You know right away when you step into a basement that has a water leak problem. It smells musty. The air feels moist. Look around and you’ll likely see water stains along the base of the walls, where the cement floor and wall meets. Water will seep through concrete blocks in the walls as well.

Water leaks are unhealthy for you personally and for the value of your home. Nothing looks worse than water stains and mould.

There are several ways to fix water seepage. You can extend the gutter downspouts away from the foundation of your home. That becomes especially important the more we see these short, intense rainstorms (a by-product of global warming).

You can walk around the basement and plug any gaps that are causing the leaks. You will need hydraulic cement or polyurethane caulking for that, from a Home Depot or Canadian Tire.

There is landscaping work you can do around the home’s foundation, especially sloping the ground away from the foundation, around six to 10 feet.

The most effective way to counter water seepage is to install an interior or exterior waterproofing system.