Wet or Damp Basement.

A wet or damp basement can result from several different conditions:
- Condensation may result from humid air meeting cooler pipes and walls. Pipes may appear to be leaking and walls may have droplets of water running down them.
- A pipe may have an otherwise unnoticed leak possibly from a bad joint or in very old pipes, from corrosion.
- Moisture may be seeping into the basement through porous foundation walls.
- Moisture may be entering the basement through cracks in the foundation or floor.
Poor drainage around the outer walls of the basement can make a bad situation worse.

The solution to correcting a wet basement depends on the cause for the water or moisture:
If condensation is the problem, this can be corrected by insulating the cold surfaces (pipes and walls). This will stop humidity in the air from forming water droplets on the cold surfaces. A dehumidifier will also remove excessive moisture from the air and help to reduce or eliminate the problem.

A leaking pipe can usually be found by following the water "uphill" to the source. Be especially watchful where a pipe above may be dripping slowly onto a pipe below. Keep following the trail up to the source.

An easy first step to minimize (bur rarely eliminate) water penetration of the basement walls is to ensure all water from the roof entering down spouts and drains is carried away from the foundation. Drains should empty a minimum of three feet from the foundation but farther is better.

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