Yard Drainage Solutions

Posted by cynthia in Basement Flood, Basement Leaks, Basement Waterproofing, Drainage, Uncategorized, Wet Basement Repair | 0 comments

Many basement leak problems can be prevented or, at least helped, with simple and inexpensive measures.

First, make sure that the soil around the foundation is properly graded. It should slope away from the walls.

If you have concrete sidewalks, a driveway make sure they too are diverting the water away and not towards the house.

Keep in mind that that soil, which was once dug out in order for the basement to be built, is not as compact as the undisturbed portion of the terrain surrounding the area, and tends to settle overtime and might need to be re-graded. It also soaks up more water than the surrounding soil, creating a false water table. In the industry, we call it the “clay bowl effect”, which is the main cause of most basement leaks.

Are you Flood Smart?

Posted by cynthia in Basement Flood, Basement Leaks, Basement Waterproofing, Basement Waterproofing Contractors, Consumer Alert, Drainage, Uncategorized, Wet Basement Repair | 0 comments

This was the year in which many homeowners, especially in the Northeast, learned a tough lesson the hard way.

When it comes to flood safety, there is hardly a home in the U.S. that sits in an absolutely flood-free zone. And if the home happens to have a basement, it is not even a matter of if, but when the basement is going to flood. Mother nature is not the only one that can get it under water.

A single inch of water in a basement, especially in a finished one, can cause thousands of dollars in damages.

How much? This little calculator, from Floodsmart.gov, will give you an idea of just how much a flooded basement can cost.

Repairing Flood Damaged Drywall

Posted by cynthia in Basement Flood, Basement Insulation, Basement Insulation, Basement Wall Systems, Finishing Basement Walls, Home Improvement, Uncategorized, Waterproof Basement Finishing, Waterproof Basement Walls | 0 comments

It’s been a rough winter for Connecticut residents. One of the harshest in recorded history.

We had an unprecedented amount of snow accumulation causing roofs, buildings and fixtures to cave in.

The situation was so serious that on 03/ 03/2011 the Federal Government declared Connecticut a Major Disaster area, making cities and towns around the state eligible for emergency disaster recovery funds.

Then came the rain, and the snow melt presented area residents with yet another set of concerns: floods and flash flood related problems.

At Connecticut Basement Systems, the phones rang off the hook as many area residents, especially in Fairfield, Stamford and Greenwich, had their basements under water. Our crews worked around the clock to help homeowners in the affected areas.

A basement flood is never something that can be taken lightly, but for homeowners with a finished basement, the cost of cleanup and restoration can be enormous and, to make matters worse, most of it might not be covered by their homeowners or even flood insurance.

If the basement is finished with drywall, and if the studs, insulation and drywall aren’t completely dry in 48 hours – and in a basement they hardly dry that quick –  there is a huge chance that mold will start to develop in the areas that came in contact with water.

Can You Afford a Wet Basement?

Posted by cynthia in Basement Dehumidifiers, Basement Flood, Basement Insulation, Basement Leaks, Basement Mold, Basement Wall Cracks, Basement Wall Systems, Basement Waterproofing, Basement Waterproofing Contractors, Drainage, Home Improvement, Interior French Drain, Interior vs. Exterior Waterproofing, Sump Pumps, Wet Basement Repair | 0 comments

The Problem That Won’t Go Away

Posted by richard in Basement Waterproofing | 0 comments

In speaking with thousands of homeowners over the course of a year, it’s clear that the majority have some sort of basement moisture problem ranging from dampness to flooding. The truth is that any type of moisture in the basement is a problem. And it’s not going to disappear merely by forgetting about it.