Basement leaks are common in older homes in Toronto for a wide range of reasons. There are numerous reasons why water might appear in your basement. Sometimes it’s just poor maintenance, like not keeping your downspouts clean. Other reasons include being in a flood-prone area or having too much hydrostatic pressure from water buildup in the house. Some of the homes we encountered had previously been waterproofed, but they were still leaky because of inadequate waterproofing applications or materials. If your basement leaks, you should identify the underlying cause before applying a patch because if you don’t, the issue will recur.
Clay soil is found in many parts of Toronto, but especially in Scarborough, Etobicoke, and North York. Clay soil holds water like there’s no tomorrow. If homes aren’t raised and don’t have good drainage systems that move water away from them, this can lead to too much buildup around them. The question is what is taken into account when new homes are built. Old ones? No, not many are safe.
What can you do?
The most important thing is to have good drainage systems. Always clean your gutters and make sure that the water doesn’t drop right next to your foundation by extending down sprouts log. Put a sump pump system in your basement that collects water and has a battery backup so it works even when the power goes out. Lastly, get it waterproofed as soon as you can. We know that making a whole house waterproof can be hard and expensive. You need to protect your home, so do it as soon as you can. People who need it can get financing at 0%.
We offer free inspections for all homes at Royal Work. If you’re buying a new home or have water in your basement walls, just let us know and we’ll send a technician right away. Don’t let it get worse. The more damage there is, the more it will cost to fix.