Picture it: you are enjoying a lazy rainy day, listening to the rain come down outside grateful to have a cozy and warm home to keep you dry. Then, your children who are playing in the basement come up to you frantically telling you that water is coming into the basement. The carpets are wet and the walls are dripping. And you think to yourself: “Why didn’t I call American Eagle to come check the basement for waterproofing?”
The time to prevent basements from flooding is long before the storms start. By taking proactive actions to waterproof your basement, this ensures that standing water and high moisture caused by rains or floods do not cause structural damage to your home.
If water gets in your home through the walls or ceilings, it can cause mold to grow, damage your foundation and cost you a lot of time and money. One heavy rain, one small leak and all of a sudden your ceiling has caved in and your house and all belongings are ruined. Waterproofing seals the cracks in your home’s foundation that are often hard to see with the naked eye. When these cracks are mended, you can divert water away from your home, keeping it dry and damage-free. You can check if your foundation needs an inspection or if there is any water damage to your foundation.
Basement Waterproofing: What Is A Waterproofed Basement?
Basements are one of the top places for water damage to occur in your home. Because it is below ground, it is easy for water to enter. Waterproofing your basement consists of a network of special drains, sump pumps, and dehumidifiers. Glen Burnie, Maryland gets an average of 42 inches of rain and 14 inches of snow. That’s roughly 56 inches of precipitation each year. You may think, “that’s not that much.” Well, to put in perspective, that’s almost 5 feet of water. Just think if that much water seeped into your basement. Not good. To avoid the water damage that may come with that much precipitation, invest in a waterproofed basement.
Reasons Why You Should Waterproof Your Basement
Here are a list of reasons why you should waterproof your basement today to prevent any foundation damage in the future.
1. Protect your basement from water damage
A small leak can quickly turn into a flood within a matter of seconds. Moist soil can mean that your home’s foundation is prone to water seepage which affects the joints and edges where the floor meets the wall. Your basement floor is also at risk of becoming compromised when groundwater presses up into the thin basement floor. This causes the floor to crack and allows water to seep in which can result in standing water.
Water can cause a lot of damage even before you notice it, damage such as bowed walls or large foundation cracks. By taking the steps to waterproof your basement, you can prevent having to attend to a frustrating to fix.
Damp areas in your basement not only lead to the warping and buckling of structural materials but also provide the perfect environment for mold to grow. With moisture available, mold can grow in as little as 48 hours. As mold growth continues to spread, fungus and other bacteria will also be introduced to your home. Exposure to these contaminants causes respiratory problems and puts everyone in the home at risk. Mold spores travel through the air, so it is not just the air in the basement that is compromised, but the air quality throughout the entire home becomes contaminated.
Along with respiratory problems from mold exposure, flooded basements also pose the risk of electrical shock. Water is a great conductor of electricity, so when it floods into your basement, all electrical components that have been exposed are hazardous. Standing water in basements is especially dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. If your basement has flooded, do not take any risks and shut off all power to the area until the floodwater can be properly and thoroughly cleaned.
2. Reduce the chance of mold
When moisture gets into crawl spaces, behind drywall or lingers in small cracks, mold begins to grow. Without proper waterproofing of your foundation you inadvertently create a breeding ground for harmful mold. It is important to remember that mold can still grow and thrive even when you cannot see it. When left untreated, mold can cause respiratory infections, asthma, and breathing problems.
At American Eagle, we use many different tools to maintain a mold-free basement to keep you and your family safe and healthy.
3. Prevent excessive repair costs
Many standard home insurance policies only cover flooding that originates inside the home and not from flooding from external circumstances such as snow melt and rain. This leaves many homeowners with the cost of repair for basement flooding not covered by insurance. Instead of having to spend thousands of dollars in repairs, it is a good idea to invest in preventative measures to waterproof your home.
That added moisture in the air from your basement? It’s probably increasing your electric bill. Humid air enters your main living areas, which must be cooled or heated depending on the season. The problem is that humid air takes more work to heat and cool, which makes your HVAC unit work harder. The result: increased utility bills, to the tune of up to 15-18% more than you’d otherwise be paying, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
4. Controlled Humidity
Towns in Maryland can have humidity as high as 75%. The water in the air due to humidity can settle on your walls causing water damages and weird smells. Untreated humidity can result in mold and mildew around your home. Part of a full waterproofed system involves a dehumidifier which controls the amount of humidity to keep your house water damage free. Every home is different; therefore, a specific humidifier would be installed for your unique circumstances.
5. Prevents Moisture-Related Health Problems
Even if moisture starts in your basement, it can still find its way up to the other parts of your home. When this happens, the water will breed dust mites, mildew and mold. These are all allergens that can lead to a whole host of health problems. Fortunately, the health problems are fairly minor and include irritation to throats, noses, eyes, and skin. The problems can be especially pronounced for those with asthma or are immune-compromised.
6. Prevents Structural Problems
Excessive moisture in the basement can lead to a plethora of structural and foundational problems for your home. In varying stages of progression, these problems may look like cracks in the basement walls, spalling, brown/rust-colored stains, wood rot, sagging floors, and collapsed basement ceilings. Put simply, moisture in the basement is a serious issue that can lead to massive structural problems for your home and especially for your basement. If this is an issue for you, it is well worth the investment of basement waterproofing to prevent these issues.
7. Other Indications Of A Moisture Problem In Your Basement
The reasons listed above are the main things that justify basement waterproofing. However, there are several other indications that are also worth being aware of. Make sure you proactively look for these issues and act quickly if you find them so you can begin working on the problem right away. These indications include chipped paint, damaged concrete, musty odors, visible mold, pest infestations, and others.
There are many reasons for investing in basement waterproofing. Those mentioned above don’t constitute the entire list, but they do make up some of the most common. If you are pondering whether or not you should take this step, give us a call at American Eagle in Glen Burnie. Our basement waterproofing technicians will help you decide if this is the right choice for you and, if you choose so, provide you with the services you need.
What Does Basement Waterproofing Include?
So exactly is included in basement waterproofing? Here are some of our basement waterproofing services that we offer at American Eagle Services Inc.
Sump Pumps
Places similar to Glen Burnie can experience higher levels of precipitation which can cause water or snow runoff. Runoff can head straight for your home and seep into your basement. To avoid this problem, install a sump pump which will waterproof your basement even more. A sump pump collects water that would typically seep into your basement and it shunts the excess water away from your home; consequently, keeping your home and basement water damage free. This pump is probably one of the most effective waterproofing tools.
Draining
American Eagle Prof. Services, Inc. specializes in installing Safe Edge and Safe Drain basement waterproofing systems. These are drainage systems that minimize the damages of water damage. Safe Edge Basement Waterproofing is designed to have water pass through without the harmful outside chemicals; therefore, keeping you and your home safer from water. Secondly, Safe Drain Basement Waterproofing allows water to pass through as well; however, it minimizes hydro-static pressure caused by soil. Both of these systems allow for proper water drainage and ensure the safety of you and your home.
Schedule Basement Waterproofing Services Today
When it comes to basement waterproofing, there is no one you can trust quite like American Eagle Professional Services. For the protection of your home from flooding and water damage, we truly are the experts.
Contact American Eagle Professional Services at 410-263-9682 or use the contact form on our website to ensure you don’t have the headache of a flooded basement in the upcoming rainy season.
