You may have an untapped source of income under your house. Did you know that your basement could be made into an apartment?
Yes indeed, when it’s finished, safe and comfortable, your basement could become an apartment that enables you to collect a steady—and substantial—rental income.
But this income could vanish in an instant if your basement were to flood.
How Does Water Get into Your Basement
Though your foundation walls and floor are made of concrete, even the strongest building materials can give way to the powerful force water produces.
When it rains, water soaks into the soil around your home. Some of the water may come to rest against your foundation and begin to build as the water table rises. Once the water meets your foundation, the water creates what’s known as hydrostatic pressure.
The pressure can cause groundwater to seep through the cold joints of your foundation and infiltrate your basement. Meanwhile, moisture may penetrate the foundation’s porous concrete, adding to the humidity in the basement. Hydrostatic pressure can lead to a variety of problems:
- Basement wall and/or floor cracks
- Bowing basement walls
- Shearing of basement wall concrete blocks
- Tilting/leaning basement walls
- Water leaks through basement cracks
As you can imagine, these kinds of problems could leave a basement apartment swamped with water and moisture, and/or damage the home’s structure. In both cases, the basement is unsuitable as an apartment.
A wet or damp basement can also lead to:
- Mold growth
- Wood rot
- Pests such as termites, ants, dust mites, and even rodents
In addition to causing structural damage, the moldy environment can pollute your indoor air with allergens including mold spores and dust mite fecal particles. Individuals with mold allergies, respiratory illnesses, or a compromised immune system can become quite sick because of these allergens.
How to Prevent Water from Invading Your Basement Apartment
While there’s no way to block out 100% of the water and moisture, your basement can be made livable with an interior basement waterproofing system that directs water away from your home.
At a minimum, an interior waterproofing system involves:
- Drainage channels
- Sump pit
- Sump pump
- Discharge pipe
Depending on the situation, there may be a need for additional components such as dehumidifiers, moisture vapor barriers, and rigid sealers.
An interior waterproofing system features drainage channels installed either on or beside the footer at the perimeter of your basement’s interior. The drainage channels capture water as it comes to meet your foundation and guides the groundwater towards a sump pit where a sump pump dispenses it through the discharge pipe to a safe distance from your home.
This whole process will reduce the hydrostatic pressure on your foundation. In turn, this lowers the chances of groundwater intrusion and invasive moisture.
You’re Ready to Build Out a Safe and Dry Basement Apartment
After putting a robust, long-term waterproofing system in place, you’ll be all set to create an apartment-style living space. Next steps include flooring, drywall, carpentry, and anything else you may need to set up a basement apartment.
Over 60 Years of Five-Star Basement Waterproofing
’58 Foundations & Waterproofing has been protecting basements against the effects of groundwater intrusion and moisture since 1958.
For your peace of mind, we offer an industry-leading life-of-the-structure warranty and a money-back guarantee to back our work. We take pride in the more than 2,000 positive online reviews we’ve earned, and we’ve even won the Torch Award for Ethics from the Better Business Bureau.
’58 Foundations & Waterproofing goes beyond just being a basement waterproofing contractor—we’re the waterproofing company that homeowners love. Contact us today to schedule a free inspection and to receive a zero-obligation cost estimate.
Median Apartment Rent by State
- Delaware: According to ACS: $1,130; Zillow: $1,610
- Georgia: According to ACS: $1,006; Zillow: $1,999
- Maryland: According to ACS: $1,130; Zillow: $1,160
- North Carolina: According to ACS: $907; Zillow: $1,850
- Pennsylvania: According to ACS: $938; Zillow: $1,525
- South Carolina: According to ACS: $894; Zillow: $1,775
- Tennessee: According to ACS: $869; Zillow: $1,860
- Virginia: According to ACS: $1,234; Zillow: $1,997
Rental incomes are sourced from the “World Population Review” website.