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How To Water Proof Your Washington DC Basement

dc water damage servicesOne of the more stressful things you can experience as a homeowner is water-related damage.

Waterproofing the basement floor ofyour DC house is an extremely important decision,so make your choice of basement waterproofing products wisely, especially when choosing any kind of basement floor paint. I remember how devastated I was when I had to deal with my first basement leak last year. Good thing one of my buddies knew about a water extraction company called Tik Tok Water Damage Pros.If you had your basement floor damaged, below are the few things to consider.

Water is no friend to your laminate. It is important to remove any water you see as quickly as possible. Unfortunately that extremely durable flooring material you had installed does not do well when exposed to excessive moisture. A shopvac is well worth the investment and will have you swearing a little bit less than if you have to use every towel in the house to mop up the water. Laminate can quickly become damaged and will need replacing. Any water you can get away from the flooring will save material you will not have to otherwise replace.

Buckling and peaking indicates there is a problem. If your basement seems dry but you can see buckled or peaking flooring panels coming up you need to investigate. Likely there is moisture issue lurking somewhere.

If there is water damage let it air out quickly. You will be removing the flooring to repair it anyway, so it is important to dry the affected area quickly. Inhibiting mold growth is a priority and can be quickly accomplished by opening up the area and drying it out with fans.

Find the source. Have a professional that is experienced with water damage restoration in washington dc show you where the water is coming from . Establish if it is going to be a recurring problem. Doing a repair to your floor only to have it happen again after a heavy rain can be demoralizing and can get expensive fast. If your drain has backed up for example it can indicate a larger problem and you should consider calling a plumber. Safety valves can be installed that allow water to drain when needed but will offer a certain degree of protection against rainwater from backing up from the street. If it is a leaky pipe have it replaced before it turns into a bigger issue.

Foundation leaks can be a big deal but there is inexpensive fixes you can do. One of the easiest and cheapest fixes you can do yourself is making sure water is moved away from your foundation. Seal your driveway or sidewalk where it meets your house. Make sure you have cleaned your eaves troughs and add a few extra feet of pipe to the bottom where they drain. This will ensure water is well away from your foundation and not seeping in under your floors.

Trees can be to very destructive, move them if they are close to your foundation. Having a tree variety with a large root system right next to your house is just not a good idea and could be the cause of your problem.

If all else fails consider radical intervention. Sometimes foundation issues are major and demand major work. A waterproofing membrane material installed by a contractor either externally or internally should be considered if you have a recurring problem and lots of moisture is entering your basement. Until you deal with it isn’t going to get better. View it as a long term investment to ensure your basement is dry. It will definitely payoff if you decide to sell, whatever the state of your basement flooring.