Have You Found Long-Term Water Damage?

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Have you found long-term water damage to the foundation or basement of your home in the Niagara Region? Discovering water damage can leave a pit in your stomach and can cause anxiety that your home may be unsafe or that there is a hefty repair bill in your future.  But the worst thing that you can do is ignore the problem. The sooner you act, the easier and less expensive the solution will be.

When there is standing water around the foundation of your home, poor drainage or even a plumbing leak, the result can be significant damage. But you might not even notice the problem until it becomes a major issue – unless, that is, you know what to look for.

How does water damage your foundation?

There are a number of ways that water can wreak havoc to the foundation of your Niagara home, including:

  • Causing the wooden components of your home’s structure to rot.

  • Causing soil erosion under the foundation of your home. This shifting can lead to the cracking of your foundation walls.

  • Moisture in the soil can cause the soil around your foundation to expand. This puts pressure on your foundation, which can also cause it to crack.

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Signs of water damage

When you know what the signs of water damage are, you have a better chance of catching it early and getting it repaired while the damage is still relatively minor. Unfortunately, once water damage starts, it will only get worse if you don’t address it. Here are a few things to look for next time you’re in your basement or taking a walk around your home:

  • Cracks forming on the walls and floor of your basement.

  • Walls that bow inward or outward.

  • Windows and doors that don’t open or close properly.

  • A musty smell in your basement.

  • Discolouration of the basement walls.

  • The appearance of mold or mildew.

What can you do to prevent water damage?

The good news is that you don’t have to wait for water damage to happen to do something about it. There are steps that you can take which will help you to prevent it from happening in the first place.  To help prevent water damage from occurring in your Niagara home:

  • Ensure that gutters and cleaned and cleared of debris on a regular basis in order to prevent water from pooling around your home.

  • Ensure that your yard has proper grading and drainage.

  • Remove any debris, such as leaves, excess dirt or grass clippings from your basement window wells.

  • Maintain the plumbing pipes in your home to prevent them from being damaged or leaking.

And if you’ve already found water damage?

If you have already found water damage in your home, don’t panic. It can still be repaired. Contact the professionals at Foundation Fix right away so that we can come out to your home and assess the situation.

Depending on the cause of the damage, there are a number of possible repairs that can be made, including interior and exterior waterproofing, and crack repair. Contact us today if you suspect you have water damage.