Home Buying Tips
and Mistakes
Should You Buy a House With a Wet Basement?

Wet or leaky basements are a very common problem in Grosse Pointe and often times a deal killer for me depending on the price of
the home. Wet basements can be very costly to correct and are often accompanied by mold and foundation problems. Therefore, it's
important when buying a house with a basement to check for signs of dampness in the basement. It's better to find out before you buy
than afterwards, especially since you can't rely on seller disclosures. Why can't you rely on seller disclosures? Because the sellers
might not know about it. If the sellers did have knowledge, however, and failed to disclose the water problems in the basement, it
could be:

  • Difficult to prove in court
  • Take years to get into court
  • Expensive to sue
  • Very expensive to dry out the basement

This is why you should always, without fail, get an independent home inspection by a qualified and accredited professional.

Signs of a Damp or Leaky Basement

  • Water stains along walls or floors. This could be caused by something simple such as an overflowing laundry tub or it could be
    a result of water seeping through basement windows, the walls, or the floors.
  • Musty odor or damp smell. Excess moisture in a basement can cause an unmistakable smell.
  • Mold. It could be colored black, brown, yellow or green, and you won't know for certain if it's dangerous mold without testing it.
    Often the northwest corner of a house is known as a "cold corner" and susceptible to developing mold.
  • Efflorescence. This condition produces a white or sometimes grayish ash on the walls. Sometimes it sparkles. Efflorescence
    is caused by salt deposits left behind by evaporating water.
  • Spalling. When water gets inside the surface of the concrete, brick or stone, salt deposits from the water cause the surface to
    flake away, peel or pop off.
  • Fresh paint. Fresh paint usually means the seller is hiding something.









          Mold                                                          Efflorescence                                          Spalling

Hopefully this information has been helpful. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact us