Damp basements can be a great cause of concern for many homeowners as this can mean a whole range of issues anywhere from mold to bad air quality. Although there may be several reasons why a basement is damp, you may first want to look around the foundations of the home and see if you can identify any possible causes there.
Do you notice that water collects in pools around the home’s foundation? If water does not drain away from the home properly you may find this is causing some of the basement moisture. One reason that water will pool in this way is insufficient or uneven grading around the property.
Another cause of pooling water is leaking gutters and downspouts. They may have become clogged or its also possible that they were not installed properly. For example, downspouts need to be fitted so that water drains away from the home, 10 feet is an ideal amount.
Is your home located at the base of a hill or incline? This is another reason why you may see pooling water and a damp basement. In such a case Swales, or small ditches, can be dug. Make sure they are about 10 to 15 feet away from the property so that water is diverted away from the property.
So, when identifying the cause of your damp basement, look to see if pooling water is a problem and the reasons this is happening.
