Take care of it quickly when you see cracks in your foundation, leaking windows, or walls that need repair in your basement. When you do so, it needs to be done properly. It can be tempting to choose quick fixes over the in-depth structural changes that the experts can offer. This also isn’t the answer. There are several different ways your home’s basement can be repaired. We’ll list some of the most common types below.
Foundation Repair
Cracks in the foundation can be a serious problem—and this can occur during rainy weather. Concrete is susceptible to cracking. Repairs can be small, like caulking a few cracks on the walls, to extensive, like raising a foundation or installing supports to help stabilize it. For this reason, it’s called “house leveling,” since it isn’t raised to the appropriate level. This is a key element in how your home’s basement can be repaired.
Waterproofing Your Basement
Waterproofing your basement involves coating the walls and floors with a special spray as a sealer. This keeps moisture from coming into the basement, causing leaks and floods. Most basements have concrete floors, which need sealing since it’s porous. Brand new basements are typically sealed during construction, but this doesn’t often happen on older houses. There are many reasons a basement may leak, such as from a clogged pipe or drain. In instances like these, experts use a snake to unclog them. Drains are then maintained and cleaned to prevent leaks and flooding.
Basement Wall Repairs
Basement wall repairs can also be simple or extensive, but it’s important to be vigilant. A small crack or hairline fracture can become a huge problem later on, and it’s easy to overlook until it’s too late. Basement wall repairs are fixed with a caulking gun and resin. Most experts place the tip of the tube within the caulking tool in the crack and squeeze the trigger to apply the sealant. While you can certainly do it yourself, getting help from an expert is better, since faulty “repairs” can do more damage than good in the long run.
In short, there are many different types of basement repairs. You may need some or all the repairs necessary to keep your basement in tip-top shape. Just be sure to call an expert if any of these problems need to be fixed, and you’ll be back on track in no time.
