Where's the Leak in Mahoning County Homes?

4/30/2020 (Permalink)

Ground water and heavy rain water can accumulate in the window seals and can cause leaks.

During the rainy spring months, you may see water in your basement. Whether your basement is fully finished or not, it can be pesky to clean up and difficult to find the source. Here’s a few possible places the water leak can be coming from:

A Wall Leak: In some older homes, water can gather in low spots in the ground and could eventually leak into your home through the bottom of the main floor. Water can also leak through the cracks in the middle of your walls. This is a more damaging type of leak because it means there is a build up of pressure in the ground and water then pushes against the wall overtime. 

Mortar Joints: If your basement walls are made of cinder blocks or brick instead of concrete, these blocks or bricks can deteriorate overtime and break down leading to water leaks. 

Drain Tiles: On the contrary, just because your home is newer doesn’t mean you are less susceptible to water damage in your basement. Drain tiles often wrap around the edge of your newer basement. It looks like a plastic pipe wrapped in a cloth sock surrounded by gravel. It is usually safe and durable but can be affected by a storm, tree roots or any outside elements. 

Window Well: Newer basements are often built with windows to allow more natural light to come in. However, ground water and heavy rain water can accumulate in the window seals and can cause leaks. Sometimes this leak is in direct correlation to an overflowing gutter that leads into the window cracks. 

Additionally, be on the lookout for leaks in more common spots like the sewer pipes or basement sump pump. Sewer pipe leaks will often be visible and show stains. Sump pumps often experience failure, clogging or can simply be installed incorrectly. 

When you spot any water damage or are having trouble locating the source of the leak, call us at SERVPRO® of East Mahoning County at (330) 536-7477 and we can help immediately. We can help you stay dry and safe!