There’s Water in My Basement!

Finding water in your basement can be more than just a nuisance – musty smell, soggy carpets, affected hardwood – it can be a clear indication of larger problems with your home. First, how did it get there? Leaking pipes, poor drainage caused by clogged or broken gutters, or a rising water table in your area can all be cause for concern.

A huge amount of damage can be caused in a very short amount of time when your pipes leak, and it’s important to call a plumber right away if you suspect this issue. On the other hand, damage caused by broken gutters or a rising water table can sneak up on you. Most homes have small cracks in walls, windows, doors, and the very foundation. We live in an imperfect world, we use imperfect materials to build our homes, and human error is also an unfortunate reality. Proper exterior drainage is therefore monumentally important.

An exterior drainage system moves water away from your home and into the surrounding soil in the event of rainfall or spring thawing. If your drainage system isn’t up to its designed task, however, water will find a way in. Make sure you check to make sure the drainage system built onto your home (gutters and downspouts) is properly installed and working.

As the water table rises in times of heavy rainfall and spring snow melt, water looks for the path of least resistance and can enter your basement through unseen cracks or holes. The older the home, the more likely this is to happen as those imperfect materials we mentioned have started aging. The water table may be a few meters below your foundation, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t cause water problems in your basement.

Water is the new fire in the insurance world.  Whereas fire remains a devastating occurrence, it has been replaced by water claims in terms of frequency and cost. Water claims account for 50% of all claims annually in Canada. It’s always a good idea to shop around at renewal time.

Source: Homeservice Club of Canada