Why Are My Basement Stairs Leaking?

Your basement hatchways and stairs may be leaking or allowing large amounts of water into your basement. This can have two main explanations. 

• Structural Damage

Leaks in your basement stairwell can be irritating and damaging, but they are often caused by very simple things. For example, they are most often caused by cracks, weaknesses, and gaps in between the hatchway frame and foundation walls. Another likely cause is a weakness between the doors and the frame.

This kind of structural issue is very common and it’s all to do with the way that basement access hatchways are constructed. These structures tend to be constructed separately and attached to a property later. This is efficient during construction but leads to a generally weak spot at the seam between the structures. 

• Older Hatchways Are Not Weatherproof

The most common cause of leaking or flooding basement stairways is a damaged or non-weatherproofed hatchway. This is seen most often in older homes where the basement was intended as a storage area and not a living area. This is why, in some cases, replacing the hatchway doors is the best option. These days, replacing old hatchway doors is fairly easy too.

Another possible cause of a leak is damage to the seam between your property and the hatchway. Sometimes, the contractors building a property do not seal this seam, leaving it vulnerable, but it is also possible that worn or damaged sealant could be letting water into your basement. If this is the case, simply renewing the sealant may be enough.