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Troubled Houses - A Home Owner's Resource sm - Wet Basements
We see many interesting adverse conditions during our inspections, partly because of the unlimited number of ways people can mess up a house, but also because we do a thorough inspection to reveal these adverse conditions. We hope these stories and illustrations help home owners avoid these costly conditions by learning about causes, preventions, and remedies.
THANK YOU for visiting HankeyandBrown.com. Click here to learn more about our services, which now include IR Thermography, radon testing, and carbon monoxide tests. All photos copyright Roger Hankey, ASHI Certified® Inspector. All rights reserved. Licenses to use these copyrighted images can be arranged by contacting rhankey@hankeyandbrown.com
"Troubled Houses - A Home Owner's Resource" is a SERVICE MARK of Hankey & Brown Inspection Service Inc. Click here for the list of topics and all articles in this resource.
Also see our pages on Moisture Mysteries, Moisture Damage, and Moisture Investigations.
Wet Basement Consultations
Wet basements are the most common problem found in Minnesota homes. Our inspectors know the causes and remedies for most wet basements. We are independent consultants and do NOT try to sell you expensive repairs that you may not need!
We look at the interior and exterior condition of your home and advise you on the most likely causes and the most cost effective remedies. Often those remedies involve repair and maintenance to equipment and components already installed on the house.
We advise you on how to improve the equipment you already have, and what type of additional corrections or installations you may need to create a much drier basement.
We are realists. If we believe your basement is not suitable for finishing, we will politely explain why. Usually, even a damp basement can be made livable with proper floor coverings, a radon removal system (to help dehumidify), and other suitable materials. For more information about mold and mold cleanup see the US EPA website. To contact a mold cleanup specialist (mold mitigation), see our Service Experts page.
Fees for our services are $325 minimum for the first 2 hours, and include a written report. Most consultations are completed in 2 hours. To read more about wet basement success stories, see our Moisture Mysteries (scroll down to #4) and Experience pages.
Water Mismanagement
This house has drainage and landscaping problems. There are no rain gutters at the right and right front eave.
The foundation wall on this side of the house steps down for a rear wall walkout. Some of the siding is below the snow and earth.
The snow and earth cover some the siding. Drainage is along the wall rather than away from the wall.
The sheathing of the frame wall adjoining the window is water damaged from being below the ground level.
The front wall of the basement is damp and covered with mineral salts (efflorescence) from the frequent evaporation of ground water into the basement. We recommended proper landscaping and installation of a full system of gutters and downspouts to reduce the potential for water intrusion. Click here for information on wet basement inspections.
Recipe for a Wet Basement
The side yard drainage at this house is along rather than away from the house. The downspouts are not directed to areas that drain away.
Wet carpet and tack strip in the basement along the wall shown in the first photo. Click here for information on wet basement consultations.
Fall Maintenance (deferred)
Now is the time to check and clean your rain gutters. This gutter is steel, not aluminum, and can rust out from acids formed by decomposing organic debris. Clogged gutters can lead to wet basements particularly during Spring snow melts and rains. Click here to learn more about us.
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