basement before and after

Times are hard, the housing market has is yet to find balance, and your family is on a tight budget. You need to keep your house running, pay your bills, and save up some money for retirement and emergency spending.

You have no means or desire to tackle that basement finishing dream project, but wish you could use the basement for more than housing the furnace and doing laundry.

Maybe you just can’t stand to look at those dingy, damp walls anymore, or you’ve learned the hard way not to place shelves or store items against them, as the dampness causes mold to grow everywhere.

You might have tried, at some point, to apply several coatings of waterproofing paints, (or some other coating concoction you were sold at the hardware store) only to see them bubble up and peel off.

However, new basement wall solutions are available that solve the dingy and ugly basement wall problem without straining your budget. In other words: not being able to finish the basement doesn’t mean you need to live with those ugly walls anymore.

Whether your basement was designed with concrete blocks, poured concrete, or stone and whether you’re leaving your basement unfinished or plan to finish it later, there’s a solution out there to make your walls look better, your basement be drier, and as an added bonus, your energy bills lower!

BrightWall Panel Systems

If all you want is a clean and bright basement, with drier and better looking walls you can consider installing the BrightWall system.

BrightWall basement wall panels are a semi-rigid white plastic panel system that is installed on the basement wall to drain water, stop water vapor, and brighten the space. It’s secured with drilled-in white fasteners to keep the wall panels from ever coming off of your walls, no matter how much dampness comes through. And it can be tied to your baseboard or internal perimeter drainage system to keep the basement dry and clean.

CleanSpace works for uneven basement walls

If your basement walls are made of stone and are uneven, the CleanSpace wall encapsulation system is the solution. It is a thick 20mil vapor barrier, which basically accomplishes the same things that BrightWall system does, offering moisture protection and brightening up your basement.

ZenWall Panels

If you want a clean finished look, with some level of moisture and thermal protection, but can’t afford a state-of-the-art basement wall finishing systems like Total Basement Finishing’s Everlast panels, there is the ZenWall basement paneling system..  It includes a radiant vapor barrier, ¼” thick encapsulated fiberglass insulation and a finished vinyl face. ZenWall gives you the look of a finished basement for a fraction of the cost of an actual basement finishing system. This system can also be tied to the internal drainage system: it will keep your basement dry, warmer, and by curbing heat loss, it can help you save a bundle on your utility bills!

ThermalDry Radiant Vapor Barrier

If you’re planning to finish your basement later on, with drywall and conventional finishes rather than a basement finishing system ThermalDry Radiant Vapor Barrier is what you want. The Thermal Dry is a flexible, radiant liner that controls moisture and reflects the heat back into the basement. You can begin to harvest some of the cleanliness, dryness and energy savings even before you basement finishing project starts.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to have a drier, better looking, more comfortable, and even more energy efficient basement, that is suitable for storage and usable as laundry room, workshop, or anything else. There is a basement wall solution for just about any need and budget.

All of the above products are offered and installed across  the US and Canada by Basement Systems and Total Basement Finishing Dealership Network. We offer free quotes and free design consultation.
Contact us a call or visit our websites for more information.

Colorado Basement Systems is a basement waterproofing and crawl space repair company that serves greater Aspen and surrounding areas of Colorado. They also specialize in mold remediation and dehumidification. They are a member of the Basement Systems international network of contractors.

CleanSpace liners are great for keeping buildings clean and dry, and are perfect for crawl space encapsulation.

For more information on CleanSpace, visit here: http://www.basementsystems.com/crawlspace

Business New Haven also honored other local businesspeople in categories such as Innovator of the Year, Small Businessperson of the Year, and Corporate Citizen.

The awards are sponsored by Specialized Packaging Group, Anthem, UHY, LLP. The winners are honored at a banquet, as well as in a special issue of Business New Haven magazine that is released in early February.

For more information on Business New Haven, visit http://www.businessnewhaven.com.

“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.

Last weekend, he set up a tent at Sears hardware store in Shelton and collected over 40 toys and over $100 in cash donations. Kay is planning on making more pickups later this week and next week. The donations will go to the Toys for Tots toy store in Ansonia and needy families will be able to go in and pick out four toys per child for free. The toys will be arranged by age group. Those who wish to help may bring toys December 17, 18, 19 and 22 to the official drop-off sites. Check toysfortots.org for information.

“We’re probably going to do a lot more events like this in the future,” said Kay.

TEAM, Inc., is a non-profit community action corporation that helps individuals and families become more self-sufficient and provides aid to those who need it. Basement Systems, Inc., is a global company that specializes in basement waterproofing, crawl spaces, foundation repair and basement finishing. It has a network of more than 300 basement waterproofing contractors and crawl space environment specialists throughout America, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Basement Systems offers free inspections and estimates to homeowners with leaky basements or dirt crawl spaces.

For more information, contact John Kay at Basement Systems at 1-800-640-1500, ext. 9429.

Sealing and encapsulating a vented crawl space can save a lot of money for homeowners.

There are two major problems with subterranean space in the housing industry- concrete and dirt foundations in basements and vents in crawl spaces.

Concrete and dirt are both porous materials, and when basement and crawl space walls and floors are built out of these materials, moisture from around the foundation is able to constantly pass through. This is what makes basements the infamously damp, dreary, and moldy spaces.

Likewise, the vents in crawl spaces also let in enormous amounts of humidity in the summer. When warm air rises in a home, it exits through the upper levels. This creates a vacuum in the lower levels, which pulls air upwards from the crawl space. This in turn creates a vacuum in the crawl space, and air is pulled from the vents to replace it. So crawl space vents don’t ventilate air so much as they pull air in from the outside. This pulls humidity in the crawl space and home, causing rot, mold, and mildew in the space. Wet wood attracts termites, and rotting crawl spaces lead to sagging floors and possible structural damage, so the problems begin to stack on top of themselves pretty quickly. And in the winter, the same crawl space vents will allow cold air into the crawl space, which also saves on utility bills.

Basement Systems' RainChute EZ is part of a basement waterproofing system.

No doubt, downspout extensions are a great way to keep a lot of water away from the foundation of a house. Basement Systems carries two different models of downspout extensions in 3 and 4-inch sizes to address this as part of a basement waterproofing solution.

But will they keep a basement dry?

I just read a newsletter claiming that downspout extensions and a shallow french drain would solve a basement water problem. This made me nervous coming from someone who might be considered an expert because the homeowner may do these things and be lulled into a false sense of security. Now the author only claimed that the basement would be drier, but still, to the reader, this may be an endorsement that the problem is solved.

We need to quickly look at how a house is built to get to the answer. A hole is dug in the virgin hard-packed earth. The foundation of the home is built. A drain tile or french drain (a plastic pipe) system is laid around the foundation (mostly in all newer builds) to drain rain water away. The loose soil is backfilled around the foundation. Can we see that this loose soil is going to easily drain water down to the foundation? But that’s OK while the drain tile is still working, but this eventually clogs with the mud that drains down, and thus (if it originally worked), the drain tile will fail and the basement will get wet.

That’s why a basement can be dry for 2 to 20 years, and then one day, after a rain, it gets wet.

So the basement leaks and we extended the downspouts, will this solve the problem? What about all the rain water that comes down around the house? That water is not addressed by downspouts. And if there’s a wind blowing rain directly at the walls, this water runs directly down the side of the house.

Clogged french drain or drain tile can be the cause of a basement groundwater leak.

To supplement this we install a drain tile or french drain system just like the one that originally failed. Is this the correct solution? And what about if we install it not around the base of the foundation but shallowly, at only a couple feet deep. Is this going to catch all the water and drain it away? It should definitely help.

At Basement Systems, we always ask the homeowner if they want their basement dry ALL of the time. Why? Because any of these partial systems will only make a basement drier, not dry.

So, beware of “experts” who claim that extending the downspouts, regrading, or exterior french drains are the answer. Yes, you should absolutely do these things, but they rarely are the end to this problem. Again, try it, and if you have the luxury, wait and see what happens during the next rain storm… just don’t be lulled into a false sense of security and finish your basement, or place valuables on the basement floor for storage. We’ve seen too much of this, and it’s never good.

Larry Janesky, State Senator Rob Kane, 1st Selectman Robert J. Koskelowski, and other special guests cutting the ribbon at Basement Systems grand opening for building #2.

At the opening of Basement Systems’ new 57,000 sq.ft. facility, inspiration and hope brings a community together.

100-125 people showed up for a ceremony where Larry Janesky, the owner of Basement Systems Inc., gave a heartfelt testimonial about his feelings on where he came from, where he is, where he will go, and the importance his employees have played in his success.

In attendance among the large crowd were President Bill Purcell of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, President Paulette Hotton of the Connecticut Better Business Bureau, First Selectman Robert J. Koskelowski, Junior Achievement President Bernadine Venditto, and State Senator Rob Kane (Assistant Minority Leader) of the 32nd District. The opening marked a milestone for Basement Systems Inc, defining success and community involvement for the 21-year-old leader in basement waterproofing and crawlspace repair.

This ceremony was also a sort of coming out party for the company’s fifth division, Relia-Serve Corporation, which will concentrate on Business Coaching and Management Consultation. Over the past year and a half, Basement Systems has started divisions to finish basements, repair damaged foundations & walls, and now coach businesses. Everyone at the company truly believes the sky is the limit.

Many homeowners and home buyers have this stigma against the sump pump.

Homeowners trying to sell their homes with perpetually leaking basements will go to lengths to cover up or pretend that they never had a basement water leak. However, in many states, it is now illegal to not disclose a basement water problem.

Home buyers on the other hand haven’t helped this stigma, because when they see a sump pump in a home they are interested in buying, thoughts of flooding or resale values tumbling come to the forefront. Many potential home buyers walk away from wet basements, and ever those with sump pumps.

This is generally due to the fact that sump pumps are typically installed by “handymen” or plumbers who have no real expertise in basement waterproofing. Just the terminology of placing a pump in a “sump pit” was never very appetizing. And from two photos on this page of sump pits that we have fixed, it’s easy to see why there’s a stigma.

Basement waterproofers on the other hand are the better choice — if they have access to the right equipment. The best sump pump systems now come with airtight lids, multiple pumps for redundancy, battery backup pumps, and alarms that sound if the pumps fail. Basement Systems is the world-leader in sump pump technology.

With Basement Systems’ sump pump systems installed, home sellers can now sell a house with a dry basement. These sump pump systems are high-end home appliances. They add value and banish the stigma… they also look great!

Yikes! What’s the weather like outside? Isn’t the relative humidity at 70%, 80%, even 90% on the East coast and in the south?

So opening a window and letting in humid air is going to do what? Right- it’s going to bring the humidity in. You’re going to cool that air in your basement or crawl space. So, if it’s 70% relative humidity and 85 degrees outside, and you bring that air into a 65 degree basement, what’s going to happen?

Well, the relative humidity is going to go up 2.2% for every degree that the air is cooled. So 85 to 65 degrees is 20 degrees – that’s a 44% relative humidity increase, for a total of 114% relative humidity. Can we have over 100% relative humidity?

No. So what happens next… the moisture in the air condensates out on cooler surfaces. That’s why cold water pipes, water tanks, soda cans, etc. get wet with condensation. They cool the air touching their surfaces and the moisture condensates out.

Uh-oh. Didn’t we just open the window and let that air in? What’s it doing? It’s supporting mold and mildew growth and compounding the musty smell that you opened the window to eliminate.

What’s the answer?

A dehumidifier. And one that can handle the size of your basement or home is important. If you can’t tell which way the air is moving through a dehumidifier, it can’t dry your space.

Basement Systems SaniDry Basement and Crawl Space air machines are the right choice. These heavy-duty dehumidifiers also filter the air. Call us at 800-638-7048 or contact us online and we’ll connect you with a local SaniDry dealer.