Basement Flood: When Mother Nature is Not to Blame

Posted by cynthia in Basement Flood, Basement Leaks, Basement Waterproofing, Drainage, Featured, Interior French Drain, Sump Pumps, Uncategorized, Wet Basement Repair | 0 comments

When we think basement flooding, the first thing that comes to mind are torrential downpours, summer storms with thunder and lightning,  knocking down trees and  power lines. Some of us, usually the ones with chronically damp basements, might even think snow melt.

Very few take into consideration that Mother Nature is absolutely not the only one that can cause a basement flood. Truth is that there is no such a thing as a flood safe basement.

Think about it. Your basement is box buried below grade. Any water that gets into it can only get out if pumped upwards.  You can’t rely on gravity to get rid of it.

Pipes run through the basement, and it usually houses water heater tanks and cold water tanks,  as well as washing machines. All of which have the potential to leak and malfunction, putting your basement underwater.

And let’s not forget running toilettes, overflowing sinks, backed up drains and all the small accidents that can happen upstairs and cause water to pour into the basement.

It is not a matter of if, but when your unprotected basement is going to flood.

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.

Recovering from a Basement Flood

Posted by cynthia in Basement Flood, Basement Leaks, Basement Mold, Basement Wall Cracks, Basement Waterproofing, Basement Waterproofing Contractors, Drainage, Home Improvement, Interior French Drain, Sump Pumps, Uncategorized, Wet Basement Repair | 0 comments

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

Avoiding Big Basement Disasters

Posted by jacques in Basement Carpet, Basement Dehumidifiers, Basement Finishing, Basement Flood, Basement Insulation, Basement Insulation, Basement Leaks, Basement Mold, Basement Remodeling Design, Basement Remodeling Ideas, Basement Systems Inc., Basement Waterproofing, Drainage, Finishing Basement Floors, Finishing Basement Walls, Green Basement Remodeling, Home Improvement, Sump Pumps, Wet Basement Repair | 0 comments

Five Common Mistakes People Make with their Basements

After three years of living in basement-related forums & web sites on a daily basis, I’ve come to a few conclusions:

1. Basement-related web sites and forums have become an impossible maze of bad advice, fad markets, and outdated advice.
2. Homeowners are taking this advice & returning to the same forums when the advice fails
3. Repeat Steps 1 & 2

As part of a network that’s been reputable in the basement business since 1987 nationally, we’d like to send some good horse sense into the ether.

Here, unequivocally, are the five most common mistakes that lead to disasters in the basement: