Drying and Sealing a Wet Basement in Merrimack

8/9/2022 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO to thoroughly inspect your basement for water damage and seal it to prevent flood damage.

Preventing Flood Damage in Your Basement

Fall is here now, and it is time to check basements for leaks and seepage. Merrimack has been fortunate this year regarding weather, but that does not mean it is OK to skip regular inspections and maintenance.

Dealing with a wet basement in Merrimack is not the worst disaster to work through, but it can still be a nuisance and an expensive nuisance at worst. SERVPRO has the know-how to not just clean and dry your basement but to help you stop future water intrusions as well.

A wet basement usually has two sources: a leaky pipe draining into the basement or seepage from outside the foundation. Our technicians are trained to remove and replace most interior leaks. We can accomplish this within a few hours, while major leaks or pipe replacement could take a day or two. Once we stop the water source, we use water extraction wands to remove water trapped in carpets or cracks on the floor. As we perform this task, other restoration team members set up dehumidifiers to dry the surrounding air.

When the water is coming in from the outside, we recommend two options, depending on the type of basement. If the area has a dirt floor, we recommend encapsulation. With this process, SERVPRO technicians seal the floor with polyester mesh reinforcing polyethylene sheets. This water vapor barrier effectively prevents moisture from bleeding from the ground. We secure the sheets to the basement walls using two-sided foundation tape or polyurethane caulk. We also install a frame along the bottom of the walls if needed for extra support.

If the basement has a concrete floor, then we recommend waterproofing. Our IICRC-certified technicians seal every crack and seam with hydraulic cement. It forms a near-perfect barrier against leaks. Once it is dry, we apply masonry cement over the entire surface of the basement walls. The coating is waterproof and forms a very efficient seal against cracks too small to see and seepage that can come between cement blocks and mortar.

Regardless of the type of basement, SERVPRO also recommends sealing  the outside walls. We dig out around the foundation, clean the walls, and then coat them with a thick layer of commercial-grade liquid rubber. It is an excellent sealant, even in extreme weather, and does not leak unless the foundation cracks or the house shifts off the pad.

With any disaster, the best way to stop it is to prevent it from happening. SERVPRO of Merrimack is ready to help seal your basement from future water intrusions and remove any water that could be in your basement now. For more information or to schedule an inspection, call us today at (603) 262-9293.