Why Should You Waterproof Your Basement?

While Virginia isn’t the worst state in the nation for rain, the state certainly sees more than its fair share of annual precipitation. With excess rain and ever-changing weather comes the risk that your basement may flood. Even so, does Virginia endure enough rain to make basement waterproofing worth the cost?

If you’re debating whether or not you should waterproof your basement, consider the benefits! Not only can you protect your belongings, but waterproofing will save you money and stress in the long run.

1. Prevent Weather-Related Flooding

When hurricane season comes to Lynchburg, you’ll want to do everything you can to keep the belongings you’ve stored in your basement dry. While you may not be on the coast, you’ll still have to deal with the fallout of some of the season’s worst storms. What better way to prepare than to waterproof your basement? Sump pumps will help keep water away from your belongings by pumping any collected water out of your basement and away from your home so it won’t damage your property.

Alternatively, if you’re looking to protect your crawl space from the worst of hurricane season, why not invest in a vapor barrier? When it comes to the unpredictable nature of Virginia rain, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

2. Keep Mold Out of Your Home

Waterproofing your basement doesn’t just keep the water out of your home. When you keep your basement as dry as possible, you also actively keep mold from growing around your joints. Mold loves a dark and damp environment. Come Charlottesville’s rainy season, it’ll be all the more likely that you’ll find mold clusters in an unprotected basement. If you take steps to keep water away from your foundation and support structures, then you won’t have to worry about a mold problem in the future.

3. Protect the Structural Supports in Your Home

Speaking of support structures: the wood and stone that keep your home upright can be irrecoverably damaged if exposed for water for too long. If your contractor used green wood in your wall supports and you don’t waterproof your basement, you may quickly find yourself dealing with bowing walls. Concrete and brick foundations also crack more frequently than other foundation types when exposed to excessive precipitation.

Invest in waterproofing solutions, and you’ll be able to keep your home upright in the worst of Virginia’s rainy season.

4. Prevent Pest Infestations

Water gets into your basement courtesy of cracks, be they in the walls or your foundation. If water can get in through those cracks, then rodents and insects will be able to as well. If there’s anything worse than a leak in your home, it’s a leak accompanied by pests.

You can, of course, set traps or call an exterminator if you start seeing signs of vermin in your home. If you want to take preventative steps, though, it’s best to waterproof your home to keep any interior or exterior cracks from growing. Get ahead of the cracks and you’ll be able to redirect any curious critters looking to take advantage of the bad weather.

5. Keep Your Home Smelling Clean

What do mold, pests and water damage all have in common? Besides being nuisances, they all make your basement smell awful. If you’ve cleaned your home dozens of times over but still can’t get rid of a nasty smell, it’s time to check your basement for cracks.

Waterproofing your basement keeps the vast majority of weather-based dampness out of your home. As a result, you won’t have to plug your nose every time you head downstairs. It may be a sensory benefit, but that doesn’t mean it’s one worth putting aside in favor of a saved dollar.

6. Maintain the Structural Integrity of Your Floor

A damp basement is a structurally-compromised basement. Leave water in your basement for too long, and it’ll quickly make its way down into your foundation. That exposure will cause your basement to settle unevenly. As a result, your basement floor will transform from a flat slab into a concrete wave pool.

While, on one hand, any skateboarders in your home will love their new trick park, an uneven basement floor can wreak havoc on the value of your home. To keep your floors flat and even, invest in waterproofing solutions early.

7. Protect Your Belongings

Naturally, waterproofing your home means that Appomattox’s floodwaters will stay away from the belongings you’ve stored downstairs. These belongings may be sentimental or they may be practical – either way, the last thing you want is for them to become unusable due to water damage.

8. Keep Your Utility Expenses Low

A damp basement is an expensive basement, and not just because it’ll cost you money to repair. When there’s excess dampness in the air, your heater will struggle to maintain the temperature in your home. Your pipes may also start to leak, causing your water bill to rise.

If you notice your electric, heat or water bill spiking for no reason, then you may well have a leak in your basement. By waterproofing your basement before this issue arises, you’ll be able to save money and avoid stress in the long run.

9. Pad Your Repair Budget

Speaking of saving money: there’s nothing worse than discovering you have a leak and insufficient funds to cover repairs. If you’re looking to pad your repair budget, it’s often smart to spend money on waterproofing solutions upfront. While the initial costs of waterproofing your home may be off-putting, they’re guaranteed to save you money in the future.

10. Retain the Overall Value of Your Home

Finally, it’s always easier to sell a home that’s been waterproofed than it is to sell a home that’s fallen victim to water damage in the past. While you can sell a home with known basement leaks, you’ll need to disclose as such in your initial listing. Homes with untreated water leaks often lose 30 percent or more of their market value. Alternatively, you can fix a leak before putting your home on the market to retain its overall value – but endure that cost before you move.

To avoid both of these issues, consider waterproofing your home as soon as you move in. While you may not be thinking of its future market value yet, your future self will thank you for your foresight.

Don’t let Virginia’s rain compromise the safety of your home. Reach out to a local contractor for a basement waterproofing quote today.

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