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Q: I have a dry basement. But recently, after heavy rains, I noticed that in two corners of the basement the paint was bubbling up a bit and, when I pressed one of the bubbles, the paint split and water trickled out. I haven't experienced dampness issues before. What's the problem? — Gary in Waltham, Mass.
A: Considering all the pump hoses I saw trailing from basements around my neighborhood following recent heavy rains in the Northeast, a little dampness doesn't seem like much. But you're paying attention to the problem right away, when it's relatively small and new — and that's actually very important. It can save you from having to bale out the basement a few years from now.
The first thing to do is to find out if water is draining correctly away from your foundation, or if something is impeding that drainage. Check outside the house, near those corners. Are there gutter downspouts nearby? Do you have shrubs, hedges or other plants in place next to the foundation?
If gutter downspouts are near the corners, make sure the water is draining well away from the foundation and that it disperses evenly. The small bend at the bottom of the downspout may not be enough — water should be directed at least a foot away from the foundation, so you might need to purchase a gutter extension.
Should the rains return before you're able to do that, you could do what my neighbor did in a pinch during the storms, and improvise a drain extension. What he did was set a flat piece of concrete directly beneath the downspout opening, raised the end slightly by placing a few pebbles underneath so the water flowed away faster. He then found a length of flexible plastic tubing about 4 feet long in his shed and duct-taped that to the end of the downspout. C
heck the distance of plants from the house. They should be planted more than a foot away from the foundation to prevent their roots from extending to the foundation and allowing water to seep in through the cracks they exploit. Plants that are set too near, or plants whose roots have crept to the foundation, should be removed and new plants placed farther away.
If you don't see improvement in the water seepage, or would just like to make sure, have a licensed contractor double-check the basement and foundation for unseen damage. The faster you tackle any issues, the less you'll have to shell out for repairs down the road.
Send your home repair and maintenance questions to homeguru2000@ hotmail.com, or write This Is a Hammer, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853- 6475. Remember, when in doubt as to whether you can safely or effectively complete a project, consult a professional contractor.
© 2010 King Features Synd., Inc.
A: Considering all the pump hoses I saw trailing from basements around my neighborhood following recent heavy rains in the Northeast, a little dampness doesn't seem like much. But you're paying attention to the problem right away, when it's relatively small and new — and that's actually very important. It can save you from having to bale out the basement a few years from now.
The first thing to do is to find out if water is draining correctly away from your foundation, or if something is impeding that drainage. Check outside the house, near those corners. Are there gutter downspouts nearby? Do you have shrubs, hedges or other plants in place next to the foundation?
If gutter downspouts are near the corners, make sure the water is draining well away from the foundation and that it disperses evenly. The small bend at the bottom of the downspout may not be enough — water should be directed at least a foot away from the foundation, so you might need to purchase a gutter extension.
Should the rains return before you're able to do that, you could do what my neighbor did in a pinch during the storms, and improvise a drain extension. What he did was set a flat piece of concrete directly beneath the downspout opening, raised the end slightly by placing a few pebbles underneath so the water flowed away faster. He then found a length of flexible plastic tubing about 4 feet long in his shed and duct-taped that to the end of the downspout. C
heck the distance of plants from the house. They should be planted more than a foot away from the foundation to prevent their roots from extending to the foundation and allowing water to seep in through the cracks they exploit. Plants that are set too near, or plants whose roots have crept to the foundation, should be removed and new plants placed farther away.
If you don't see improvement in the water seepage, or would just like to make sure, have a licensed contractor double-check the basement and foundation for unseen damage. The faster you tackle any issues, the less you'll have to shell out for repairs down the road.
Send your home repair and maintenance questions to homeguru2000@ hotmail.com, or write This Is a Hammer, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853- 6475. Remember, when in doubt as to whether you can safely or effectively complete a project, consult a professional contractor.
© 2010 King Features Synd., Inc.
