Your investment in your home is likely to be the biggest single investment you make, even if your personal finances put you in a fairly comfortable position. Between the robust increases seen across the U.S. real estate market in the last decade and the tendency of most people to buy the closest thing they can to the home of their dreams, it’s no surprise. Protecting that investment is the key to being sure you will see the return you expect, because an improved and maintained property can pick up value even in a bear market if you do it right. On the other hand, a property that gets damaged can lose value even in the most favorable real estate atmosphere.
When it comes to protecting your property and ensuring the safety of your investment, you need to know you’ve got everything covered from basement to roof, along with buying the right insurance to help with repair costs if an unforeseen accident damages anything. Regular inspections of all your home’s key features can help you identify problems before they pop up, and a schedule of regular touch-ups in various areas can prevent problems from ever developing. Unfortunately, sometimes you can’t know how long it’s been since the last time something was taken care of. If you’re questioning whether you should invest in new basement waterproofing, here are three great ways to tell it’s time without waiting for a problem to surprise you.
1. Do You See Peeling Paint?
Waterproofing is all about keeping the humidity controlled in the parts of your home that go below ground. That means you should consider it for walk-out lower levels as well as true basements. It also means unconventional home designs like hill houses might need to treat the main level like an underground one. Peeling paint anywhere in a basement tends to indicate a moisture issue because the extra moisture tends to make the substances in the paint more pliable by softening it. If you see what look like erupted bubbles on painted concrete surfaces like sealed floors or basement walls, it’s time to re-seal with a paint sealant, and you should call a professional to talk options.
2. Does Your Dehumidifier Ever Shut Off?
It’s very common for homeowners to run a dehumidifier even in a basement or crawl space that’s fully sealed because it’s easy for moisture to get trapped in your basement from running water or just from water vapor settling over time. If your dehumidifier has to run around the clock without a break, though, then there’s extra water coming from somewhere, and you should consider having an expert check it out to see where your waterproofing is weak.
3. Has It Been More Than 5 Years Since Sealing?
Even the best waterproofing job needs to be redone from time to time, because it is the first line of defense you have against damage from moisture, so it eventually wears down under the strain. Even if you have not seen any signs your basement has a moisture problem, you should consider having it waterproofed if you know it’s been more than five years, especially if you don’t know who did it before. If you really don’t need the touch-up, an inspection will let you know, and a free inspection from a professional has other benefits:
- Get an extra set of eyes on your basement’s moisture control
- Learn about new options in moisture abatement
- Know you are still protected
If you had your basement waterproofed and you have a warranty that is longer than five years, an inspection will still help you make sure you’re protected halfway through. If you don’t have a warranty, don’t wait more than five years to find out about your basement’s moisture protection. Especially if you are seeing signs of water damage that are clear-cut like mold or mildew because that means your house has needed moisture control help for a while.
Contact a professional today to get help if you see any of those more serious signs. Waiting just lets a problem get bigger.
