THINKING AHEAD

DONT WAIT UNTIL THE WATER IS A VISIBLE THREAT TO YOUR HOME

As summer arrives, it can be easy to forget or move that leak and moisture problem to the back of your mind. Doing so makes sense, as it no longer imposes a physical threat to your belongings or homes foundation, or so it seems. Yet, this summer season is a great time to get a free estimate and get moving to meet your waterproofing needs. It's good to remember, that just because you can't see standing water, or weeping walls within the basement, that doesn't mean that moisture isn't seeping into your home.  

Within a basement, there are four ways for it to become wet or damp;

1. Groundwater leakage: The mass amount of water pushes itself into a basement through any present cracks, or openings. 

2. Capillary action: Where no actual leak is detected, but the surface feels damp to the touch. This is called wicking, where miniscule amounts of water are being pulled inside of the basement through tiny porous holes like a sponge. 

3. Water vapor coming through the walls and floors: The water that is pulled through the surfaces in the basement is heating up and becoming a vapor in the basement. While walls and floors wont feel damp, this creates a humid environment that can be measured with a hygrometer.

4. Exterior air leaking into the basement: This becomes an issue when the air outside of the basement is warmer than the air in the basement. In the summertime, in an attempt to stabilize the temperature, humid air is created as the outdoor air transfers its heat to the basement, no leak or porous surface needed, just an opening for natural airflow. 

The issue with waterproofing problems, is we cant always be prepared for how bad things can get. What had been a weeping wall last year, could have created a bigger problem that is just waiting for the next downpour to breakthrough. Or maybe the walls and floors no longer feel wet, but the humidity level has drastically risen and that vapor is now making its move to create and grow mold while it seeps into the wood and causes damage to your homes structural integrity. Until it happens, there is no telling if things have gotten exponentially worse, one bad rainy season can make a, seemingly, minor weeping issue into a flooding situation. 

So before your basement is flooded, before mold begins to cover your belongings, and before moisture begins to impose itself on your homes foundation, give John's a call. Our System Design Specialists are happy to help look over your basement and put together an estimate, we want to help you get your home properly waterproofed the first time, and keep it properly maintained moving forward.