Tips and Instructions

• 1). Check condensation levels first, particularly if the source of the leak isn't immediately apparent. Some basement problems are the result of moisture in the air. Place a small mirror on the wall and leave it for a few hours. If the mirror is foggy after a few hours, condensation is at least one of the causes of the basement's moisture problems. Place a few fans and dehumidifiers in the basement to move and dry the surrounding air. Taping a piece of plastic wrap to the wall will work to test moisture levels if there isn't a mirror handy.
  
  
• 2). Consider potential sources of moisture. If a clothesline is in the basement, move the clothesline elsewhere. Check the dryer to confirm that the exhaust vent doesn't leak and flows unobstructed to the outside.
  
  
• 3). Look for plumbing problems. While plumbing problems are infrequent, they are major problems if present. Check the pipes in the basement ceiling directly under the kitchen sink. Also check the drain line from the indoor part of the house's central air conditioner.
  
  
• 4). Control surface water. Look around the house to see where rainwater falls and channels into the ground. Check the gutters and downspouts during a heavy rain and make sure that they channel water away from the house instead of into the basement. If water is getting behind the gutters, install a drip edge (metal mounted on the roof's edge that prevents water from curling underneath the edge and dripping down the walls into the foundation). Roofers and gutter-specializing forms usually install drip edges and make gutter repairs.
  
  
• 5). Check the yard. A lot of puddles forming means that water is not flowing away from your house. Grade the yard in a gentle downward slope to direct water away from the house. Patios, walks and driveways should also slope away from the house.
  
  
• 6). Seal basement walls. Controlling surface water helps with a lot of leakage problems, but it is not a complete solution. You can seal the interior walls with a waterproofing concrete paint (a type of paint mixed with concrete that becomes part of the wall's masonry). Apply a mixture of sand and concrete paint to repair any leaky joints.