Spotting Problems With The Concrete Walls In Your Basement

While the modern basement serves as an extension of the home that is just as functional and sound as the rest of the house, older homes are pretty notorious for having issues with moisture and deterioration that make the basement far from useful. If you have an older basement in your home with concrete walls, chances are, at some point you will start to see signs of problems. To be better prepared to recognize problems with the concrete walls in your basement, there are a few telltale issues you should be on the lookout for as a homeowner. 

Your basement walls are always damp. 

Usually, moisture is the first problem to show up with concrete walls in older basements, but the moisture does not always show up as puddle, streaks, or drips. What you will usually start to notice is that the walls always seem damp or moist. If the concrete walls are painted, you may not notice that the walls are moist, but you will notice some areas of paint that bubble up or start to peel and chip. This moisture issue is caused by the natural degeneration of the concrete that is making it more porous, so water is slowly bleeding through the material. 

Your basement walls are starting to crumble. 

Prolonged exposure to moisture from the outside often leads to a higher concentration of acidic minerals in the concrete. Therefore, even if you do not see moisture or wetness on the walls, you may start to see certain areas of the concrete disintegrate and crumble. Most homeowners contribute this issue to the age of the concrete itself, but there is most often a far bigger issue with moisture taking place. If you notice crumbling areas of the concrete walls in your basement, no matter how small, it is best to have the issue checked out by a concrete wall contractor. 

Your basement walls have small cracks and fissures. 

It is not uncommon for concrete to crack when it is placed under enough pressure, especially if the walls are older or if they were not properly installed to start with. If you notice tiny cracks and fissures in your concrete walls, it is definitely time to have a professional take a look. These cracks could be caused by shifts and changes in the ground or offset pressure from your home overhead. Either way, these cracks will grow to be a bigger problem and should get immediate attention. Contact a company like Burns Brothers Concrete Construction Corporation for more info.   


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