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:

1. 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.
2. 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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

Contact us for a Dealer near you.

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.

EverLast Basement Drywall Restoration System

If your drywall is moldy and was partially damaged by flood we can help restore it with a new product.

We now offer a revolutionary drywall repair system, that can be installed after the waterproofing. The systems consists in a 100% waterproof, insulated 1/2″ rigid cementitious board cladding, lined with a white & beige-patterned vinyl surface that makes cleaning and maintenance a breeze.

This wall system is created with inorganic materials– materials that will not be damaged by water, and will not support the growth of mold or mildew. Additionally, the EverLast Finished Wall Panels used in this system are fully washable and are 197% stronger than drywall!

It installs at  a 32″ high  with a decorative, inorganic chair rail & baseboard that ties the system beautifully to the existing drywall finish.

By installing the EverLast Drywall Repair System, you not only repair wet drywall damage, you also protect yourself from this problem in the future.

Call us for a free flooded basement repair and ask out representative to show you the EverLast Drywall Repair System.

Posted via web from basementsystemsinc’s posterous

The Environmental Protection Agency reports that mold grows when mold spores land on wet surfaces. Though it is impossible to get rid of all mold that is constantly floating through the air in house dust, it will not grow if moisture is not present and is not as dangerous to a person’s health in dust form.

Mold can begin to grow in a building that has a leak problem, through condensation on windows, or as the result of a flood. Mold can also grow on drywall that has become wet from a basement flood. Other organic materials such as wood can grow mold over time in a damp place like a basement, so it is important to eliminate water problems in your home permanently or the mold will continue to come back over time. If you find moisture in your home, dry it immediately. Basement waterproofing is a good way to keep moisture out of your house.

Contact us today for a free quote and make your home healthy and beautiful!

A “stack effect” exchange of air occurs in your home. This means that new air replaces the warm air that rises and escapes out of the upper levels by a process of suction. Air from your basement is drawn up into the first floor, then to the second. Scientists say that up to 50% of the air you breathe on the first floor comes from the basement.

This means that whatever is in your basement air – this includes mold, rot, dust mites – you and your family are breathing it. The damp odors in your basement will rise up into the 1st floor and so on.

Effects of a Wet or Damp Basement:

• Dust Mites
• Sticking doors and windows
• Smelly damp carpets
• Buckling hardwood floors
• Condensation/rotting/mold in attic
• Frost or condensation and mold on inside of windows in cool weather
• Increased cooling bills (damp air takes more energy to cool)
• Increased heating bills (damp air takes more energy to heat)
• Mold upstairs
• Decreased life of roof or sheathing and shingles
• Decreased life of the paint on the outside of your house
• Aggravated asthma and allergies

#1 Home Allergen: Dust mite droppings floating in the air. Dust mites are parasites that live in your carpeting, bedding, and furniture. Dust mites absorb water out of the air, so with high humidity levels (especially in the basement) they thrive. If humidity levels drop below 50%, they will dry up and die, but leave their larvae behind to hatch when it gets damp again. Combat this dangerous life cycle by keeping your basement at a humidity level under 50% with a quality dehumidifier. For more information on the dangers of toxins in your basement, read this article: Is Your Basement Toxic to Your Health?.

To protect the innocent, we’ve changed the names of the folks in our story:
Mr. and Mrs. Smith’s basement flooded once. They cleaned the gutters just like their cousin told them to. After all, he was a builder and he knew about these things. The couple didn’t see any more water in their basement for a good six months. They soon forgot about the incident and put all of their stuff back down in the basement on the floor. There were holiday decorations, tax records, a record album collection, personal effects – even Mrs. Smith’s preserved wedding dress – in a cardboard box like most of the other items. Beginning one otherwise peaceful evening, the sky opened up, as it does once every year or two, and two months worth of rain fell in two days. All of the Smith’s belongings were lost in the flood that resulted in the unprotected basement.

It doesn’t have to be a severe flood to experience the effects of water damage. Mold thrives on organic material so if you’ve got a high relative humidity or seepage, all of those personal items stored in boxes in the basement run the risk of being ruined. At the first sign of a problem it is important to begin the fixing process. Basement leaks do not get better, they worsen with time.

Fixing the gutters and downspouts is the first step, but not the permanent fix. For moisture, a quality dehumidifier will help alleviate mold and musty odors. SaniDry basement dehumidifier will do the trick, it’s like a dehumidifier on steroids! For foot and wall joint leaks or even floor seepage, a custom interior basement waterproofing system will solve the issue. WaterGuard, a patented system, is designed to accept wall, floor, and foot and wall joint leaks without getting clogged with dirt and debris. This is a much better solution than excavating the exterior and installing a new footing drain that will eventually clog up again. Paints or sealants are only a temporary solution and eventually the water will push through.

At the first sign of water in your basement, call a system design specialist so that you can avoid the mess the Smiths had to deal with.