Water Is The Most Destructive Force On Earth
The basement sits at the bottom of the house and literally serves as the foundation of your home. Since the basement is submerged underground, its walls are exposed to constant pressure from the elements. Moving earth, moisture, roots, and even critters can have a serious impact on the integrity of your bottom floor.
But the most dreaded threat of all is water. Water can wreak havoc on a structure, no matter how large or small, in a variety of different ways. And there is plenty of water in the ground surrounding your home.
• Moisture can seep into the concrete of your basement’s walls. Once inside the walls, the water expands and contracts with the changing of the seasons. It has the ability to put cracks into the walls of your basement.
• Moisture causes mold and bacteria. Mold and bacteria are living things and they need the proper environment to thrive. A damp and dark place is ideal. Water getting into your basement, no matter how little, can cause mold and bacteria to thrive. This can affect the health of your home and family.
• Certain molds and bacteria cause rot. Once the water gets into your basement, it can get into the framing of your house. Even especially moist air can cause the wood frame of your home to rot. This can literally weaken the foundation of your home.
• Certain strains of mold can affect your family’s health, especially the wellbeing of children. The mold can cause all sorts of respiratory ailments and trigger allergies.
It is difficult for people to understand how the ground can put micro-cracks into the walls of the basement and allow water to get in. But water is the most destructive force on earth. Most of us see the destructions water can cause through storms and tsunamis, but water also works slowly, over time to infiltrate your foundation. Engineers and architects are always aware of the forces water can have on their buildings, but once someone hands the keys of your house over, it’s all up to you. That’s why it is a good idea to take steps in preventing water from aging your home prematurely.
Effective basement waterproofing can protect the foundation of the home and the family living inside of it. It does this by providing proper drainage and sealants. Waterproofing can extend the life of a house.