If your basement is wet or damp, it could be a breeding ground for such nasty substances as mold and mildew. These smell terrible, sure, but they can also cause allergies and make you sick. No good at all. Fortunately, you can waterproof your basement fairly easily once you know what is making it wet in the first place.

Check to see if the problem is caused by condensation or by water seeping into the basement. Just tape a large piece of foil to any wall that shows signs of dampness. Seal the foil to the wall by taping tightly along all four sides. Wait 48 hours then check the foil. If the outside is wet there’s a condensation problem; if the side facing the wall is wet, there’s a seepage problem.

When moisture from the air hits a cold surface and contracts, condensation is occuring. To solve this problem, start by insulating cold surfaces that can attract condensation, such as pipes, ducts, and tanks. Using pipe insilation to cover your pipes. This can be purchased at many home improvement stores. For larger surfaces such as tanks, use fiberglass insulation. Wrap the surfaces with the vinyl part on the outside. As a final step, install a dehumidifier to get the extra water out of the air.

If your problem is seepage related, it is still possible to waterproof your basement by yourself. The first step is to look at your rain gutters, and see if they are installed properly. Having gutters installed all along the eaves and downspouts clean and pointed away from the house can go a long way into making your basement dry.

Outside, check the slope of the ground (grade) outside of your house to make sure that it slopes away. If the opposite is true (sloping towards your house), water will flow and seep inside your basement. It is possibly to regrade this slope, using rented heavy equipment, but this might be one area where seaking a contractor would be worth your while.

The final step is to ensure that the foundation is free of cracks and holes. If you do find cracks, you will need to fill them. This can be done be enlarging the crack, cleaning it up, and fill it with a special foundation/basement cement repair compound, again available at your local home improvement store.

To be really sure that you are keeping your basement dry, you may want to try treating the walls and the floor with a special sealer cement design for keeping basements dry. Clean the surfaces thoroughly, and apply according to the directions of the manufacturer. If you done everything right, your basement should now be waterproof!