State Specific Question About: UTAH (UT)

My husband is in the military and we have a collection of rentals near military bases. Most rentals were newer homes so maintinece is not a big issue now. However, we currently live in a home in Utah which is 14 years old and has a basement. With the market the way it is, I'm not sure we can sell it next year when we are expected to move. So, I'm preparing to get this house ready to rent--just incase. The problem is the house has a basement, which I've decided is a royal pain in the neck. We've had so many problems with it already (two water leaks) and I can only imagine what will happen if we were to rent it out.

Anyone have any luck with rental with basements?

Where I live a wet basement is the rule, not the exception. (Many houses were built and then the basement dug out afterwards)

I tell the renters what I feel the severity of water is (couple just seep, one gets pretty wet) and advise them not to store anything down there if they don't want it to get wet (damp). One couple put everything in those big storage bins with tight tops.

Concurr with LC. I have two houses with basements, both are nearly 100 years old. One stays damp, the other has been wet on occassion after heavy rains.

I tell tennants not to store things on the floor, most times they are afraid to even venture down there.

Worst issue to date is a floor drain that backed up twice with several inches of sewage.

My basement is actually 75 % finished--with a full bath, two bedrooms, a family room and office. People live in the basements here in Utah--which is actually pretty dry.

I beg to differ about all basements leaking. Mine hasn't leaked in 12 years and we even have heavy red clay soil. Now, we did have a french drain put in around the entire house and the down spouts connect to it and drain like 30 feet away at a downward grade, which is very important.

The only water problem I had once is when the septic got plugged up and came in the floor drain. If it's a water pipe leak you're talking about, you might try installing an Apex system. Each room with water has it's own hose type piping and it will hold an enormous amount of pressure. But, if it ever did actually leak, each connection has it's own shut off, so you don't have to shut off the whole house, just that particular one.

If it's the walls leaking then try an apoxy type white color sealant, I can't remember the name, but we bout it at Lowe's and did our walls when the house was built, just incase. And, like I said we have never had a leak. And maybe work on the grade of the land. It should always lead in a downward slope.