Basements and Crawlspaces
Dampness in the basement is the most common complaint and fear of homeowners. Damp or wet basements are usually caused by one of two problems; surface water from rain and snow or ground water from high water table.
Methods for Controlling Water
Roof Water Control
The roof is a large impervious shielf for your home which collects water from snow and rainfall and directs it to your eavestroughs and downspouts. A properly designed system will then carry the water away from your home and foundation. Proper grading is important as if the slope of grade is towards your home the water will gather at your foundation and eventually will find it way into your basement.
Basement stairs and window wells are another entry point for water into your basement. Un-covered stairs should have a drain at the bottom and window wells should also have a drain which directs water to your weeping tile and into either your sump hole or drainage area. Window well drains should be covered with a screen to prevent plugging and then covered with gravel to promote drainage.
Swales are used to create channels for water to drain from property to discharge areas like drainage ditches etc. A swale is simply a sloped depression that is sloped towards drain area. Most swales are between houses allowing backyard water to run between the homes and into ditches or drains. They are very common place in subdivisions.
Types of Flaws
Cracks - These are most often caused by either shrinkage or settlement of the foundation. The foundation is required to be poured on un-disturbed soil but in the case of large sub-divisions enforcing this would be virtually impossible. Just a little movement will cause minor cracks but unless water is penetrating them, they are usually of no real concern. Tarion home warranty does not consider them viable cracks unless they are 6 mm wide or water is penetrating them.
Form Tie Holes - These are holes that are left when they remove the rods used to support forming structure when pouring cement. They should be filled on both sides and a water proof material used. Sometimes they are not filled allowing water to penetrate into your basement.
Cold Pour - This occurs when the contractor pours new cement on top of existing cement that has started to cure. The weak spot that occurs is often the source of water entry into basements. This type of problem is apparent when foundation is visible.
Honeycombing - This the presence of a series of gaps or voids visible in the concrete. The cause is improper or inadequate tamping of concrete when pouring. This is created by air gaps being present as the concrete was not properly compacted. The resulting weak area is often the cause of water penetration into basements and is caused by poor workmanship.
Holes - This are penetrations created by contractors or homeowners to run services through the foundation. Unless properly sealed these penetration can allow water to penetrate into the basement.
Having your home inspected by a professional home inspector will ensure that all visible defects will be identified and explained to you allowing peace of mind during your home buying experience. Using Barrie Home Inspections guarantee's this with 100% Money-Back guarantee with no questions asked if not satisfied.