When Samuel Taylor Coleridge penned "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and those famous words, "Water, water, everywhere," he obviously didn't have a church in mind. But he might as well have.

Water is everywhere. And it's trying to get into your church building, any way it can. Its favorite means are the Big Three—roof leaks, basement leaks, and condensation. And it will stop at nothing.

So, what can you do about it? Here are some practical suggestions for stemming the tide.

Roof Leaks: Moisture from Above
Roof leaks are not limited to a certain kind of roof. Many folks are convinced that a shingle cover over their flat roof will cure all of their problems. Generally, shingle roofs do offer less maintenance than flat roofs, but they too can have problems, particularly if they are not installed properly.

The best insurance against roof leaks is to hire a quality contractor to install your roof. Warranties are nice if the contractor can fix the problem. But if you have a frustrating leak that just won't quit and your building is constantly getting wet (and you have to explain the problem to your board each month, and your congregation begins to make jokes about the flowing baptismal font, and so on), then those warranties just won't impress. A quality contractor should install the right materials in the right manner, which will reduce the chances of developing a leak later on.

If, despite your best efforts, your roof develops a leak, the first order of business, and the most difficult, is to find the source of the leak:

First, get on the roof and visually inspect the roof above the leak. You might spot an obvious problem.

If you don't see a problem, get out a hose and water down the roof. Run the water down from the high point of the roof so the water travels over the area of the leak. Observe the water flow carefully, looking in areas that might look vulnerable to leaks.

If that effort fails, get boots and raincoat ready and wait for a good heavy rain. Then get on the roof and carefully look around. Nobody wants to risk life and health to crawl on their church roof in the middle of a hard rain. But it could very well reveal the problem.

CAUTION: Be very careful on that wet roof. You probably should hire a reputable roofing contractor to do this for you and to make the repair.

Basement Leaks: Moisture from Below
I have long opposed building a church with a basement. Not only are basements a constant threat for leaks, but they usually are not very livable spaces. And, because of special code requirements for basements in commercial buildings (sprinkler systems, elevators for handicapped access, exit stairs, etc.), they are not less expensive to build. Not building a basement is the best way to prevent a leaky basement.

Having said that, there are times when a basement is necessary. So, we must do our best to preserve the integrity of that basement and keep it from leaking. Here are some important concepts to look for when you are building that new church:

* Build a strong basement wall. If the wall isn't strong, the pressure of soil and water against it might create small cracks that will allow water penetration. Stability is very important. The ideal wall is a solid, poured concrete wall with steel reinforcement horizontally and vertically within the concrete. The wall should be designed and inspected by qualified professionals.

* Add a quality water barrier on the outside of the wall. This is the last line of defense against water penetration, so it must be good. A good moisture barrier consists of asphalt material with fiberglass reinforcement that is brushed directly onto the wall.

* Insulate the wall. Insulation not only helps keep the cold of the soil from penetrating the building, but a rigid type of insulation will also protect waterproofing from damage due to earth backfilling operations. It also keeps the wall warm, reducing the chance for condensation to collect on the inside of the wall. More on that later.

* Drain the wall. The first line of defense is to keep water from getting close to the wall. The best way to do that is to install drainage material on the outside of the wall from the top of the ground to the footing drain. Any water moving toward the wall will enter this field and drop down to the foundation drainage system. This material could be a draining soil backfill, such as sand or pea gravel, or plastic mesh material made especially for this use.

* Install a foundation-drainage system. The exterior foundation should contain perforated drain tile in pea gravel all around the exterior perimeter of the basement to drain water away from the basement. In large basements, the floor itself should be poured over sand or pea gravel, which is laced with drainage tiles that connect with the footing drains. This way any water migrating upward under the building will be carried away before it can reach the floor slab.

* Call in a pro. If you already have a leaky basement, you should contact a specialist in basement repairs. The causes and remedies of basement moisture are too varied to be properly discussed here.

Condensation: Moisture from Within
Condensation happens when moist warm air reaches a certain temperature (the dew point), and the water vapor in the air changes to liquid. This happens when warm moist air contacts a cold surface.

Condensation is a particular concern in cold climates. And it's a constant threat to a building. It can collect in the attic, on water pipes, in crawl spaces, in basements, and on windows and doors.

There are several ways to protect against condensation. For best results, use all of them. That way if one or two fail, others will back them up.

* Use insulation. All water pipes should be wrapped with insulation to keep cold water in the pipes away from moisture in the air. Windows should have insulated glass (two layers of glass with an air space between) with either wood frames or thermal-break aluminum frames to keep cold from conducting through the frames.

* Add vapor barriers. A flexible roll of thin plastic, such as Visqueen, is a great vapor barrier. This should be placed on the warm, or heated, side of building insulation to prevent moist air in the building from migrating into a colder area and condensing. Water pipes should have a vapor barrier wrapped around the outside of the insulation.

* Install proper ventilation. A large gathering of people in a church sanctuary will generate large amounts of humidity. If this problem isn't addressed, it can lead to an uncomfortable environment. In addition, this moisture can migrate into cold areas of the building, causing severe condensation problems. Make sure your heating and air-conditioning system is designed to bring proper amounts of outdoor air into the building to remove this humidity.

* Remove the condensation. Remove moist air from a cold area before it can penetrate the building. A good example of this is the common practice of ventilating an attic space. You allow drier, outside air to circulate through vents to the attic to absorb the moist air and take it away.

Stay Vigilant
With these three moisture problems in check, your church should stay high and dry. But remember, these guys can return at any time. Stay on top of the situation.

Check your roof every spring and fall. Keep your heating and air conditioning systems operating at their peak. Don't forget to change those filters. Check the insulation on your exposed water pipes; it can easily get damaged. And make sure your attic and crawlspace vents are open to allow proper ventilation. They should be cold in the winter but not overly hot in the summer. With diligent attention to these details, you should be able to avoid getting all wet.

This article originally appeared in Your Church magazine.