Here are some facts you need to know to protect your home from water damage:

• Unwanted water can enter your home through many paths

• The amount of unwanted water you should allow in your home is zero

• Unwanted moisture will cause damage and the damage may happen quickly or slowly

• Either way, the damage caused by unwanted water can be financially catastrophic for the homeowner

• Unwanted moisture, by encouraging the growth of molds, can even harm the health of the people living in the home

• You can get more information about water damage and help on how to prevent water from entering your basement or crawlspace from Everdry Waterproofing of Cincinnati.

Financial Problems Caused By Water Getting Into Basements

Water getting into basements is a very common cause of major unexpected expenses not covered by insurance. And unexpected expenses not covered by insurance are the fifth leading cause of bankruptcy in America. (The first four, in order, are medical expenses, job loss, poor use of credit, and divorce or separation.)

The financial problems caused by water damage are especially significant if you have a finished or partially finished basement.

To understand why, imagine the following scenario.

In your walkout basement, you have a theater room, a living room, and two bedrooms. To finish your basement with these features, you've invested tens of thousands of dollars in carpet, sheet rock walls, and trim board. you've got expensive furniture in each room. You're also storing clothes and other valuable personal possessions.

If water gets into your basement (and there are many ways this could happen), you may have to pay for the cost of cleanup. Then, to restore your house to its original condition, you've got to make the same large investment in finishing your basement all over again.

These costs add up quickly.

Here's the scary part of this story -- your homeowner's insurance probably won't help you with these costs.

One specific example of damage not covered by insurance is ground water forced by hydrostatic pressure through cracks in your basement floor (and new cracks can develop as time goes by). This unwanted water can damage your foundation and finished interior. The water can also promote the growth of mold.

But subsurface ground water pressing against your house under hydrostatic pressure is something that happens constantly. It is not sudden and accidental.

Your homeowner's insurance company, therefore, sees protecting against groundwater as a maintenance issue. You as the homeowner are responsible for protecting your home from this type of water damage.

The Bottom Line

Unwanted moisture in your basement is a direct threat to the financial value of your home and even to the health of your family.

Whether your basement walls are made of poured concrete or concrete blocks, water can find many paths into the basement.

For each path that water can take into your basement, there is a smart solution to keep the water out.

If you own a home in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, and want to make sure your basement stays dry, you can get expert advice and a free estimate at Everdry Waterproofing of Cincinnati. They can help you with basement waterproofing, foundation waterproofing, concrete foundation repair, and concrete basement repair.