How to Repair Wet Basements

Repair Your Wet basement

A wet basement is a serious concern for any homeowner. It will cause mold and mildew to grow resulting in a damp musty smell, it will encourage insects and small animals to inhabit your home and it can damage the structural integrity of your house. In order to repair a wet basement you must stop the influx of water and repair the damage already done to your basement.

Things You'll Need

• Spackle
• Putty Knife
• Sander
• Roll on tar
• Insulation
• Bleach

Instructions

Find the source of the leak

1. Check the drains and gutters around your house. Pour water in the drains and gutters and check to see if there is any leakage or blockage. Leaky, blocked or small drains and gutters more often than not empty into the earth around the basement. "According to State Farm Insurance the easiest solutions to overflowing gutters are to either add another downspout on that run of gutter or to increase the size of the downspout." Also clear your drains and gutters of leaves and debris often to prevent overflowing.

2. Check your indoor plumbing. Carefully look at all of the exposed plumbing in your basement for any signs of leakage. Usually you will be able to see the water either dripping from the pipes or running down the sides of the basement wall. Apply epoxy potty to any holes in the pipes to stop the leaking.

3. Observe if any wetness occurs after it rains. If your basement gets wet after it rains it could mean that there is a rising water table. If there is a pond or a lake close to your house which swells after rain the extra water may penetrate your basement. In this case you will need to reseal your basement walls.

Repair the damage to your basement

1. Fix cracks in the basement wall and floor. Constant water seepage will erode your basement walls and floor causing cracks to the structure which leads to greater seepage. If you have small cracks you can repair them yourself by filling the crack with spackle. Add enough spackle to completely fill the crack and then sand it when it is dry making sure it is even with the rest of the wall. If you have a large crack it is advisable to hire a professional company to repair it.

2. Seal the basement walls. Coat the walls with roll on tar and then cover them with insulation. This will prevent moisture from seeping into the basement. For a more pleasing look to your basement walls use insulation that is already painted or has designs.

3. Get rid of mold and mildew. Mix one gallon of water and one cup of bleach in a plastic bucket. Pour the mixture in a spray bottle and apply generously to the walls and floor of the basement to kill the mold and mildew. Let the bleach mixture sit for at least 10 minutes and then scrub the walls and floor with a hard brush. Repeat the process as needed until the basement is completely free of mold and mildew.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not attempt to repair major structural damage to your basement. Unless you are trained to do so you can potentially cause long term damage to your home.

References

• Bobvilla.com: How to dry a wet basement
• Statefarm.com: Wet basement problems
• Energystar.com: Damp Basement

Resources

• Wet basements: causes and remedies