Basements are extremely beneficial to have if you own a home. They can be great for storage and can be used as extra living spaces for hanging out. If you have a finished basement, there are plenty of things you can use it for. However, basements can also be a little tricky to deal with when you’re a homeowner.
Here are some common basement problems that you may encounter with your home.
Moisture
Moisture in your basement is typically caused by either a leak or humidity. Leaks can cause localized moisture that comes and goes depending on the weather or the state of a pipe in your home, but humidity can cause moisture to form all over your basement.
Cracks
Foundation cracks could be caused by poor construction, but sometimes, there’s nothing you can do to avoid cracking foundation. Drought, hurricane, and the soil type that your home is built on can lead to foundation cracks; unfortunately, these issues are unavoidable! Soil that moves, either expansive or consolidating soil, shifts when there is moisture added to or taken away from the soil. Homes that are built on these types of soil sometimes are built to handle a bit of shifting, but extreme cases of expanding and consolidating soil are a different story.
Mold
Mold is perhaps the most dangerous and potentially hazardous issue that you could experience in your basement. If you have moisture, like we mention above, mold is likely not far behind. If you start to notice a musty smell, you might be dealing with some mold growth. If people living in the home have respiratory problems, mold can seriously exacerbate their symptoms. And after a while, if it goes untreated, mold can damage the health of anyone in your home.
How First Choice Inspectors Can Help
At First Choice Inspectors, we specialize in conducting home inspections for homeowners in Chicago. With our foundation inspection services, we’ll be able to come in and determine if there are any problems with your foundation, and we can also give you solutions on how to address them.
These three issues are common basement problems that plenty of homeowners deal with each year. The good news is, most of these issues, including foundation cracks, can be prevented by having your basement inspected regularly.
Contact us at First Choice Inspectors today to get a quote and schedule your basement inspection today!