You might see evidence of pooled water on the basement floor, damp walls, door jambs that no longer meet, soggy carpeting, or staining. You could also find rust on fixtures, peeling paint, curling wall paper, dampness in storage boxes. You might even smell the problem before you see it; mold and mildew have a nasty dank odor. Unfinished basements will allow you to see a powdery dust called efflorescence – the result of salts and minerals in the water.