – including soil and insects, which can have their own devastating effects on your home