Recognize 7 common home drainage problem signs
1. You find that you are getting water in your crawlspace or basement. This is one of the most conclusive home drainage signs, and many times it goes undetected if the water is in the crawlspace.
2. Your basement and exterior foundation walls show evidence of dark coloration and/or patching and skim coating. Sometimes the patching and skimcoating is done poorly, and if you tap on the inside or outside of the foundation wall in areas that show evidence of repair, it will sound hollow. This is because the mason was not experienced, and floated too much mix on at one time creating an air pocket behind the surface of the repair. Eventually this area will crack and fall away. No bond has been achieved.
3. Your home and basement smells damp and areas within your home molds easily. Closets are areas that recieve a lot of damage from mold due to water in basements and crawlspaces.
4. Cracks appear on dirt surfaces near the home where water has been standing and soaking into the below grade areas. This is evidence of water soaking below grade which creates hydrostatic pressure and leaking into basements and crawlspaces.
5. White dusty looking areas appear on the inside and/or outside of your foundation walls. This is the lime being forced out of the concrete from sustained water damage of the foundation. Many times this will show on the concrete walls where the foundation meets the ground. Basement walls will show this anywhere water runs down the walls.
6. Foundation and basement walls begin to show cracks from water damage. The exterior foundation shows cracking due to water damage.
7. Crawlspace inspections indicate evidence of water on the moisture barrier due to stained mud on the moisture barrier, and/or actual water below the moisture barrier.
If you see any of these most common drainage smoking guns, you very likely have a drainage problem, unless the problem has been treated and the evidence of the former problem is what you are looking at.