10 Steps to Check Your New Jersey Basement for Water Damage
10 Steps to Check Your NJ Basement for Water Damage. 
Unexpected water in your basement can damage walls and floors, destroy carpeting, ruin furniture and lead pretty quickly to mold. Water damage can really wreak havoc in your home and perhaps the most upsetting of all: water downstairs can ruin irreplaceable items like photo albums, antiques, and family heirlooms.The key is to get the water before it gets you. A small leak might not seem like a very big problem but you might end up with extensive flooding and water damage if you allow it to continue over a long period of time. Once the problem has become extensive you might find that it takes up a lot of time and money in order to resolve the problem.First you want to make sure that leaking is not coming from inside the basement. Look at the plumbing, HVAC, hot water heater, washer/dryer, dehumidifier to see if there is any leaking in these areas. Once those sources have been eliminated, we can check for water intrusion from the outside.Let’s look for some of the signs that indicate leakage. They can assist in indicating what type of problem you are having and can also help in locating the source of leakage.
- Peeling Paint...Paint peeling from basement walls can be caused by water evaporating behind it.
- Staining on Carpets …Can indicate past leakage. This is true when locations are near foundation walls.
- Warped or Damaged Paneling…Can indicate past water absorption, due to leakage.
- Insects and Bugs…Look for evidence of small insects along the baseboards, behind sofas, in corners, etc. Some types of insects gravitate towards areas of moisture.
- Wet spots on walls…This is a result of capillary action, the water absorbing into the wall from outside.
- Dry rot…Wood that has previously been dried lumber, such as your basement stairs, that is decaying. Usually indicated by a dark stained look or wood that is splitting apart.
- Rust Stains...Sometimes seen on concrete floors and carpet, usually due to rusted metal feet on furniture. Rust on baseboards, electrical boxes, etc., all indicate evidence of past moisture.
- Efflorescence…A whitish mineral deposit which is visible on masonry surfaces is the result of water passing through the wall.
- Mold/Mildew…Usually located on or near, an area that has seen prolonged moisture, giving the mold a chance to grow. This is often associated with an unpleasant odor.
- Dampness/Staining around Floor Cracks…Can indicate that water is forcing itself up through the cracks, due to pressure, water table, etc.
