All Things "Basementy"! » basement waterproofing contractor

Basement Flooding — More Than “Once In A Lifetime”!

cynthia — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:53:27 +0000

by Jacques Bouchard

Homeowners can go years without using their battery backup sump pump system. But, as is being discovered in the Northeast these past few months, when you DO need a battery backup — you really need it!

Between Hurricane Irene last August and the freak snowstorm that knocked out power for more than three million homes this week, residents from Maryland to Maine have seen firsthand just how easily a major storm can shut down the power for hours, days, or more.

Once your sump pump system loses power, there is nothing protecting your basement from groundwater flooding. It’s not impossible to have several feet of water in your basement in several hours’ time — which can destroy furniture, damage utilities, and damage personal belongings.

Protecting Your Sump Pump System From Power Outages

To protect your home from flooding during power outages, homeowners have several options:

Generator-Powered Sump Pumps: Many homeowners will count on their portable generator to power their sump pump, lights, refrigerator, and more. And this works — provided that the homeowner is home (and awake) when the time comes, and you can bring it outside in the rain and fire it up.
Automatic Generator-Powered Sump Pumps: For about $9,000-$10,000, a homeowner can opt to install an automatic generator — one that turns on automatically during a power outage. This will keep your sump pump system running during the power outage, which is great. But even with this system, we find that basements can still flood when a fuse is blown, or a sump pump is accidentally unplugged when the outlet is needed. If you want your basement protected all the time, even this is not the option for you!
Battery Backup Sump Pumps: Alternatively, a homeowner will choose a battery backup sump pump for their home. This is a secondary battery powered system that is designed to kick on when water levels rise too high in the sump pit, such as during a power outage.

Other Uses For A Battery Backup Sump Pump

Along with protecting your home during a power outage, a battery backup sump pump can be useful in many other situations:

Your Primary Sump Pump Fails: Sump pumps are made of mechanical, moving parts — and like other systems that use moving parts, they will eventually break down and fail. Whether they clog, overheat, or experience some other kind of failure, the results are the same — a wet basement. However, if your system includes a battery backup, it will kick in, sounding off to let you know something is wrong and managing the flooding for you.
Your Primary Sump Pump Is Overwhelmed: During unusually heavy rain events, a primary sump pump may be overwhelmed by heavy water volumes. In this scenario, your battery backup system will also turn on, adding to your system’s pumping power.

In both these situations, the primary sump pump fails, and a generator solution will not solve the issue.

How Long Do They Last?

The lifespan of a battery backup sump pump is measured in gallons pumped — not by the hours operating. This is because of the fact that only in the rarest of cases will a sump pump system run continually for hours on end. Instead, it will typically turn on as the sump pit fills, then shut itself off afterwards. The frequency of the on/off cycles will determine its operation time, meaning that a system can run for hours, or days, depending.

That being said, a reliable battery backup system can pump out more than 10,000 gallons of water on a single charge — about the size of a small swimming pool, and usually more than you need.

We Install Battery Backup Sump Pumps!

Our TripleSafe Sump Pump system can pump out just over 12,000 gallons. If additional power is desired, multiple batteries can be connected to a single pump. As an added feature, our system can be connected to many home alarm systems — so you receive a phone call if your system fails.

Don’t wait to protect your home! For more information about installing our battery backup sump pump system in your home, contact us!

Basement Flood: When Mother Nature is Not to Blame

cynthia — Wed, 18 May 2011 19:06:29 +0000

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.

There are however, a few steps you can take to prevent major disasters.

1- Sump pump system with drain.

Our sump pumps systems are installed within an airtight container with a drain on the lid. Any water that gets into your basement, regardless of the source will run to the sump drain and the sump pump will get it out of the basement.

2 -Water Alarms

The sooner you know about a water problem, the quicker you can respond to it and prevent disaster. Water alarms are included in our sump pump systems, but in bigger basements or basement with many rooms, we can install additional WaterWatch Floor Alarms to warn you of possible floods.

3- FloodRing for Water Heater Tanks

These tanks are automatically programmed to refill themselves when the water level gets too low, so as they leak, water will continuously poor into the basement, until someone manually shuts down the valve that feeds the tank. The FloodRing, by Basement Systems, will contain the water and divert it to the sump pump, before it floods the basement.

4- FloodCheck Hoses for washing machines

Unless you are turning off the valves every time you finish your laundry, your washing machine hose is pretty much a ticking time bomb. When the machine is not being used, the hose is being continuously subjected to a water pressure of 50psi. Regular hoses are not made to withstand this pressure for too long. So one day, all of a sudden, they burst. And when they do, you can count of 500 galons of water pouring into your basement, per hour.

We actually once serviced a family who came back from a weekend getaway to a basement with water up to the windows! FloodCheck Hoses, are industrial-grade, triple-ply with machined brass end connections. A 20-year warranty ensures your peace of mind for years to come.

After 20 years in the basement waterproofing business we’ve seen pretty much every type of basement flood and all the worst case scenarios you can think of. We are continuously using that experience to develop and provide products that will effectively address and prevent basement flood.

Our goal is to keep basements dry, no matter where the water comes from, and that is what we’ve been doing successfully for the past two decades

Experience the Basement Systems difference. Give us a call and let us amaze you with outstanding service and the best products in the world!

Yard Drainage Solutions

cynthia — Mon, 02 May 2011 19:13:27 +0000

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.

This is why it is very important to keep that area as dry as possible, by providing adequate foundation drainage and properly managing the rain water.

Flowerbeds should not cause the water to pool close to the wall, and plants that need regular watering should be avoided, sprinklers should never be too close, and

Downspout extensions keep gutters from discharging water too close to the foundation walls.

If you have a basement, not having any gutters is a very bad idea. They need to be installed, and kept clean, free of debris and in good working condition.

Likewise, having gutters to capture all the water and snow melt falling from the roof, only to have them pour all that water next to your basement walls is not exactly a good idea if you want a dry basement.

Although we specialize in foundation drainage, we also provide yard drainage solutions, such as downspout extensions and discharge outlets as part of our set of comprehensive solutions to keep your basement dry all the time!

Contact us for a free in-home estimate and ask our home representative for information in all the yard drainage options we offer.

Foundation Water Damage: What to Do When It’s More Than Just a Basement Leak.

cynthia — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 19:17:36 +0000

Water on expanding soil caused this basement wall to bow.

Bill Loden, a seasoned home inspector from Madison, AL tells Consumer Reports: “If there are 10 things that can go wrong with a house, 15 of them have to do with water.”

Having dealt with water intrusion problems for the past 20 years we know that he is not exaggerating.

Water can be especially hard on foundations because, being entirely or partially buried in wet soil, they are the areas of the house that are in constant contact with water. Rain water, if not properly controlled and diverted, can inflict an enormous amount of damage in a home’s foundation, sometimes compromising its structural integrity.

Water affects foundation in three main ways:

Hydrostatic Pressure:

It can cause more than just basement leaks. When the soil around the foundation is over saturated with water, the resulting hydrostatic pressure can push the walls inward, causing them to crack and bow. This can happen all of a sudden, during a period of heavy rains, or overtime.

Expanding Soils:

In some areas of the country, the clay-rich soil will expand when saturated with water, applying an enormous pressure against the foundation walls, causing them to bow, crack or shift.

Erosion:

Rain water or underground springs can slowly wash away the soil that supports the foundation, causing foundation settlement. Early foundation settlement signs aren’t sometimes obvious and can be easily dismissed by the homeowner until they become serious enough to demand professional intervention. Signs include sinking, uneven or unleveled floors, doors and windows that do not close properly, drywall cracks, tilting chimneys.

Don’t Panic!

A puddle on the floor or a small crack on the basement wall is usually something homeowners feel like they can deal with, and many actually put up with for many years, before they consider calling a pro.

On the other hand, a sinking foundation, or a bowing, cracking basement wall can rob many of their sleep. Understandably so: the very structure that keeps the whole house standing, is seriously compromised, and that is nothing to be taken lightly.

Fortunately, in many cases, the structural damage is not as bad as it looks, and thanks to modern foundation repair technologies, most problems can be solved.

Basement Systems, through our sister company Foundation Supportworks, offers the most advanced and reliable foundation repair solutions, for all types of foundation problems. With products ranging from foundation piers, to wall anchors, and crawl space jacks, there is hardly any type of structural damage that can’t be solved.

Are you Flood Smart?

cynthia — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 19:37:37 +0000

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.

To make matters worse, many times homeowners are faced with a harsh reality: typical homeowners insurance doesn’t pay for flood damage. Unless they have flood insurance, the homeowners will have to cough up the money themselves. In zones that are at high risk for floods, flood insurance is mandatory.

However, keep in mind that, according to FEMA, about 25% of all claims paid by the NFIP were for policies in moderate-to-low risk communities, last year. Reason why every one who owns a home should invest in flood insurance.

Mother Nature is growing more unpredictable every year, and although, in most cases you can apply for Federal assistance, if victimized by a natural disaster, it is hardly the best course of action. Floodsmart.gov explains why:

“Federal disaster assistance is usually a loan that must be paid back with interest. For a $50,000 loan at 4% interest, your monthly payment would be around $240 a month ($2,880 a year) for 30 years. Compare that to a $100,000 flood insurance premium, which is about $400 a year ($33 a month).”

Keep in mind that there is 30 days waiting period after purchase for a policy to take effect, so it’s important to buy insurance before the floodwaters start to rise.

Having your basement waterproofed and flood protected with a good drainage and sump pump system is also a great way to prevent basement flooding from ruining your finances. For a fraction of the cost you would pay to have your flooded basement cleaned up and restored, you can have a WaterGuard internal perimeter drainage system installed, complete with a TripleSafe Sump Pump System: the only system in the industry capable of reducing the odds of a basement flood to statistical insignificance.

Available only through your Basement Systems Dealership Network.

Recovering from a Basement Flood

cynthia — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:47:07 +0000

One day, you go down in the basement after a heavy rain and find it under water. Your possessions soaking or drifting in the pool it now became.

You look at the picture with a mix of disbelief and dismay. It might take a minute before you become overwhelmed by worry, contemplating cleanup costs, losses, damages, the hard work ahead, the mess.

Will the furnace still work? How about the water heater?

You decide you need to do something, but you don’t know what or where to start. You need to call for help but doesn’t know who to call.

This article will give you a step-by-step guide to recovering from basement flooding and taking all the necessary steps to prevent that from happening again.

1 – Turn off power.

Do not enter the basement or touch the flood water without turning off power.

2 – Call your insurance company.

Regular homeowner policies usually don’t cover water damage, which is why FEMA recommends Flood Insurance even if you don’t live in a flood plain. About a quarter of all the flood claims filed every year, are for homes in areas with low to moderate flood risk.

However, even if you do have Flood Insurance, you might find out that there are coverage limits when it comes to basements, and that it will only pay for the damages in there is a qualified flood: which means there is either two acres of flooded land around your property, or a few of your neighbors were affected as well.

3 – Get the water out.

If your basement is flooded, chances are you don’t have a sump pump, or the one you have isn’t working properly. That means you will need to remove the water by other means. There are basically four ways to do that:

Call a Basement Waterproofing company. Some basement waterproofing companies offer emergency services and will pump out the water for you. You can then schedule with them the installation of a drainage and sump pump system that will prevent future floods as well.

If there is a lot of water and a lot of damage, for example, in a finished basement, your best choice is to call a Disaster Restoration Company. They will bring in industrial equipment to suck out the water as quick as possible.

In extreme flooding situations, the Fire Department will help get the water out. However keep in mind that, when flood disaster strikes, they might be overwhelmed by requests.

If there isn’t a lot of water and damage or you can’t get any of the above to help you, you can try to buy or rent a “floor sucker” : a shop vac or a hardware store bought sump pump. Keep in mind that there sump pumps are usually of a lower quality and should only be used as a temporary solution.

4 – Get rid of soaked organic materials that can’t be completely dried out in 48 hours.

48 hours is how long it takes for mold to start growing in porous, organic and absorbent surfaces. And according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Center for Disease Control, once the mold settles in such materials (wood, fabric, carpets, mattress and upholstery, drywall and fiberglass insulation) there is no 100% effective or safe way to completely remove it. They need to be removed and discarded.

If your basement is finished with carpet and drywall, you will have to strip out every inch that came in contact with water and everything in the surroundings that feels damp, because the water infiltrates these materials through capillary action. Of course, if you hired a Disaster Restoration Company, they will do that for you.

5 – Dehumidify the basement.

You got rid of the water, but if your basement was flooded because of the weather, chances are that the ground around the basement is still very wet, that water will keep seeping through the concrete. And it will happen again every time it rains making your basement damp and mold prone. If your basement flooded because of a plumbing accident, that moisture too infiltrated the concrete.

Do yourself a favor to prevent mold now and in the future: get a good basement dehumidifier. Program it to keep the basement RH levels at or below 60% and you won’t have to worry about mold.

7 – Waterproof and Flood Protect Your Basement

After dealing with a basement flood for the first time, the last thing you want is to see it happening again. Even if your basement never flooded before, consider all the visible climate changes: record rain falls, wild storms. Let’s face it: the weather isn’t getting any better. Are you willing to risk another basement flood, knowing that there are technologies that will help prevent it? Call a waterproofing company and get them to install an internal drain tile, and a good sump pump system with a battery operated backup pump. This will prevent future floods from happening. Good basement flood prevention systems are backed with a Transferable Lifetime Warranty, which makes it a great investment even if you are going to sell the house in the future.

8 – Consider finishes that will not get ruined by water.

After cleaning and waterproofing the basement, if you plan to refinish it, consider using products that will not get ruined by water. An internal drainage system with sump pump will keep ground water from coming in and will take care of the water from internal plumbing accidents, but fiberglass insulation against the concrete will still soak up ground water and a carpet will get wet by a plumbing leak for example. Save yourself some future headaches by choosing flooring and basement wall solutions that are 100% waterproof, inorganic and non-absorbent.

The bottom line is: basements are prone to flood and water damage, and the cost of restoring and replacing damaged property can be very high, even if you only use the basement to house appliances, laundry and storage. Yet, basement floods are also preventable, and for a fraction of the cost of cleaning up the flood mess!

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Posted via web from basementsystemsinc’s posterous

Can You Afford a Wet Basement?

cynthia — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:20:40 +0000

A Wet Basement can be a huge financial burden

Your Wet Basement May Be Costing You More Money Than You Would Pay to Have it Fixed

Your basement is unsightly, unpleasant, and uncomfortable. It is dark, dingy and smells horribly. However, since you only use it to store some items or as a laundry room, you don’t really care much about how your
basement looks and feels like. You only go there when strictly necessary and rarely spend more than a few minutes in it.

Truth is that your cave-like basement is more than just an eye sore. It might be costing you a lot of money as well, and in more than one way.

Wet Basements Increase Heating and Cooling Costs

Humid air costs much more to both heat and cool and, if you think that it is only a problem if you want to cool or heat the basement, think twice.

Due to a physics phenomenon known as “stack effect” – which refers to the way the air moves in a building – 1/3 of the air you breathe on the upper floors of your home is coming straight from your basement. That means that the moisture in that basement air is consistently being carried upstairs, making your whole house more difficult to cool and heat.

How difficult? According to a U.S. Department of Energy’s Report, an insulated basement can save homeowners across the U.S. anywhere between $250 and $450 dollars a year in energy bills. Therefore, keeping your basement humid and not providing any kind of moisture or thermal protection is costing you at least that much.

Wet Basements Ruin your Indoor Air Quality

Moisture is not the only undesirable thing being carried from the basement into the above floors. Mold and dust mites thrive in wet basements, therefore mold spores and dust mite pellets, the two main triggers of most indoor allergies, are also finding their way into your home.

Your wet basement is not only costing you more money in utilities; it is ruining your indoor air quality. It might even be making someone in your family sick or uncomfortable. That alone can be burden on your budget in times of soaring healthcare costs.

Wet Basements Decrease Property Value and Make a Home Hard to Sell

No one likes a wet basement and home buyers know that if they buy a home with one such basement, the seller’s problem will become their own. The water stains, puddles, wall cracks or even mold smells can render a home very difficult, if not impossible to sell.

According to Builder Magazine 19% of home buyers won’t even consider a fixer-upper.

In addition, a wet basement is counted within the 12 Red Flags, Realty Times recommend home buyers to watch out for,and About.com counts wet basements among the top ten reasons buyers will hate your home.

Anyone willing to buy a home with a leaky basement will probably expect a substantial discount. A wet basement decreases property value by 10 to 25% and there is no way to cover it up. In most states, sellers are required to disclose basement water problems and can be held liable if they don’t, even after the property is sold.

Even if you are going to sell your home in the near future, having the basement waterproofed is the best course of action. Not only you can ask for full price on your property, but good waterproofing companies will offer a Transferable Lifetime Warranty that will cover the buyer. That alone is a great selling point for your home.

Wet Basement = Flood Prone Basement

When it comes to basements, today’s water stains are tomorrow’s flood. During heavy rains the faulty ground drainage that is now causing the water to seep through the wall and floors will cause your basement to flood. It is not a matter of if, but when and how much.

Experience shows that one can never be prepared enough for a basement flood. Even if you only use it for storage, laundry or to house utilities. Even if you have all your appliances and belongings raised from the floor to minimize damage, a basement flood is always a hassle, and a costly one most of the time. According to Floodsmart.gov, 2 inches of flood water can cost you around $7,800 USD.

There is the messy cleanup, the damaged property, the common hazards (electricity, fire, contamination), the potential for mold growth in the aftermath. If you don’t have flood insurance, none of the damage is covered. Homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover flood damage.

In addition, according to FEMA and Floodsmart.gov, even if you do have flood insurance, not every flood qualifies for coverage under these policies. The flooded area must be of at least 2 acres or at least a couple of your neighbors must have been affected as well, for your claim to be considered.

Also, in these policies, the coverage is very limited when it comes to basements. Some finishing material and some of your property may not be covered at all.

Affordable Basement Flood Prevention Technologies

For much less than you might think, you can get all these problems solved for good. Modern internal basement drainage systems, and state-of-the-art sump pump systems – which include battery operated back up pump, alarm, and an automatic switch that will cause another pump to kick in when the main pump is having problems – will reduce the odds of a basement flood to statistical insignificance. Powerful and energy efficient basement dehumidifiers will reduce RH levels to prevent mold problems.

These can be installed in a couple of days, with minimal disruption, for a fraction of the cost of a conventional drainage system or external french drain.

Unlike external french drains which are buried by the footing and can only be fixed by digging out the foundation, good internal drainage systems remain serviceable throughout the years. They can be fitted with service ports that allow them to be examined and flushed as needed. Which is why they are usually backed by a Transferable Lifetime Warranty, by the companies that install them.

Having your basement protected is one of the the best investments you can make on your home. The energy savings alone will pay for the cost of the repairs, overtime.

As an extra incentive, if you decide to insulate or finish your basement after waterproofing it, you might qualify for one or more of the federal government loans or tax incentive programs, recently made available to homeowners seeking to improve their home’s energy efficiency.

So as you consider home maintenance and repairs priorities and try to budget accordingly, consider this: can you really afford to keep that basement wet?

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After it rains, basement waterproofers should be busy

richard — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:10:55 +0000

This seems like common sense. If there has been a big rain or a lot of it, a basement waterproofing contractor should be busy. Right? Makes sense.

But what if a waterproofing company isn’t that busy after a rain? What does this mean? Should you feel comfortable working with a waterproofing company that doesn’t have business when it’s wet? I would think the answer to be: NO!

We have a basement waterproofing company in Milwaukee Wisconsin, Badger Basement Systems, that we recently heard was very busy as they’ve had a lot of rain. Now Badger’s been in business for over twenty years and has a great reputation and gets lots of referrals from their customers, so when it rains in the greater Milwaukee-Madison, WI area, it’s no surprise that Badger Basement Systems gets busy. They’re the best, long-established waterproofer in the area. Who else would you want to use?

It’s worth the wait.

You wouldn’t want to spend money on a short-term fix. And a warranty is only as good as the company behind it. If you have to wait for a basement waterproofing contractor to come to your house after big rains, that’s a good thing. Hang in there with the knowledge that you’re probably going to get the best solution, and your money will be well spent.

Contractors and Employee Training

richard — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:31:06 +0000

Training is an important aspect for any contractor to be able to service their customers appropriately. Training is especially beneficial for employees who deal with installation and system design.

Ask your contractor how they train their employees. If it’s trial and error, you may want to find out how many jobs they have done prior to hiring them for yours.

We just ended our three-day system design and installation training at our facility in Connecticut. We had 107 representatives from 39 dealerships who attended to learn how to design and install our basement waterproofing products and systems. We do this particular training three times per year, and a total of 20 trainings on various aspects of the waterproofing, crawl spaces, and basement finishing each year.

I enjoy these trainings a lot as we get to see people from around the the U.S., Canada, and U.K. The Basement Systems dealer network is made up of a great group of people, as since its inception 20 years ago, it has been policy to only recruit the best waterproofing contractors to be dealers, and this always included nice friendly people who would represent the company well.

The training focused on all aspects of designing the most logical and cost-effective custom-tailored system for the home owner using a combination of investigative research including a detailed inspection, an interview with the home owner and our multimedia presentation software, Basement Vision, which shows the transformation of a wet basement into a dry, comfortable, healthy space.

Finding a Responsible Basement Waterproofing Contractor

richard — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:54:48 +0000

Finding a competent, ethical and responsible contractor IS possible. Avoid a horror story by doing some simple research, using common sense, and educating yourself about the job at hand before you write that check.

Look for a contractor with an established business – This does not mean that someone with a new business won’t do a beautiful job, ask about experience and training before you proceed.
Check references by phone and look at previous jobs if possible. It’s great to be able to talk to someone who has worked with the contractor before.
Ask about professional associations that the contractor is involved with such as the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), or the National Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors (NAWSRC).
Make sure the contractor has General Liability Insurance and Worker’s Compensation. You can get a copy of their documentation if you call the carrier – this is public information and the carrier should be happy to provide them for you.
Make sure that you get a proposal or copy of the work to be done in writing. Do not go on a handshake, word, or promise.
Ask about training on the products the company uses and the manufacturer of the goods.
Make sure you are clear on what is warranted and what is not covered.

Being prepared for your project is half of the battle. Your experience will go much smoother if you’ve done your research and communication with your contractor is open. Make sure you understand the work to be done and that you possess a written copy of the plans. You’ll be on your way to a dry basement and peace of mind.