From fall to winter, there are plenty of opportunities for your basement to have some form of water damage. Between the heavy rains or the quick winter thaws (especially with Minnesota season madness) your foundation may have some breaches. There are a couple things you can do to be aware of the possible dangers and costly repairs that arise from those pesky natural occurrences! Rain and Snow First, with heavy rain or frost, foundation cracking can occur. The shifting soils with the constant shrinkage and expansion due to climate,along with improperly directed drainage can become an issue in weaker areas of your basement foundation. When handling foundation cracks, repairs costs can rise significantly if you ignore the little cracks and let them expand into a bigger problem. Basically being active about foundation management no matter how small the problem, is essential. That being said, not all cracks need tending to. Call a professional to check out the foundation and use a felt tip pen to mark locations that may be problematic, fully circling the affected area, and then keep an eye on its progress, to identify if there needs any further action. Dry season condensation Its commonly known that basements can become damp during the spring seasons what with the rainfall and departing winter melts. What’s important to take note of, is the appearance of moisture in the basement even when there hasn’t been rain recently, or any snow melts. This could identify a hidden issue. Generally this is due to a factor outside of the basement, involved with some other area of the property. Anywhere from poor drainage, poor ventilation, obsolete plumbing etc… can lead to condensation in the basement. The best option is to call a professional to pinpoint the issue. This may seem like a hassle but will be much easier than mold removal or property damage! Why to make basement maintenance a priority No matter the season or climate situation, its important to be aware of the condition your basement is in. Spending time to examine its physical properties and integrity can do nothing but help save you stress and money down the road! Ensuring your basement is a place of comfort and enjoyable use, it will help you to notice the little things through your enjoyment of it, allowing you to catch issue before they become problems! That’s it for today! Now go check out your basement! While your at it, give us a call for a friendly conversation about basement additions! Oh! and don’t forget! Today marks the last weekend for the Parade of Homes in Savage, MN! Come on out and take a look at our new homes that might be something you didn’t even know your family needed!