Match the wet spot to a downspout
Go outside during or right after a rain. Find the corner that matches the damp wall inside. Nine times out of ten there's a downspout there, and it's dumping right at the slab.
If there's a worn trench, splashed mud on the siding, or standing water at that corner an hour after the rain, you've found it.
Rule out the cheap causes first
Downspout discharge distance. Gutter overflow soaking one area. Negative grade sloping toward the house. Window well with no drainage. A clogged downspout backing up and dumping at the corner.
Every one of those is inexpensive relative to interior waterproofing, and any of them can produce a wet basement by itself.
What we can and can't do
We handle the water above ground: gutter capacity, downspout count and size, extensions, buried lines and discharge points.
We don't do interior drain tile or sump systems. If the exterior water is handled and the basement is still wet, it's a below-grade problem and you need a foundation contractor. We'll tell you that rather than sell you gutter work that won't help.
The order of operations
Fix the gutters and drainage. Wait through a couple of real storms. Then decide whether you still have a problem.
Doing it the other way — interior system first, gutters never — is how people spend five figures and still get water.
Questions people ask
Can gutters cause a wet basement?
Yes, routinely. Downspouts discharging at the wall are one of the most common sources in this metro.
Should I fix gutters before waterproofing?
Yes. It's cheaper, faster, and it addresses the source. Then see whether the problem remains.
How do I tell if the water is coming from the gutters?
Match the wet interior wall to the downspout outside it, and go look during a rain.
Do you do basement waterproofing?
No. We handle roof water and exterior drainage. If the issue is below grade we'll say so.
Free estimate
We measure, we look at the fascia, and you get a number in writing.
Talk to a real St. Louis gutter company
Third generation, family-run since 1947. Somebody picks up, day or night.