Archive for the ‘basement waterproofing’ Category

Free Basement Completed for Wisconsin Couple

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

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.

(more…)

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Plumbers that Install Sump Pumps: Not the best option

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Plumbers have long been the go-to contractors to tackle sump pump installations, but while they may claim to have the knowhow and skills needed, their installation jobs can sometimes leave much to be desired. These installations can be messy, inefficient and hastily done. For a truly professional, clean, and reliable sump pump installation you can trust a basement waterproofing contractor to do it right.

A sump pump is the heart of your basement waterproofing system. It’s the main tool used to remove the water from your basement. However, if it is not installed correctly then it can do more bad than good. Sump pits that are open and messy can cause water to leak out or make the air more humid. Humid air in a basement can cause mold and musty odors to form making the basement environment uncomfortable and unhealthy.

Read the rest of this article.

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Scary waterproofing sales tactics: How to avoid falling for them

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

While researching about waterproofing contractors over the internet, customers are bound to find, mostly in home improvement forums, a number of complaints about questionable sales tactics used by some waterproofing contractors. Customers usually complain about the same practices, used over and over, by some companies.

There is the awful “mold scare” tactic, the gross misrepresentation of the amount and urgency of repairs, the bashing of competitors to keep homeowners from getting additional estimates. To force a quick closing  there is the very popular but extremely dishonest technique of  jacking up the price and, when the homeowner refuses the proposal, offer overly generous “discounts” (as high as 50% sometimes), “but only if you close the deal right now”.

Read the full article.

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“A splendid example of credibility-building marketing”

Monday, April 6th, 2009

Perry Marshall reviews Basement SystemsMarketing expert Perry Marshall recently wrote an article and filmed a video reviewing a mailing he received from a Basement Systems dealer.

After finding water in his basement and contacting local basement waterproofing contractors in the Chicago area, he described the package he received in the mail from PermaSeal and explained the “ingeniousness of the company that mailed it; the author who wrote it; the instant edge over the competition; and how both service providers and authors can create a very nice business from this idea.”

Perry Marshall has written many popular books on Google advertising and is referenced regularly on the Internet and by sources like the Washington Post, USA Today, and Entrepreneur Magazine.

See the video and read the article here: http://www.perrymarshall.com/marketing-credibility

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From the Basement to the Penthouse

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

Business New Haven recently honored Basement Systems President Larry Janesky with the title of “Businessperson of the Year,” but they also just published a descriptive feature story on Janesky in their latest issue.

The article, written by Business New Haven staff writer Michael C. Bingham, chronicles Larry’s life from when he graduated high school and immediately began working carpentry jobs, to when he created his own business from the ground up and turned it into a $50 million corporation.

The story also mentions the unique features of the Basement Systems headquarters in Seymour, CT, such as the 1950s-style cafeteria and the Treehouse web department.

Read this great feature story by clicking here: http://www.conntact.com/article_page.lasso?id=42617

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Tainted Drywall Warning in Florida

Monday, February 9th, 2009

As if drywall wasn’t bad enough (organic, susceptible to mold and mildew, not waterproof), now homeowners in Florida, and possibly other places, need to worry about drywall emitting a terrible odor and ruining electrical wiring!

According to an article in the St. Petersburg Times, houses south of the Tampa Bay area in Florida that were built during 2005 and 2006 were made using sub-par drywall. This cheap, China-manufactured drywall has been found to emit a sulfur-like gas that corrodes metal and plumbing, eats away at electrical wiring, and smells terrible.

The Florida Department of Health received more than three dozen complaints from homeowners across Florida, but mainly in Manatee, Sarasota and Lee counties, as well as  Pinellas, St. Lucie and Collier. This drywall may have been used in hundreds or even thousands of homes throughout Florida, and even other areas.

Read more about this drywall problem here: http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/realestate/article972128.ece

For a safe and clean drywall alternative, go with the Total Basement Finishing wall system!

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Basement Systems Lends a Hand to Toys for Tots

Wednesday, December 17th, 2008

In an effort to bring holiday cheer to those less fortunate this season, Basement Systems is working with TEAM, Inc., and the Valley Chamber of Commerce to help out the Valley chapter of Toys for Tots. Basement Systems will act as an official drop-off site for toys and donations, as well as donate a truck to pick up donations from various local organizations such as the post office, banks, daycare centers and other places. John Kay, of Basement Systems, is spearheading the project and has donated his time driving the truck to pick up donated toys for young children and money to go towards gifts for older children and teenagers.

“The older children kind of get left out,” said Kay. He added that those who donate have also given gift certificates to movie theaters or video game stores for older kids and teenagers in need. Last week, Kay took a Basement Systems truck to 20 local businesses and collected toys. (more…)

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What does Basement Systems do to Solve Humidity Problems?

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008

A crawl space vapor barrier can prevent humidity and outside air from infiltrating your home.

A crawl space vapor barrier can prevent humidity and outside air from infiltrating your home.

For a crawl space, we install a 20-mil plastic crawl space vapor barrier called CleanSpace on the walls and floors. We also seal off the crawl space doors and vents to make an airtight space. If the crawl space has block walls, we seal off the open cavity on the top of the block with a clear plastic covering that allows termite inspectors to do their job without interfering with the installation. Once the crawl space is sealed, we can install a drain to take care of plumbing leaks, and we usually recommend a dehumidifier to help dry out the wood and keep the humidity levels appropriate in the space in the future.

Keep humidity out of your basement with ThermalDry basement flooring.

Keep humidity out of your basement with ThermalDry basement flooring.

Basement Systems provides a variety of different basement wall products and floor matting, all of which will provide a vapor barrier on the surfaces that will keep humidity from entering the home through the walls and floors. There’s also a basement dehumidifier that we can install that, when combined with the wall and floor system, should help keep mold and dust mites from feeding off everything organic in the basement.

We also have many other products that will keep the house energy-efficient and safe from damage, including energy-efficient basement windows and energy saving window wells.

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Winterizing Tips: Get Ready for Winter!

Monday, November 17th, 2008

Weatherizing your home can help you save money and keep your family out of the cold during the chilly winter months. Every winter it seems that home improvement organizations release another list of ways to winterize your home that you may just ignore, but now more than ever it’s something you should consider doing. With the cost of energy and fuel on the rise, it’s important to do everything you can to be prepared now before disaster strikes your home and bank account.

Winterizing your home can be time consuming, but it is worth the effort. Start now and you can avoid a slew of weather-related problems. Make sure you have a snow shovel, sand and rock salt handy for outside your house, but also look through your home and see if the interior is winter ready as well.

Winter Check List

The Tulsa World writes that you should have your furnace serviced early so problems don’t arise when you need your heater. You should also close off your crawl space so that cold drafts aren’t able to penetrate your house, and check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. By cleaning out leaves and debris from drainage areas around your roof you’ll lower the chances of ice dams or other types of blockage that can cause problems. Disconnect your hose from the outdoor faucet as well to keep the hose from freezing.

Home Depot recommends these tips for preparing your home for the winter in a cost-effective manner:

  • Caulk around your windows and doors to eliminate drafts.
  • Use expanding foam insulation around spigots and other entry points to your house.
  • Close the flue on your fireplace when you’re not using it.
  • Check the weather stripping under your doors and garage doors to make sure it isn’t worn.
  • Make sure that your attic insulation meets the R-value for your area.
  • Close off heat vents in rooms that aren’t used on a daily basis.

    Check out the rest of this article here: http://www.basementsystems.com/press/view.php?id=130

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    Home Inspector Recommends Basement Systems Products

    Tuesday, October 28th, 2008

    moldy basement wallA local Connecticut home inspection company is using Basement Systems basement waterproofing and crawl space science to train Real Estate agents.

    Inquiring Eye Home Inspections, located in Trumbull, CT are basement and crawl space specialists that help homeowners to not only find problems in new homes, but to assist them in making their homes healthier and more energy efficient.

    The training helps Real Estate agents to learn to address damp and wet basements, and musty crawl spaces. Instead of leaving homeowners to deal with these situations on their own, Inquiring Eye Home Inspections helps them to understand the problems and solutions that basement and crawl space environments hold.

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