Information about basement and crawl space environments, moisture control, and creating healthier homes

Many families felt the pinch of a shaky economy this year, and with the holidays nearing there is no better time to reach out and help.

This year, more than ever,  CT Valley Toys for Tots drive, organized by the Valley United Way and TEAM, Inc.,  saw the demand increase while the donations went down.

When Dan Fitzgerald from Basement Systems learned that he jumped in to lend a hand.

This Thursday through Saturday, December 17 to 19, Basement Systems and Wal-Mart will be sponsoring an additional toy drive outside of the Wal-Mart in Derby (656 New Haven Avenue) to ensure that needy children in the greater valley can still experience a happy holiday this year.

To encourage area residents to participate, Larry Janesky’s Basement Systems will be offering a free sump pump service to anyone that donates a new, unwrapped toy worth $10 or more.

Volunteers will be setting up outside of the Wal-Mart during the day and into the evening Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

They will also accept monetary donations to benefit the Valley United Way and TEAM, Inc., both non-profit organizations working to improve the lives of families in Connecticut.

We urge the area residents to step in an help out, so that every child in Connecticut will have a toy to unwrap this Christmas.

In July, Basement Systems had 660 solar panels installed on a warehouse roof in order to further their position as a green corporate citizen.  This weekend, the New Haven Register published an article about the solar panel open house held at Basement Systems headquarters last week. They also wrote all about the solar panel installation, and what this new source of energy means to the company as well as to others.

The article contains great quotes from Basement Systems President Larry Janesky, President of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce Bill Purcell, and representatives from EOS Ventures and Alteris Renewables.

To read the complete article, click here: http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/09/26/news/valley/b10-sebasementsystems_art.txt

Just three months after winning a free basement remodel to repair flood damage to their basement, Bob and Joanne Smith now have a brand new basement to enjoy. Thanks to Badger Basement Systems, a basement waterproofing company in Wisconsin, the Smiths can feel some type of normalcy again after the destructive 2008 floods struck the home they’ve been living in for 40 years.

In May, Badger Basement Systems held a contest open to anyone who sustained damage to a basement as a result of last summer’s record floods. There were many entries in the contest, but the Smiths received the most nominations due to the severity of the damage to their home, as well as their active involvement and volunteering in the community. Staff from Badger surprised the couple at their Fort Atkinson home with balloons and presented them with the free basement renovation.

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It’s back to business as usual here in Basement Systems after a hectic week.  We played host to around 500 dealers for this year’s Basement Systems Convention.  We divided our time between our company headquarters in Seymour, Connecticut, and the Hartford Marriott.  Dealers sat in on classes and trainings to learn new skills and hear about new products.

There was also a dinner cruise along the Connecticut River, a music-themed party at the convention center in Hartford, and an awards ceremony at the Bushnell in Hartford featuring this year’s inspirational guest speaker, Nick Vujicic.

A great time was had by all!

Basement Systems recently received three honors from the Connecticut Quality and Innovation Awards: two gold and one silver. The company’s unique Treehouse office space, Total Basement Finishing EverLast wall panels, and the new improvements made in the Basement Systems shipping department all scored highly with the CQIA judges.

With a growing web department that was running out of space for desks, company president Larry Janesky decided to make a change. Rather than squeezing in more cubicles he took it to another level and turned the web department into a treehouse. Using recycled lumber and other natural products he and a group of volunteers (all employees) spent two weeks building a series of platforms and raised-loft workspaces. This fantasy kind of workspace received a gold honor and the CQIA judges ranked it in the top 20 submissions for the innovation prize.

The EverLast wall panels in the Total Basement Finishing system received a gold honor as well, and were ranked in the top 10 submissions. The wall panels provide a reliable alternative to drywall or fiberglass and cloth panels. They don’t grow mold and they are insulated.

The Basement Systems shipping department has made large strides to become more productive and efficient. CQIA recognized these improvements with a silver award in innovation. Remote controls with sensors over warehouse doors, video cameras and a decrease in paperwork were all innovations that made the shipping process at Basement Systems more efficient and successful.