When a Wet Basement Becomes a Problem

Some problems go away on their own - acne clears up, colds go away - but unfortunately, a wet basement isn’t something that will improve on its own. Once a problem is identified, it’s only going to get worse. The key is to fix a problem before it becomes worse.

This was the case with a recent customer of ours.

He had us out to look at his wet basement all the way back in 2007, thinking he might need a sump pump to deal with flooding from the nearby water table. We recommended a waterproofing system (like our WaterGuard) in addition to a sump pump.

He ultimately decided not to get the work done, but contacted us again last year with the same problems. But instead of the minor water problems, he now had cracks in his floor, mold, and even everyone’s favorite decorative basement feature - mushrooms.

He thought he needed a sump pump and was interested in doing the work himself, but didn’t know where to begin, so he requested a new inspection and estimate. We once again suggested a full perimeter waterproofing system as well as a sump pump in order to take care of the water issues, but he again wavered on whether or not to do it himself, get the work done, or if it needed to be done at all.

Finally, last mont,h he had his home assessed for refinancing, only to find the value diminished because of the condition of the basement, and called us one last time to inspect the basement and recommend a solution. Our answer was still a perimeter system and sump pump, and this time he agreed. The basement is now dry and mushroom-free, eight years later.

There are a lot of things we can learn from this:

One, basement problems only get worse, not better. Ignoring them won’t actually make them go away, and even though it isn’t fun to spend money on something as boring and gross as your basement, sometimes it’s necessary to preserve the value of your home, your time, and your sanity. And what started as a problem can become a Problem if you let it go too long.

Two, you should not have unintentional mushrooms growing in your house. Mushrooms belong in forests and on pizzas and, often, in the garbage can because they’re kind of gross.

And three, Ayers will be here each time you call. Even if you wait years.

(Don't wait years.)