With the arrival of spring, Ontario residents begin thinking of renovations. Basement finishing is often near the top of the list as a spring project. Such an undertaking must be carefully planned in order to avoid the pit falls commonly associated with building out a basement, like basement leaks. Here are some important considerations to keep in mind:
Protect from Water Damage
The number one concern must always be protecting your investment and hard work from water damage due to basement leaks. A small amount of water can cause big problems and make your beautiful finished basement completely useless. In many cases, the home owner may not even be aware of small foundation leaks since small amounts of water will dry up quickly and people often don’t pay much attention to what goes on in the dark corners of their basement.
Beware of Mold
Small amounts of water in areas which are open to the air are quite harmless and often cause no concern of mold because there are no building materials for the mold to grow on. The problem occurs when the foundation walls are enclosed with paper drywall and wooden two-by-fours which create the ideal environment for mold growth. To correct basement leaks at this point is very unfortunate and very expensive.
Foundation Inspection
Home owners planning basement renovations should always have their foundation inspected by a waterproofing expert who is able to identify all areas of concern and correct the problems before construction begins. Even if you don’t think you have a need for this service, know that ninety percent of basements require some amount of foundation repair and waterproofing before a basement finishing project can move forward.
To ensure your spring project remains an asset and not a liability, have an expert from The Crack Doctor inspect your foundation and educate you about your basement and basement finishing.
