Choosing My Contractor

Choosing My Contractor

When Should You Be Concerned About Your New Basement?

Diego Rojas

If you're a first-time homeowner, you're likely finding yourself overwhelmed with information about repairs and maintenance. While owning a home can be an exciting adventure, it can also be a frustrating and expensive proposition. The best way to keep your budget intact is often to learn which problems require immediate attention and which ones you can safely put on a to-do list.

Of course, your basement is one of the most critical structural aspects of your home, which means many problems require attention sooner rather than later. If you're paying attention to your basement for the first time, be sure to watch out for these three signs that you may need to call an expert for an evaluation.

1. Excessive Moisture 

You might be surprised to learn that basements aren't typically waterproof. Instead, your house's basement works on a similar principle to your roof. Instead of resisting all water, it relies on various design features to keep moisture from vulnerable areas. For example, your gutters direct water away from the base of your home, and the lawn's grade will carry it away from the foundation.

Some moisture may not be an issue, but excessive amounts of standing water can present problems. In these cases, you'll want a basement contractor to evaluate your home to determine if there's a solution. You may be able to address the problem with relatively simple measures or by installing basement drainage systems or a sump pump.

2. Horizontal Cracks

Not every crack in your foundation represents a severe problem, but horizontal cracks aren't something you should ignore. These cracks form when inward pressure on your basement walls exceeds the load-bearing capacity of the concrete, forcing the walls to bow toward the interior. Depending on the severity of the problem, you may even be able to see the walls leaning inward.

Even if the crack doesn't appear too severe, you should never try to fill a horizontal gap in your basement walls. Instead, contact a foundation expert as soon as you can since you may need to address one or more fundamental structural issues with your home.

3. Foul Odors

If you smell something foul in your basement, there's a good chance that it's either mold or a sewer leakage issue. Either problem can mean big trouble and may eventually lead to problems elsewhere in your home. While you can try to locate the source of the problem yourself, it's often a good idea to have a contractor perform a more thorough evaluation.

Odors might not seem as severe as flooding or a cracking foundation, but they can be early warning signs of a problem that's just out of sight. Paying attention to this indication of trouble might save you from a much costlier repair in the future.

For more information, contact a company like J&J All Around Construction And Roofing.


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About Me
Choosing My Contractor

By the time I finally finished saving money for my new home, I knew that I wanted something special. I didn't want to buy a starter home, and I really didn't want to deal with fixing up an older place. Instead of scouring the market and dealing with real estate agents, I decided to work with a general contractor to start building a place of my own. However, I didn't choose my contractor willy nilly either. I spend hours interviewing and researching various construction firms until I found the business I wanted to work with. This blog is all about working with contractors, so that you can make better construction decisions.