How To Determine The Source Of Moisture
Our basement waterproofing Toronto experts are sure you want to learn how to determine the source of moisture in your home’s basement. When you find water in the basement, you first want to know how to find the source of moisture. You can’t fix the problem if you don’t know where the problem is located. There are many ways that water can get into your house. It would be best to scan for foundation cracks, drain clogs, standing water in your yard, and much more. If you can’t find an apparent cause of the moisture, then contacting a basement waterproofing expert will usually get you the answers you seek.
Moisture from the damp ground is potentially coming through your concrete floor and walls. First, look for signs of water, like wet concrete along the walls and white lines of a powdery substance on the walls themselves. The granular material is called efflorescence, finely crystallized minerals deposited as the water dries out. If you don’t spot these signs of incoming water, duct-tape a 2-ft. square of plastic (a plastic garbage bag will work) to the floor near an outer wall and another to the lower half of the exterior wall. Please wait 24 hours, then remove them. If the concrete under them looks dark and damp or you find moisture on the underside of the plastic, moisture is coming through the concrete.
You should be able to control the dampness and odours by running a dehumidifier. The musty smell is caused by fungal growth, so you may have to scrub the walls, replace damp boxes, and wash or throw out musty-smelling items—store items on blocks or storage racks to keep them off the floor.
Unfortunately, there are no easy fixes to stop the moisture itself. Older basements were not dampproofed on the exterior as they are now. Applying a dampproofing sealer to the walls and floors on the inside may work. However, this will only work for a while but isn’t a long-term solution.
However, sometimes small changes outside can have a surprisingly significant effect inside. The key is to channel rainwater and other moisture sources away from the foundation. Make sure your gutters aren’t clogged. Your downspouts dump water at least six ft. away from the house, and the ground slopes away from home.
