basement leaks?

during the really hard rain a few Fridays ago, we noticed that there was a pretty big puddle in our basement. we've been there for about 6 months now and it was the first time we've noticed but that may be because we had a rug down and it probably absorbed the minor leaks. now that we ripped up the carpet, we are seeing minor leaks and seapage more and more.

Is this really bad? Do I need to have someone take a look? I live in Queens so flooding is not really an issue here.

we were thinking of getting the basement finished? Would that fix it or is that just masking something that can be a major problem?

Re: basement leaks?

you should definitely get it checkout, a wet basement can lead to major structural issues, like cracks in the foundation. Are you noticing the water only when it rains or at other times?

Re: basement leaks?

ITA, in addition we have a similar problem & now have a black mold issue to deal with

Re: basement leaks?

uuuggghhh, who do i call to check it out? a regular contractor? any recommendations?

Re: basement leaks?

We were having a huge problem with water in our finished basement after we moved in. Before you spend tons of $$$, the easiest and least expensive thing to do is check your gutters that they aren't clogged. We almost made a very costly decision that in end would not have helped the problem. It turned out that one of the drain pipes that lead away from the house underground (we live high in a hill) was cracked and the water had no place else to go but backed up into our basement.

Since we've become neurotic about making sure our gutters are debris free and clogged free, we have not had any problems.

Re: basement leaks?