Owning a home is a four-season affair. Each time of year has its benefits and responsibilities. You need to take care of your property all year round so you can enjoy it all year round.
One of the major headaches can be finding out your home is taking on water where it shouldn’t be. Usually that is the basement and it requires a regular plan of maintenance to ensure it is the solid, dry place your home needs.
So, you’ve found evidence of water damage in your basement. Now what? You need to protect your home’s foundation which is the basis for comfortable living. Whether a little water or a lot, you need to take steps to stop it from creating havoc. You may hope it’s a one-off but once you have had water in your basement, you are likely to have it again.
When you decide to get your property underpinned your contractor needs to have the expertise to deal with all the complexities of the project. City Wide Group has the experience and knowledge required. They have more than 55 years in the industry and ensure their estimators and technicians are fully trained on the most up to date technologies. They are certified and insured.
This winter has brought record levels of snow to Toronto and Southern Ontario. There have already been periods of melting and then re-freezing and the spring promises to bring more cyclical weather with it. Not only does the changeable weather hamper your ability to get around safely it can also have a real impact on your home.
Most new homes come with a standard height basement of approximately nine feet. Even if not finished, there is enough head-room to make the basement a comfortable space for bedrooms, offices, or entertaining. However, older homes can be a different story.
Sump pumps are used to pull water out of a sump pit into a sewer, drainage ditch or well. Many homes have sump pits below the foundation and in some places the Ontario Building Code requires that a sump pit with an automatic pump be installed. A sump pit and pump as part of basement waterproofing plan can protect a home from being inundated when there is a big storm or spring melt off.
You may not have to move to get that extra space you need
Canadian winters can be unpredictable, but you can be sure of one thing – you need to protect your property from the impact that snow and ice can have on your foundation. The pressure from ice building up in the soil around your home’s perimeter can the foundation’s walls to crack. Any water from melt-off can freeze when the temperatures drop again and cause any cracks in the masonry to get larger too. It’s an equation you want to avoid.
As Benjamin Franklin said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When it comes to your basement, it may be worth a lot more! You never want to find that water or excessive moisture has started to wreck your basement. Your foundation is supposed to be the solid base on which your home is set.
