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Your damp or wet basement can cause more than just a headache; these issues can create bigger problems like mold, mildew, rot, structural damage, and a variety of health problems. If you’ve noticed any of the symptoms below, you might have a serious basement waterproofing problem.
If water is collecting in flat areas or the soil is staying saturated in some spots, it may be surface depressions causing the problem. These depressions allow water to puddle, creating a mess. A swale could be helpful, or certain portions could be filled in and graded so that the water drains out of the low spot and away from the home. If this doesn’t work, an underground catch basin or drain may be necessary.
If you notice that your lawn is muddy in one spot and dry in the next, it could be the type of soil that is causing drainage problems. There are three basic soil types: sand, silt and clay. If your soil is heavy in clay, it won’t drain very well. If it’s sandy, it will let water slip right through. If it is sandy right against your home, the water will run down the sides of your foundation causing wet areas in the walls to your basement.
The best trick is to dig a small hole, fill it with water and watch how it drains. If it takes 12-24 hours to drain, you have a problem. (It should only take about 4 hours.) Improve your soil with a coarse aggregate like sand or pea gravel and organic matter.
Basement Waterproofing * Crawlspace Waterproofing* Structural Repair * Drainage
In Atlanta and all of Georgia, it’s Trotter Company for Drainage, Basement Waterproofing, Crawlspace Waterproofing, Foundation Piering and Wall Reinforcement. All of our projects are designed and supervised by our NAWSRC certified staff.
With 85 years of experience making foundation repairs in Georgia’s unique red clay, Trotter Company will impress you with the most experienced people in the business. At Trotter, customer education has always been our highest priority. With the help of the experienced waterproofing/foundation repair specialists at Trotter Company, it is our goal to answer any question you may have concerning the most complex task in construction – storm water management and foundation shoring. It is our pleasure to provide you with hundreds of references from your neighborhood to make it easy for you to pick a contractor that won’t disappoint you!
How do you know if you’ve got water in your basement?
Before the new Trotter System, all sub-floor basement systems flooded the soil under the basement floor with rain water. Only the Trotter System warrants no water or dampness from our basement system – a full 8 feet high on masonry walls!
Most settlement problems are a result of structures being built on poorly compacted fill dirt which has been infiltrated by storm water. Existing soil conditions, as well as poor construction, can cause settlement problems.
If you’ve got any of the following in your home, you probably have a crawlspace problem:
It’s best to address this ASAP since a problem in your crawlspace will eventually spread to other areas of your home causing major damage.
Poor drainage can destroy your home! It is very important that water can flow away from your structure. If storm water is allowed to pool near your foundation, you are asking for a wet basement and the possibility of a basement wall collapse.