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No More Despair, Wet Basement Repair

You know that you have tried ignoring your wet basement. If it is out of sight, it is out of mind. However, the problem gets worse and and more expensive to repair as the days go by. This could have been prevented. This could all be solved by Drainage and Erosion Solutions.


Even if there are no puddles of water in your basement, your other senses can pick-up signs that basement repair is needed.  Reacting proactively is always advisable.
However, if your basement is in dire conditions, we love doing that work efficiently and effectively as well.

Signs That You May be in Need of a Basement Waterproofing System | Maryland

For many homeowners, particularly those with an unfinished basement, having a basement that looks, smells, or feels damp may not seem like a big deal. However, moisture in one’s basement is not a good thing as this can lead to serious complications later on. When a home’s basement is not properly waterproofed, and moisture is able to permeate the basement, this can lead to structural issues in your home. Here are a few of the signs you should look out for that can indicate that your home may be in need of a basement waterproofing system.

Musty Smell/Odor

Surprisingly, one of the more common signs of a leak in a basement is not visual signs of moisture, but actually, it is usually the presence of a musty, damp smell in one’s basement. Many homeowners assume that since their basement has always smelled this way that it is a normal occurrence. However, this is likely a sign of water seeping into your home over a long period of time. Furthermore, it could also be a potential indicator of the presence of mold in your home. No matter what the issue may be, these odors in your basement are not a good sign and need to be taken care of right away.

Cracked Walls or Floors

Should you discover cracks in your basement floor or walls, then it is likely that water is leaking into your home. Cracks compromise the waterproofing of your basement as they provide an easy way for water to enter your basement. Fortunately, these cracks can be fairly simple so repair; furthermore, this repair can be an easy way to improve the waterproofing in your home’s basement.

Signs of Moisture

Many signs can indicate that water is entering your basement. One of the more obvious signs many homeowners notice immediately is the presence of moisture within their basement, often in the form of water marks on their walls, and/or in the collection of water around their basement windows. This presence of water is a strong indicator that your basement is in need of waterproofing, as this moisture can lead to serious problems later on.

Mold

Another visual indicator of moisture in your basement is the presence of mold. Mold grows and thrives wherever there is moisture present. Thusly, discovering mold in your basement means that there is likely a leak in your basement that has allowed mold to grow in your home. If you discover mold in your basement, you will want to have mold remediation performed to properly remove the mold, as mold can be hazardous to one’s health. However, it will also be necessary to have your basement waterproofed to help prevent the mold from reappearing.

Efflorescence

Oftentimes, you could have a leak in your basement without seeing any visual signs of cracking or even moisture. In this case, you will want to look out for another sign of the presence of moisture in your basement, efflorescence. Efflorescence is a white, chalky substance that you may notice on your basement walls. Efflorescence is the result of mineral deposits that are left behind when water leaks into your basement. Thusly, efflorescence can indicate a crack or leak that you cannot immediately see.

A leak in your basement may not initially seem like a serious problem, however, this water can have disastrous effects on your home over time. Thusly, if you discover a sign that could indicate the presence of water in your basement, you will want to have the issue addressed as soon as possible before it becomes a bigger problem. Contact us to find out about more of the signs that can indicate that you may be in need of a basement waterproofing system.

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Proactively protecting your basement from exterior and interior moisture is always good practice.  Even before the first signs of moisture, protect your property by calling Drainage and Erosion Solutions.

Basement Crack Repair & Foundation Crack Repair Northern VA

Dealing with water in basements is often a process devoted to basement crack repair and foundation crack repair. These cracks let in moisture that can seriously damage your basement and can spread foundation damage throughout the home. Letting these cracks grow can add thousands of dollars to future repair bills.

However, addressing the problem can help halt further damage and improve the strength and structure of your home.

Causes of Basement Floor/Wall Gaps

Basement and foundation cracks are often highly related. For example, if your foundation is starting to sink, it’s likely to create cracks in your walls that let in moisture. However, soil erosion and exterior pressure is often enough to create small leaks. Burrowing rodents can also cause some basement floor cracks.

However, when there’s a noticeable gap along the joint where your basement floor and walls meet, there’s usually one culprit: a sinking foundation.

Signs of a Sinking Foundation

A sinking foundation is a serious problem. While natural settling can cause some small cracks in your floor, any larger than an inch are a warning sign for sinking foundations.
Inspect your basement and your home for the following sinking foundation symptoms before investing in foundation repair that may not be necessary:

  • Sheet-wall cracks
  • Wet basement walls
  • Cracks in upstairs walls
  • Tilting garage
  • Chimneys leaning away from house
  • Cracks in brick and rock-work
  • Doors opening without warning
  • Uneven floors
  • Sags in the roof
  • Pools of water in your basement

If you spot any of these serious problems, your foundation is obviously sinking. However, you may be able to spot-fix some small cracks to prevent some water leakage.

Fixing Small or Non-Persistent Gaps

The first step in repairing minor basement floor cracks is very simple: caulk it. Follow this basic caulking procedure to repair those minor breaks and cuts and keep them from growing into serious problems:

  • Fill the break with more caulk than you need
  • Level off until it is flush with the surface
  • Let it dry and paint

Performing this simple repair procedure may be all you need to stop your cracks from growing. However, if the cracks continue to grow and water continues to leak into your basement, you need to consider more serious repairs.

Dealing with Persistent Gaps

Persistently growing and leaking basement gaps usually need a repair substance more permanent and stable than caulk, such as concrete. Fixing your basement wall and floor gaps with concrete is a lot like caulking, but with a few added steps. Mending gaps with concrete requires:

  • Mixing concrete by hand or in a power mixer until it has the consistency of mud
  • Applying concrete to the gap with a trowel
  • Pushing down hard on the concrete, to ensure it fully fills the gap
  • Leveling it off with your trowel and removing any excess
  • Letting it dry for at least two days
  • Painting, if necessary

Often, this should be enough to stop your basement cracks from growing and letting in even more water. However, serious foundation problems may continue to cause new cracks and create even more serious leaks.

If that’s the case, you need to get your foundation repaired.

Repairing a Foundation

If you suspect your foundation is sinking or damage, you need to call a foundation repair expert immediately. While you may be able to fix some of the structural damage caused by a sinking foundation, the main cause is generally the soil around the foundation.

As a result, foundation repair requires highly specialized experts that know how to find stable soil and can add underground foundation beams that shore it up and stop damage from spreading even further.

If your basement continues to flood after you’ve fixed its foundation, contact us as soon as possible. We can quickly assess the situation, plan a solution, and get the water out of your basement for good.

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The telltale signs of a wet basement portray a feeling of despair.  It could mean small or large structural issues which need to be diagnosed immediately.

How Basement Water Problems Can Be Fixed Exteriorly | Washington DC

Discovering water in your basement is an altogether unpleasant experience. It’s something that no homeowner ever gets used to, and how could you?
Seeing water in your basement is a sign that there is something greater wrong, a problem you may or may not have the expertise or time to find. An insidious problem trying to eat its way into your basement… from the outside.

So while we typically give you tips on sealing the inside of your basement, ranging from interior drain tile (French Drains), sump pumps, and other waterproofing systems, in this post we’ll give you some tips on how to seal from the outside instead.

Soil Testing

Creating a barrier inside works most of the time. That is, of course, unless the problem originates outside in the soil. Determine the makeup of your soil to eliminate water entry. Soil composed largely of clay does not allow water to drain properly, or with much success. Clay soil next to your foundation stops flow, creates pressure, and allows water to enter your basement. Replace as soon as possible.

Consider an Exterior Membrane

As homes age, joints inside the foundation become prone to attack from pressure and, eventually, water seepage occurs. Similarly, a material like concrete, which is porous after poured, is also an eventual target of seepage. An exterior membrane protects your foundation from water and keeps your basement dry. We recommend contacting a professional for a job such as this.

Foundation Crack Repair

As foundations settle, crack begin to appear inside and out, because joints and concrete are subject to lateral pressure and seepage. A quick fix to the problem is to apply crack sealant to exterior problem areas. But remember to look below the foundation for what you can’t see. Cracks form below as well as above the surface of your foundation, and both are equally troublesome.

If you have exhausted all of your resources and need expert help, consider contacting us (703-391-0040). We provide guaranteed, engineered solutions to foundation crack repair in Northern VA.


Several solutions exist to prevent and protect your basement from moisture. Exterior and interior solutions exist, so trust the industry expert, Drainage and Erosion Solutions.

Your home’s foundation ages like anything else, and when pressure builds over time, moisture creeps anywhere it can. Water is directed by gravity, and everything runs down toward the basement.

When water begins to run to your basement or any moisture begins creeping in, contact us.