Just as we get sick, your house can get sick from maintenance problems. During seasonal changes in Toronto, a common concern is wet basements.
Wet basements can occur due to cracked basement walls and floors, because of condensation, or even through a clogged drainage tile.
If you have your suspicions about whether you home in Toronto may have a wet basement problem, you may be right. To help you determine if your house needs The Crack Doctor, see if you notice these symptoms in your basement:
- Mould: Mould grows in dark, warm and humid places. Your basement is a great breeding ground for it because it gets no sunlight, there is little ventilation, and it gets damp quite often if it isn’t waterproofed. Condensation or basement leaks are some of the causes of mould growth. Take a look around your walls, ceilings, floors, furniture, pipes and vents to see if there are any noticeable traces of mould. It could look like a cluster of small black dots, or may be spots of black, white, green, or brown.
- Musty smell: During the process of mould growth, waste products are released in the form of gas. It is this toxic gas that produces the musty smell you find in wet basements. If you notice such an odour, you may have mould growing in your basement.
- Water stains: If your basement has experienced leaks, especially after the winter homeowners had in Toronto, you will notice water stains around your walls or floors. They will continue to spread if the walls or floors are still damp with moisture and are not professionally waterproofed. Painting over the stains or covering them with “sealants” will not stop the leaking problem; in fact, the stain may simply seep through the paint.
Fixing just the symptoms is a short term solution to a long term problem. Ultimately, you will find these symptoms occurring again within a few months. That is why it is important to tackle the problem at the source. Call the Crack Doctor today to discuss how we can help your house get healthy again!
