Is Fixing a Damp Basement a DIY Job?
The DIY (Do It Yourself) movement is in full swing. There are many home owners who feel that it's crazy to pay a professional to fix something on their home. After all, it's easier and cheaper to fix it on your own, right?
For minor repairs, maybe.
But, for major renovations or repairs, it's always best to go witha specialist.
This is especially true when it comes to basement problems like dampness, leaks, and flooding. It also goes for mold and mildew growth. These are problems that can not be fixed by the average home owner. Many of them require specialized equipment and a well-trained work crew to fix these highly specialized problems.
In these cases it's best to call in a basement specialist.
Take, for example, waterproofing. Most assume it's as simple as buying some $50 bucket of waterproofing paint and slapping it on the walls and floor with a roller. But, this is, in a word, craziness.
The waterproofing paint only provides a temporary "membrane" around the INSIDE of the basement. Most basement water problems are caused from the outside in. Pressure from wet soil around your home's foundation causes water to be pushed into the outer walls.
This water penetrates the outer wall and gets inside the wall (especially cinder block walls). That water sits at the bottom of the wall, eating away at the concrete slowly but surely. The bottom of the wall and floor begin to weaken and rot. Water then makes it's way inside the basement...but, since you put that waterproofing paint, now moisture and water are trapped between the wall and the paint. Mold grows. Mildew spreads. And, worst of all, the water sits and begins to, again, eat away at the concrete, this time from the inside out. It is a disaster.
Same goes for dealing with dampness. Dampness is also caused by water from the outside. It finds its way into cracks or around window wells.
Paining it or trying to simply plug the cracks will do no good and will result in major structural damages!
Again, those waterproofing paints only patch the problem very short term.
Same with removing mold. Commercial cleaners and sprays get mold off the walls for a few days, maybe a few weeks. BUT, mold will return as long as moisture is present. No moisture, no mold...it's that simple!
This is why it's so important to hire a basement specialist. There is, of course, a cost to hire them. But, when you consider how much you save in future repair bills and the added value your home will experience, you'll see that it's an investment and not a cost.
For minor repairs, maybe.
But, for major renovations or repairs, it's always best to go witha specialist.
This is especially true when it comes to basement problems like dampness, leaks, and flooding. It also goes for mold and mildew growth. These are problems that can not be fixed by the average home owner. Many of them require specialized equipment and a well-trained work crew to fix these highly specialized problems.
In these cases it's best to call in a basement specialist.
Take, for example, waterproofing. Most assume it's as simple as buying some $50 bucket of waterproofing paint and slapping it on the walls and floor with a roller. But, this is, in a word, craziness.
The waterproofing paint only provides a temporary "membrane" around the INSIDE of the basement. Most basement water problems are caused from the outside in. Pressure from wet soil around your home's foundation causes water to be pushed into the outer walls.
This water penetrates the outer wall and gets inside the wall (especially cinder block walls). That water sits at the bottom of the wall, eating away at the concrete slowly but surely. The bottom of the wall and floor begin to weaken and rot. Water then makes it's way inside the basement...but, since you put that waterproofing paint, now moisture and water are trapped between the wall and the paint. Mold grows. Mildew spreads. And, worst of all, the water sits and begins to, again, eat away at the concrete, this time from the inside out. It is a disaster.
Same goes for dealing with dampness. Dampness is also caused by water from the outside. It finds its way into cracks or around window wells.
Paining it or trying to simply plug the cracks will do no good and will result in major structural damages!
Again, those waterproofing paints only patch the problem very short term.
Same with removing mold. Commercial cleaners and sprays get mold off the walls for a few days, maybe a few weeks. BUT, mold will return as long as moisture is present. No moisture, no mold...it's that simple!
This is why it's so important to hire a basement specialist. There is, of course, a cost to hire them. But, when you consider how much you save in future repair bills and the added value your home will experience, you'll see that it's an investment and not a cost.
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