A wet basement can be a huge hassle for any homeowner. Its often the source of foul odors, and the dampness and moisture that leaks in can damage your home and present a health risk to any occupants inside. Mold and bacteria thrive in wet basements, causing other issues, so this problem needs to be taken care of as soon as possible.

When you suspect that mold has grown in your basement, you have to find it. You might not actually see the mold, especially if it is growing under your carpet or behind your insulation. Even though you might not find the mold, you must quickly determine the source of the leak, whether its leaking irrigation, plumbing problems, or flooding due to heavy rain or snows.

As soon as you determine the source of the leak, remove it. Attending to this issue quickly will ensure that you limit mold and mildew’s ability to grow. If you find a small amount of water left after you fix the leak, you can wipe it up with a sponge or rag dipped in hot, soapy water. If there are larger amounts of water, you’ll need to use a pump. If the flooding has caused the leak, you’ll need to be extremely careful when being exposed, as this water could carry contaminations from garbage or sewage. Always use protective equipment, including latex gloves and a face mask.

After removing the initial water, scrub the area with soap and water. Wash down the area with a commercial disinfectant, or with bleach diluted with water. Always wear protective equipment when doing this. Dispose of any damp carpeting, wood, or other materials you can’t dry out and thoroughly clean.

To prevent issues in the future, take time to seal any cracks, holes, or openings in your basement. For small problems, use epoxy glue, and for larger ones, you will need to use cement. If your basement isn’t finished, waterproofing won’t work for walls you have painted, unless you completely remove the paint.

Remember, for jobs that seem too big to handle on your own, you can call your local DryPatrol office. They are the experts at water and mold remediation, and will save you money with your insurance company. No one does it right like DryPatrol, with a unique process that thoroughly cleans your basement, and the savings you won’t get with any other professional water damage company.

Mar-flex Waterproofing and Building Products is preparing for this year’s always-exciting World of Concrete convention. World of Concrete is a great opportunity to meet like-minded building professionals, as well as introduce our innovative and unique products. Mar-flex always brings a strong showing at this convention, so don’t forget to stop by our booth to see what we can do for you! More details are coming soon, so keep checking back with us for the latest news and announcements concerning the World of Concrete 2012.

“Using basement paint to waterproof the walls can be a good idea when you are trying to eliminate the possibility of mildew. Basements are usually very dark and musty. Because of this, they can be a great place for mildew and mold to grow. By using waterproof paint, you will help prevent moisture from getting in through the walls. When moisture cannot get in through the walls, mildew will have a very difficult time growing in the basement area. Even if it is still dark in the basement, it will not have the moisture that it needs to grow.”

article courtesy of doityourself.com

As your structure ages, inevitable cracking in your foundation will occur. This is because as a structure settles over time, weight gets displaced to areas that originally didn’t have as much. Mar-flex has designed a system to eliminate these unsightly, and dangerous cracks. The Mar-flex Control Joint System creates vertical control-joints on both sides of the foundation wall, and to add further protection, an outside control-joint is created when filled with Mar-flex Waterstop Elastomeric Sealant and protected by Mar-flex Fiberglass Fabric Reinforcement. All residential basements require foundation walls that are watertight and waterproofed, that’s why Mar-flex designed this economical, easy to use system which eliminates those otherwise unavoidable random shrinkage cracks.

When you are remodeling your basement, adding a new room, or repairing the basement to stop moisture from entering, you must factor in the cost of waterproofing. These costs can add up quickly and you must waterproof before you can make your basement a livable space. Estimating these costs is difficult because there are many different types of materials.

The first tool many people think of when they think “waterproofing” is a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier doesn’t waterproof your basement, but they do work well when there is a moisture problem and humidity levels contributing to it. Dehumidifiers aren’t the tool to use when water is seeping through the interior walls and floor. Dehumidifiers can cost anywhere between $300 and $1,000.

If you do discover moisture seeping into your basement, you will need to divert this water away. Drainage pipes can be laid out around your home and then away into your yard. This is usually a job for professionals, as you need a backhoe, as well as several yards of crushed rock and PVC drainage pipes. This costs between $2,000 and $4,000 depending on the size of your structure.

If the water isn’t running onto the floor, but just leaves the wall damp, then you can use damp sealant on the walls and floor. This is a project you can do yourself, because damp basement sealant can be painted on, just like any other wall paint. Make sure that your basement is free from damage that allows water through, such as holes, cracks, and fissures. Many of these problem areas can be repaired with simple mortar, while more complicated structural damage will require professional assistance. If your basement doesn’t have any major damage, and you do the work yourself, you can pay as little as $300 to seal a large basement.

When the water that pools near your structure isn’t in an amount to warrant an entire drainage system, you can waterproof the outside walls. Special spray-on paint is used to form a thick membrane over the basement walls. You will have to dig down to the bottom of the foundation to do this. Hiring professionals to do this will cost over $1,000 while doing it yourself can cost as much as $500.

Sump pumps are another effective tool in basement water removal. The pump is mostly used for basement that aren’t finished, or basements in an area prone to flooding and excessive runoff. Good sump pumps can cost between $150 and $300 for the pump and installation, if you do it yourself. Hiring someone to do it for you can cost as much as $500.