Basement waterproofing in Lexington, KY

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your town and what you are seeing in the basement or crawl space.

2. We connect you

   Your request goes to an independent waterproofing company that serves the Lexington area.

3. They take it from there

   The company calls, inspects and gives you a written proposal.

Who is this site for?

Homeowners, landlords and buyers in Lexington and the Bluegrass towns around it: Nicholasville, Georgetown, Versailles, Winchester, Paris, Richmond and the rest of the region. Lexington has shared one government with Fayette County since 1974, and its 322,570 residents (2020 census) live in everything from brick houses near Gratz Park to ranches, split-levels and newer homes with full basements inside the urban service boundary the city drew in 1958. If your basement takes water every spring storm, or your crawl space smells like a cave, this site is for you.

Why do Lexington basements get wet?

A lot of rain landing on limestone. Lexington's normal annual precipitation is 49.84 inches, according to the National Weather Service's 1991 to 2020 normals, with May, June and July the wettest months. The Kentucky Geological Survey describes Fayette County's bedrock as Ordovician limestone, including the Lexington Limestone, and says sinkholes and other karst features are common across the county. In karst, a lot of rainwater drains underground through cracks and conduits in the rock instead of running off in streams. Where the soil over that rock is clay-rich and the house sits close to a sinkhole or a buried drainage route, water can stack up around a foundation fast. Other common causes:

• Hidden sinkholes. KGS notes that in urban areas sinkholes are often covered by artificial fill, so a lot can drain toward a low point nobody can see anymore.
• Heavy spring and summer storms. Downpours can overwhelm gutters and send roof water straight down the outside of the wall.
• Cracked poured walls. Shrinkage cracks in poured foundations are a common leak point in subdivisions built over the last few decades.
• Damp crawl spaces. Many Bluegrass homes sit partly or wholly over crawl spaces with bare soil, where humid summer air condenses on cool surfaces.

What does karst mean for my house?

Mostly, it means water should be planned for, not just pushed away. The University of Kentucky's Cooperative Extension says more than 55 percent of Kentucky is karst terrain and lists warning signs of a developing sinkhole: door and window frames that go out of square, new cracks in drywall or foundation walls, and cracks or shallow depressions in the soil. It also notes that clay soils shrinking and swelling can cause similar symptoms, which is why a crack in a basement wall deserves a proper diagnosis. And it warns that sinkholes shouldn't be used for disposal. A downspout or sump line aimed into a sinkhole can carry sediment into it, and KGS says sinkholes can clog and flood when more water arrives than the conduit below can carry. Our Fayette County karst basement guide explains more.

Signs your basement needs a look

• Water at the floor edge after heavy rain
• A crack in a poured wall that darkens or drips
• Stair-step cracks or loose mortar in block
• A sump that runs for days after a storm
• Musty air, mildew on stored items, sweating pipes
• A soft spot or new low area in the yard near the house

Which fix fits the problem?

It depends on where the water comes in. A single leaking crack in a poured wall is usually a job for crack sealing. Water at the floor edge along several walls calls for an interior drainage system feeding a sump pump with a backup. A damp, smelly crawl space is a candidate for encapsulation. And many leaks start outside, with gutters and grading, which is where surface drainage comes in. A good inspection should tell you which problem a fix is solving and where the water will go afterward.

What can I check myself?

During the next hard rain, walk the outside of the house. Look for overflowing gutters, downspouts ending at the wall, soil or mulch sloping toward the foundation, and window wells holding water. Note where the yard water goes, especially if there's a low spot or sinkhole nearby. Extending downspouts so they release water on ground that slopes away from the house, but not into a sinkhole, is inexpensive and sometimes solves the leak.

Buying a house in the Bluegrass?

Ask the sellers whether water has ever come in and whether the lot has a sinkhole or a history of ponding. Look for fresh paint low on basement walls, new drywall, a dehumidifier working hard in summer, and efflorescence on block. KGS's sinkhole mapping and the county's own records can help you see what's around the lot. A waterproofing inspection before your inspection period ends tells you what you're buying.

Are you a waterproofing contractor?

No. Lexington Basement Waterproofing is a referral service. We connect you with an independent waterproofing company that works in your part of the Bluegrass, and that company inspects, prices and does the work on its own terms. Read how it works before you call.

Areas we serve

• Lexington
• Nicholasville
• Georgetown
• Versailles

Want the background first? Read the Fayette County karst basement guide.