If your basement gets flooded by a water from outside, a leaky or a busted pipe, or from moisture, you need to get the water out fast. Not only the things that you have stored down there will get damaged or ruined, but the water can damage the basement itself and eventually other parts of the home as well if the water or moisture problem is not repaired. If you have a basement, it is good to put things up high so if a flood happens the water can not get to it. If you have a moisture problem, it might not be that simple.

Water can come into the basement and cause a flood, of course if you have damaged plumbing down there, but it can also seep in from outside when it rains or snows if there are any cracks in the cement or the blocks of the foundation. Sometimes the cracks can be easy to spot and the homeowner can make the repair their self and fix the problem. Sometimes a crack can be hard to spot and you will have to wait for rain to see where the water is coming in at. This is a good way to spot an attic leak as well.

If you have moisture forming on the block or cement walls inside the basement, you may need to have a sealant applied to prevent the moisture from penetrating from the outside. You also need to make sure that water is not accumulating and standing around or near the foundation on the outside. If it does, then you cold have a landscaping issue that needs taking care of. Water must be able to run off away from the house, not to it. If the moisture is coming from inside the home, then you likely do not have adequate ventilation. If you use a clothes dryer in the basement or upstairs and it is not vented properly, the humid heat will stay in the home. Anywhere moisture is produced in the home, it must be removed by an open window, exhaust fan, or at least a dehumidifier to remove the moisture from the air.

When a flood in a basement is several inches deep or more, it will have to be pumped out. Everything will have to be taken out of the basement so it can be dried and repaired. The one thing that has not been discussed is mold. When there has been a flood, moisture, or a water leak anywhere in the home, you run the risk of developing mold. Mold is common in damp basements and this is often the reason a home can have that musty odor. It is essential that a home be kept dry in the basement and everywhere else to prevent mold. To take care of any serious water issue in your home, call in a professional water damage company to find the problem and clean up the water.