Mold, dampness or a musty smell in your basement or crawl space can indicate big troubles. A basement that is not properly sealed is prone to leaks and water damage. Damage of this sort can cause all kinds of problems from small issues such as smelly clothes and other belongings to massive complications such as structural issues. A waterproofing company can be hired to assess the amount of damage that has been done and provide solutions on how to take care of the issue. There are numerous ways this can be gone about, but there is only one that actually solves the problem instead of only treating the symptoms.
There are, of course, ways that homeowners can go about taking care of the problem on their own, but these are usually short-term solutions as opposed to the fix one would receive from a waterproofing company. Some examples of temporary fixes include spray-on sealants, hardening solutions which are injected into visible cracks then left to dry and other barrier methods. These methods will probably do the trick-for now. They will temporarily stop any leaking but they will not fix the damage already done nor will they fix the problem in the long term. The only way to stop water from infiltrating an improperly sealed basement is to have a drainage system installed outside of the foundation.
A properly installed drainage system will carry water away from the foundation and out to other areas of surrounding land where it will not create damage. A waterproofing company that tries to sell you on a sealant instead of a properly installed drainage system is only providing you with a temporary form of help, usually at quite a substantial cost. Having the drainage system installed at the time the house is built is optimal, but it is quite likely that this is not what was done. These systems can be installed around existing homes to channel water away from the actual foundation.
If you are experiencing a musty, damp smell in the basement or crawl space a waterproofing company should be consulted. They can evaluate the condition of the foundation along with any potential problem areas and then give an estimate of the cost to remedy any troubles. Since the basement is used to store valuable belongings, extra clothing and seasonal essentials-and in some cases even used as living space-protecting it before major problems occur is an initiative that can be cost reducing in the long run.
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