With windows and doors closed, radon concentration levels spike during winter months.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established  the month of January as National Radon Action Month. Thrasher Basement Systems of Omaha, Nebraska urges homeowners in the state to get their homes tested.

Radon can be found all over the U.S. but according to the agency, some areas have a higher potential for elevated indoor radon levels.

Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States with an estimated 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year related to radon exposure. Radon exposure kills more people each year than drunk driving.

Also according to that agency, nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the U.S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels. It can get into any type of building – homes, offices, and schools – through cracks in walls and floor, joints, and openings.

Radon is sucked in because of the way air moves inside these structures and, without enough openings to let it out, radon concentration levels can spike quickly and reach unsafe levels, especially in winter months, when windows and doors remain closed.

That is why January is the best month to have your home tested: doors and windows are kept closed making it is easier to measure actual concentrations.

According to Dr. Maria Neira, from United Nation’s World Health Organization “Most radon-induced lung cancers occur from low and medium dose exposures in people’s homes.”

When you breathe in air containing radon, radioactive particles can get trapped in your lungs. As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy.

This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

Every homeowner within the high risk areas should have their home tested. If the levels in the home are found to be higher than 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), a radon mitigation system should be installed. Radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a risk, and in many cases homeowners may opt to reduce them.

Radon mitigation systems work and are not too costly, especially if you measure them against the health benefits.  Some radon reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 99%. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.
To locate a certified Radon Testing and Mitigation contractor in your area, you should search for your State Radon Contact ( via EPA website and contact them for referrals.
If you live in Nebraska, Western Iowa and Northwestern Missouri, one of out Top Dealers, Thrasher Basement System is an area’s certified Radon Mitigation and Testing company. They offer state-of-the-art radon testing, and developing fully customized radon mitigation systems.

According to the E.P.A.  radon incidence map, many counties in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri are within the high risk zone.

Nebraska, for example, has a very high incidence of radon in homes; over half of homes that test in the state have levels above the action level of 4.0 pCi/L.

Founded in 1975 by Greg Thrasher in Earling, Iowa, Thrasher Basement Systems, Inc. is today one of the largest waterproofing and foundation repair contractors in the region, now offering radon mitigation systems.

For more information on Radon Testing and Mitigation systems, visit Thrasher Basement Systems website.

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.

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.

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

Well-known author and marketing expert Tom Peters contributed his list to the article, which included Basement Systems Founder and President Larry Janesky.

He wrote the following piece about Larry:

“I love the notion that you can have a fabulous business based on cleaning mold out of basements. Larry has a saying, ‘You don’t have to love what you do; you have to do what other people hate.’ He executes like a champ.”

Read the full article here: http://www.inc.com/magazine/20090401/that-certain-something.html

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.

Neighbors wrote in nominating the couple explaining that the flooding in the basement was so severe, pumps couldn’t keep up. Water from the ground was seeping in through the walls of the 100-year-old house. They had to stop pumping out water or the walls would collapse from the pressure. Within a few hours they had 42 inches of water in the basement and they were forced to evacuate the house for a couple of weeks. Although neighbors pitched in to help out, the basement was still ruined.

With a crew of eight Badger staff members, construction began the morning of August 28. They installed a 145-foot perimeter system with some Trench Drains, a SuperSump sump pump, and a buried discharge. The crew started at 8 a.m. and finished cleaning up at 2:30 p.m. After going through the harrowing ordeal of a flooded basement, the Smiths were extremely happy that their basement was fixed again and that Badger was able to finish in just one day.

The motivational and inspirational article details the 5 principles Larry suggests running a business by:

• Improve yourself to improve your company
• Look for opportunities in your backyard
• To sell, first educate customers
• Regardless of your industry, be a knowledge company
• Bring out the best in employees

Read the full article here: http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/08/entrepreneur-grew-sales-using-5-success-principles.html#comment-665972

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!

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.

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.