Did you know, 10 inches of snow can equal 1-2 inches of water seeping into the ground around your foundation?
And the snow melting on the roof of your home will be falling to the ground around your foundation as well. In addition to that, as the ground thaws, the frozen water will be looking for somewhere to go, unfortunately it tends to find its way into your basement.
Look for signs of water entering your foundation:
- Before a storm or warm weather - move boxes/items away from basement walls. Water can come in where the floor meets the walls. By moving items away from the wall, you will be able to see if any water is coming in.
Places to look for water seeping in:
- Cracks in the foundation
- Tie rods - Evenly spaced holes on a poured foundation. The holes are tie rods where the water can seep in, due to the tie rods rusting.
- Water can also come in around gas lines, water and sewer pipes.
- Bulkhead
Looking at these areas will allow you to find the source of the water coming into your basement.
The dangers of a wet basement:
- It's a pain!
- Mold growth - can lead to health issues for you and your family
- If water freezes in the the small cracks/voids and causes them to grow which will allow more water to enter and the wall to fail