Foundation Moisture Inspection

As I mentioned in a recent post, spring is a time when homeowners need to make sure that the water around their foundation is being directed away, but what about the water that’s already in the ground? Moisture that was already in the ground at the beginning of winter has frozen, and as the spring thaw progresses, that moisture is thawing as well.

I did a home inspection recently where I noticed a vertical crack in the foundation at the front of the house.  When I went into the basement, the drywall where the crack was located was dry, there was no discoloration, the floor was dry and there was no indication at all that there was any moisture there. All looked good.

However, when I checked the area with thermal imaging, I noticed a cold spot at the base of the wall going up about 6 inches from the floor. This cold spot ran along most of the basement floor. A moisture meter confirmed my suspicion; water had leaked through the crack, ran down the concrete and seeped into the baseboard and up the drywall.

But we hadn’t had any rain or snow for some time, and the snow on that side of the house had melted away weeks ago. So where was the moisture coming from? It was moisture that was still in the ground from the beginning of winter. Even though the snow had melted weeks ago, the ground was still frozen, and just recently started thawing.

As a result of this inspection, I’m now offering a Foundation Moisture Inspection for $100 (including GST). It includes an exterior inspection of the foundation and the grade of the lot around the home, and an interior thermal imaging and moisture inspection of the basement walls. This is useful for homes that have a finished basement where you can’t see whether or not there’s moisture in the basement. The results of the inspection will be shared in a report along with pictures of any areas of concern and recommendations on how to address those concerns.

If you’re concerned that you may have a water problem, or want the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you DON’T have a water problem, give us a call and book a Foundation Moisture Inspection.