The basement of a house may seem fine during a home inspection process, but it can be possible that space might have any hidden water problem. Wet basements are always a headache to most homeowners out there because they prevent proper finishing of the space, which greatly hinders the basement’s overall usability.
There’s also a possibility to attract insects and moulds, and if the water problem goes unchecked for many days, then the overall structural integrity of the house can be compromised. So, is it possible to find any hidden water problems with a basement? Absolutely! Read on to find out more.
Symptoms That Will Tell That Your Basement Has A Hidden Water Problem
- Musty Odours
Professional home inspection in Calgary states that when water enters a basement, it tends to be fresh. But, when the same water molecules are left inside the basement for a long period, a musty odour is given off once the accumulated water gets evaporated. It’s an unpleasant smell that you can only find inside damp basements. Moreover, the smell will worsen over time, if the weather becomes warm and the humidity content in the air increases as a result.
One of the other reasons why such musty odours are found inside damp basements is because of the presence of moulds & mildews. Moulds & mildews grow because of dampness and thereby overall effect simply intensifies over time. Therefore, if you notice such odours, it’s time to investigate any water infiltration source.
- Flaking Off Paint Job
Most homeowners out there make the mistake of applying waterproof paint inside their leaky basement walls, which simply doesn’t work at all in combating the incoming water molecules. If the original water infiltration source is not dealt with, then there’s no use in using waterproof paint inside your basement. Over time, the paint will absorb moisture and thereby will crack & peel off.
Therefore, it’s essential to hire a professional home inspector in times of need such as this, so that you can know the source of a water leak inside the basement and deal with the same before you opt for a waterproof paint job.
- Presence Of White & Chalky Residue
If you find the presence of chalky, white residue on the walls of the basement as well as the floors, then it’s extremely possible that there’s a hidden water leakage problem. Most of the time, white residue is left via standing water, because all the dissolved minerals & salts get deposited on the floor of the basement (some stick to the walls up to the water-level).
Detecting the presence of water residue is definitely not a good sign and you should immediately look for ways to fix the leakage problem.
