Why You Must Call a Plumber When Finishing a Basement

Finishing a basement comes with many satisfactions. In order to enjoy your results for a lifetime, you need to make sure there are no water issues that can potentially cause damage to your property and ruin your investment. There are many elements to be checked, often concealed to the untrained eye, before starting on your basement finishing project. Here are a few reasons why you should call a plumber if you plan to have your basement finished:

• You may need interior waterproofing prior to finishing a basement. As enthusiastic as you may be with your new project, don’t allow your excitement to cloud your judgment and make sure you waterproof your basement on the inside. Interior waterproofing collects water under the concrete foundation and directs it to the local drainage system. Underground water around the foundation footers and underneath the basement floor is drained and channeled with a PVC pipe, French drain, or other system to your pump system, which will pump the water out of the basement. The exact steps you need to take are to be suggested by a professional plumber.
  

 

• Even if you have already waterproofed your basement on the inside, you still need to ensure that your drainage system is cleaned and free of clogs. The role of your plumber is to take care of all the messy work of drainage cleaning so you can start finishing a basement without any risks of wastes spilling into the bathroom or kitchen because your waste disposal system is not working properly. This saves you a lot of money down the road and ensures you live in a hygienic environment at the same time.

 

• Prior to starting on finishing a basement, you need to have all your plumbing fixtures installed and running correctly, especially if you want to add water supply inside the basement or upgrade existing fixtures. A plumber will conduct an inspection of your plumbing system and will advise in accordance with your specific needs and expectations. You may need a complete plumbing setup, modification of the current setup or a plan for a future modification.

 

• If you haven’t used your basement before finishing it, you may not be aware of any pipe and tubing damage. Therefore, you need to call a plumber to check any leaking, broken, or ruptured pipes so that you will be able enjoy clean water for all your cleaning purposes. Damage may develop due to external factors that you may not even suspect unless you are a professional plumber yourself.

 

• Water heaters or boilers are often placed in the basement. Before getting involved in finishing a basement, you also have to make sure that your basement is not exposed to any risks of flooding or fire because of sudden failure of these appliances. Have a plumber check your heater and boiler and have them install a sprinkler system as well to prevent a potential fire.

It’s a good idea to contact your local plumbing expert before you start finishing your basement. An inspection will help you determine if any aspect of your plumbing needs to be repaired before your begin construction.