How To Deal With Water Damage In The Basement

Finish the basement properly

Lots of people have huge basements, but they just don’t make the most of them. If they weren’t afraid to invest some money into renovating it, though, they could turn their basement into a cozy and calming area that has multiple purposes – from a home office to a playroom for their kids. In case you’re one of these people and don’t mind putting some time and energy into your basement, you’ll introduce a massive change into your home, but you can’t do it half-way.

Namely, not paying enough attention to details is one of the biggest causes of water damage in your basement. Leaks and drips can occur quite easily, and if you don’t check every detail, you could be facing major problems in the future. That’s why being patient and meticulous is the key when finishing your basement, no matter how big it is and whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring a professional.

Making sure your basement is absolutely dry and ready for finishing is the first thing you should do, so start this process ASAP and you’ll have an amazing basement before you know it.

Remove the water

Unfortunately, even if you do everything right and hire the best people to finish your basement, you could still end up with some water damage. At this point there is not much you can do except for focusing on removing the water from your basement as quickly and effectively as you can. Doing this might not be the easiest thing in the world, so get organized and invite a few friends over to give you a hand.

First, you need to shut off gas and electricity in your basement – in case something bad happens, you could be dealing with much bigger issues than just water damage, not to mention endangering your health. After that, find the source of the leak and apply a temporary patch that will stop the leakage for a while.

Your next step should be bringing in a submersible pump that will remove the biggest portion of the water and give you more maneuvering space. In the end, you can finish the job using water buckets and making sure your basement is as dry as it can be at the moment.

Find the source of the leak

As mentioned before, finding the source of the leak and patching it will help you remove the water from your basement and prevent you from being knee-deep in water, but a simple one-time patch won’t be enough. This is a temporary solution to a problem that needs to be addressed properly and expertly, and unless you do that, you’ll be dealing with more and more water damage in the future. So, make sure you call a professional who can locate a source of the leak and recommend what needs to be done.

This is a long-term solution that will ensure the safety of your basement and help you feel better about spending time in it. Another long-term idea is protecting your basement with an insurance policy – not all homeowners do that, but it’s a great idea that can go a long way. What you need to do is learn more about water damage and flood insurance and find the right kind of insurance that will work for you the most.

Waterproof your basement

Once you’ve solved your problem and removed all the water from your basement, you need to think ahead and try to prevent further damage that might occur in the years ahead. This is why waterproofing your basement is such a good idea. Again, you can do this on your own or you can hire someone who has more experience and knowledge than you and can, therefore, provide you with an amazing service rather quickly.

If you opt for the former alternative and decide to waterproof your basement yourself, you should first spend some time looking into this project and learning more about it. Find out what you should and shouldn’t do, and how to avoid causing even more problems than you had in the beginning.

For instance, you should use only the best materials and solutions – such as hydraulic cement, among other things – but you mustn’t do any work until your basement is completely dry and ready for repairs. These things sound like a lot of work, but they’re surprisingly easy to handle, so don’t be afraid to ask your friends to help you out, and you’ll be done sooner than you could’ve imagined.

Dealing with water damage anywhere in your home is no fun at all, but this is particularly hard to do in your basement. This space is sometimes too narrow and too small to maneuver, which is why you might not feel like spending time there. But, if you do everything right and remove all that excess water from your basement, you could turn it into an inviting and enjoyable space every member of your family is going to enjoy.

I’m Rebecca, a translator and avid traveler, a book worm and horror flick enthusiast. My job has given me the amazing opportunity to travel to dozens of countries around the world, and writing on Rough Draft gives me a chance to try to showcase some of them.