As spring showers increase the amount of ground water around the house homeowner are more likely to spot leaks in the basement. As many of them do, they decide to fix them themselves with products from Lowes and Home Depot. When they get there, they grab the guy in the aisle and ask his advice. He will suggest caulk or cement or Flex Seal and they give it the Ol’ College Try. After failing multiple times, A1 Foundation Crack Repair gets the call.
Some of the pitfalls we see is people don’t take out the wet material that got damage during that water infiltration. You want to get out anything that got wet because mold will start to grow within 24 hours to 48 hours.
We also see people using caulking on foundation leaks. Caulk does not stop water. It is great for when painting, but don’t think of it in a basement.
We also see all these gimmicks that are advertised on TV, even paint that claims to stop water. The PSI (pounds per square inch) is next to nothing. We see that pealing all the time.
Something that people don’t think about is when they plant bushes, shrubs, small trees. They should be away from the foundation because the roots push against the foundation. If it is block, stone or poured concrete this can cause problems. On stone foundation we have seen roots come through the foundation and cause problems. If roots can come through, so can water, mice or insects.
The main reason to fix a foundation leak is because at some point you or your heirs are going to want to sell the house. If someone sees a crack in a foundation that was repaired, they are going to want to see a warranty on that. Even if you did a perfect and costly job which did fix the leak, you still can’t offer a warranty. Reputable foundation repair companies will offer a warranty.
For more information on basement crack repair, contact A1 Foundation Crack Repair.