Water Leaks Through Floor Slab
Your basement is a gold mine of potential. When finished, you can use it as a guest suite, a rental unit, or a home theater. Right now, your basement might be little more than a storage space. You know that the area needs a little TLC, but you dread inspecting the space for fear of finding serious issues. Accurate Basement Repair is a leading Milwaukee basement repair contractor that has been helping its Wisconsin neighbors with basement maintenance for over 18 years. While some basement issues take only minor repairs, here are four basement problems that you shouldn’t ignore:
#1 Sinking Floor
A basement floor that appears uneven is a sign that your basement has a sinking floor. A sinking floor occurs when the soil underneath and around your home loses moisture and compresses. This soil shifting causes your home’s foundation to move as well. A cracked basement floor is another sign that you have sinking floors and should call a basement repair specialist. Your foundation might need underpinning or piering. While foundation repairs are costly, some sinking floor issues require more straightforward, affordable solutions.
#2 Mold
Mold is found nearly everywhere in nature, but it becomes a problem when it grows out of control in your home. Mold grows when it has these three things: water, warmth, and organic materials as a food source. Prevention is key in keeping a basement dry to stop mold growth. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, mold overgrowth in your home causes allergic reactions and respiratory complaints in humans and pets. A mold relief specialist can safely remove mold from your basement without spreading the spores to other areas in your home. They’ll also show you how to dehumidify, ventilate, and lower the temperature in the space to prevent future mold infestations. Many basement repair specialists recommend replacing drywall in basements with more moisture-resistant building materials.
#3 Foul Smells and Musty Odors
Foul odors make your basement uninviting no matter how well you decorate and furnish the space. If the basement has a damp smell, then water has been seeping into it. There are a few common causes that are related to a smelly basement. Musty smells usually develop from excess moisture or leaks in the space. Damp building materials such as fiberglass insulation also produce this smell. If pests such as insects and wildlife access your basement, their waste products can cause the space to smell. A reputable basement repair specialist can help you to eliminate the source of the smells and not just cover them with ineffective deodorizers and scented room sprays.
#4 Rotted Carpet or Wood Flooring
If your basement’s floors have rotted, you may be tempted to just pull up the old material and lay down new floors. However, rotted carpet or wood floors are signs that your space has too much moisture due to humidity or leaks. To get the most out of your basement and lengthen the useful life of your basement floors, you’ll need to find and fix the source of your basement’s moisture problem.
Final Words
Standing water, stormwater damage, and cracked walls are obvious basement problems that many homeowners quickly fix. The issues that they tend to ignore often cause health problems and financial headaches later if left unchecked. Contacting a local Milwaukee basement repair contractor to restore your basement, by finding an effective solution that guarantees lasting results.
