Water intrusion – a fancy phrase for “moisture” – is the most prevailing issue for homes in the Pacific Northwest. We live in a generally damp, cool environment – particularly from October to March – and our homes can sometimes succumb to unfriendly wetness.
One of the most serious examples of intrusion is a leaky basement, where water can come from a variety of sources and be difficult to pinpoint. It’s especially concerning when preparing to sell or attempting to buy a home. We break down what both parties in a purchase and sale should consider.
Sellers
Homeowners who recall that day when they noticed a steady, vertical leak from an unfinished basement wall or ponding in a corner of the same room. It happened on the day of that unusually heavy storm – oh, and maybe a little the other time when ice melted outside after a big freeze. That was all. Just those two times … or maybe three.
Having knowledge of the issue requires you to include details on the Seller Disclosure Statement, a Multiple Listing Service form supplied by your listing agent. You might as well address it before attempting to sell the home. What to do?
Ask at least two contractors experienced in basement repairs to examine the home and make a recommendation to fix the issue(s). Waterproofing a basement isn’t inexpensive – but it will improve the overall value of your home and hopefully eliminate future leaks while bringing peace of mind.
Your contractor or a qualified home inspector can examine the entire home – foundation, walls, ceiling and floors – for cracking. Hairline cracks are one thing but breaks of a quarter-inch or more may be serious and possibly caused by water intrusion. Parallel cracks that widen at one end can sometimes indicate water seepage underneath. The expensive remediation is to create a drainage system that digs a drainage system around the perimeter floor and adds a sump pump at the lowest point of the room. Known as an interior French drain, the system will run about $10,000 (or more, for larger jobs). A quicker, generally effective answer is to shoot a sealant solution – brands such as Flex Seal, Drylok and others – into the cracked areas to close off the seepage. Whatever you do: Don’t simply cover over cracks with paint or, worse, an old throw rug.
Older homes with basements should also have drainage systems around the perimeter of the structure – known as exterior French drains – or face water collection that could lead to leaks at porous areas leading to the cellar. Major work will likely require city permitting and approvals but, in the long run, it’s worth it.
Buyers
When close to making a purchase, buyers should hire a home inspector to ensure the structure is sound. The inspection can sometimes take place before making an offer and should certainly happen before closing on the property. The basement is one of the most critical aspects of the property. The inspector will often times identify real or potential issues with the area (and other aspects of the home) and make recommendations.
Follow those recommendations – sometimes including the opinion of a specialist – before either making a request to sellers for repairs or asking for seller credits to fulfill the repairs after closing.
Finished basements can look remarkable with their own heat source, windows and private access. Unfortunately, some of them are hiding (or barely displaying) issues – water seepage behind wood paneling, bubbling of paint and hints of damp or drafty air. The good news is that those specialist inspectors have a sixth sense for these issues – and handy technology that can detect moisture in wood, dry wall and carpeting, and thermal-imaging cameras to scan for temperature difference.
Seeking to end the seeping? Ask your inspector or contractor about the process of sealing the basement, an expensive task but a long-term savings of time and stress. Perma-Seal is one company that offers a lifetime warranty, transferable to new homeowners, for the life of the building. Other Seattle-area companies offer similar services and guarantees. Sump pumps that help save you from a flooded basement don’t usually offer the same warranties.
In a perfect scenario (and we know not everything is perfect), the home would be situated on the highest part of the lot. In most cases, water will roll down the plane and avoid ponding. If that is not the case for your desired home, look for a landscape architect or building contractor (or both) to see what it would take to remediate the potential for a leaky basement. It can be a simple matter of adding more soil and vegetation around the home to help absorb water during rainy season. Or it could be more complex.
Once you are armed with the information on process and price, consider asking the seller to complete the repairs or, more likely, seeking compensation for repairs at closing. The issue has likely been there all along, so ask the seller to help shoulder the cost burden before reaching the closing date.
The basement gets a bad rap. It’s sometimes thought to be that dark, dank, smelly “anteroom” – but it doesn’t have to be that way for either seller or buyer.