Basement Contractors in Atlanta: Tips and Tricks

Basement Contractors in Atlanta

Usually, a homeowner calls basement contractors when the need is dire. The basement is flooding, the sump pump is broken or the foundation walls are cracked. Basement contractors can help. Professional, reputable basement contractors in Atlanta will do it the right way. Even if we aren’t standing in two feet of water in the basement, we can all benefit from thinking like a basement contractor.

Inspect the Outside Too

Basement contractors know that when water is coming inside the basement the problem is the happening in the soil outside. The first thing they do after seeing the inside of the basement is they walk the perimeter outside. Most of the time there is a water source like a broken gutter or a downspout dumping water right by the foundation wall where it is leaking.

Inject Concrete Crack, Don’t Patch

Basement contractors in Atlanta don’t patch foundation cracks, they inject foundation cracks. Patching a crack with a surface material, even if it is a waterproofing mix, will not fully fix the crack. If the crack is leaking, it means the wall is completely cracked from the outside. Basement contractors know they will be back again if they don’t completely inject the crack with a waterproofing epoxy or urethane material to completely penetrate the crack. Typically, there is water pressure building up on the outside wall that will push out a caulking or surface material over time. A patch on a concrete foundation crack just won’t do.

See the Basement as a Whole Environment

Basement contractors in Atlanta look at the big picture. That is what they are trained to do. Basements are an interesting environment in the first place. They are below ground but part of the house. This means basements are affected by the outside environment as well as the upstairs environment. Controlling the basement environment means understanding how moisture enters the basement as well as how it is impacting the rest of the house. Even though basements are often out of sight, out of mind, a basement contractor knows what is below the house is impacting upstairs through indoor air quality and humidity levels.

See the Signs

Water stains, odors, mold, mildew, or rot, these are signs of a basement water problem. Basement contractors will see these signs and know that cleaning up the mold is not the solution to the problem. If you clean up the mold, and don’t fix the water issue, the mold will come back. The same goes for all the signs. The real issue has to do with controlling the water and moisture issues. If you think like a basement contractor, it is time to solve the water problem. There are many different methods and specifics of basement waterproofing. Most of the waterproofing techniques are similar, and different companies and manufacturers just tweak the method slightly. The concepts work and will work to keep your basement dry.