Does water stream into your basement every time it rains? The fact is ground water can seep through block or concrete basement walls or floors even when there are no visible cracks. There are three primary causes of basement leaks and their remedies:
Problem 1 – Missing, damaged or clogged gutters or downspouts. When gutters and downspouts become blocked for some reason they become unable to carry rain water and snow melt away from the house. All of this water gets dumped onto the ground, which in turn becomes saturated and allows the water to stand and seep into the basement.
The fix: Inspect all the gutters and downspouts on your house to make sure they are in place and free of clogs. Fallen leaves from nearby trees are the most common culprits.
Problem 2: Inadequate slope on lawn near the basement walls. In order for rain water to drain away from your house the ground needs to be slightly sloped. If the ground is level or even sloped towards the house, any water that falls there will stay put until it finally seeps through the basement walls.
The fix: Slope the ground away from the house.haul in additional soil to complete the job if necessary.
Problem 3: Porous basement walls. Even though the concrete and/or blocks comprising your basement walls might look solid, they are in fact quite porous which means that standing water will seep through and flood your basement.
The fix: Apply a good quality basement sealer to the basement walls (and floor if water is seeping up through it). There are several brands available at most home improvement centers. Apply the sealer with a stiff bristled brush, dabbing it into the pores of the wall instead of “painting” it on as you might expect. It might take at least two applications to completely seal the pores in the walls and stop the seepage.
About the author: Gene Halliday is a home-builder and home improvement expert. He and his crews have built and repaired hundreds of homes during his 18 year career.