If you are thinking of buying an older property, now is one of the best possible times to look at them. Many a time I’ve been showing an older home with a freshly finished basement I’ve wondered: “what’s behind those walls?” After a straight week and a half of rain, if there is a problem with water you are likely to find it now.

This weekend I was showing homes in Aspen Gardens and wouldn’t you know it there was this strange sound in the basement like a toilet was running. We finally discovered the source of the noise was actually water pouring into the crawl space. Some pails and towels were already present suggesting someone knows about the deficiency, but there was no disclosure on the highlight sheet.

Even before we arrived at the home my clients were questioning looking at homes in this crappy weather, and I said as I always do that this is the perfect time to look.

Another property we looked at had only one window covering closed in a room full of windows. When we opened it we could see why – a small lake similar to the bay of fundy had started pooling at the side of the home. This is a perfect example of why positive drainage is so important. Even if you have a hole in your foundation wall and the water is directed away from it you won’t have water coming in to your basement.

If you are a seller here are a couple of things you can do during this deluge.

  1. Inspect your basement and crawl spaces.
  2. Make sure your eaves are extended away from your home and make sure they are free of debris.
  3. Inspect your sump pump and make sure its operational.

In reality, it’s not just old basements that leak. A faulty sump pump or poorly designed basement of any age can cause you headaches. It’s not just basements you need to worry about either – you could have water penetrating a home in any number of ways. Once you have water damage the repair can be quite costly.

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