Blogs by Basement Systems Dealers

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by DryPro Basement Systems

Andrew Roby Inc. hosted the Pitchin Corn for a Cure event which benifited the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In this inaugural event Dry Pro Basement Systems sponsered one of the 64 cornhole teams. When all was said and done the event raised $30,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphomia.

Owner of Mr. Basement Honored for Generosity by Mr. Basement ®

Tom Johnston, owner of Mr. Basement and the Basement Doctor, was recently presented with the Pataskala Rotary Clubâ��s Vocational Service Award. The award honored Johnstonâ��s discreet generosity and local charitable efforts throughout his years in Licking County, Ohio. Johnstonâ��s nominator, Judy Baird, described him as a generous, ethical and caring person.

Johnston has been the owner of the Mr. Basement/Basement Doctor company for 22 years. Through that tie he has supported local service events, Little League basement, a tornado awareness event, and even helped families with paying for groceries and utility bills. He also has been known to hire individuals in desperate need of a job.

To win the Vocational Service Award a person must demonstrate pride, extraordinary leadership skills, make contributions to the quality of life in Licking County, improve the performance of his business or institution, and set high standards for ethical relationships with employees, peers and customers.

Read the full story here: http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20091119/COMMUNITIES01/91119006

New York Pest Control Company Kills Bed Bugs and Mold with Pure Heat by Expediant Environmental Solutions, LLC.

HYDE PARK, NY â�� Traditional fumigation methods for pest control involve dangerous chemicals and poisonous gases, but Expediant pest control provides a fumigation alternative that is chemical free. The ThermaPureHeat^Â® system is a way to kill bed bugs, roaches, spiders, and even kill mold simply by using the power of heat. The process uses a clean, dry, odorless heat that has reached a particular temperature, similar to the pasteurization of milk.

Fumigating fills a home with gaseous pesticides or fumigants to suffocate the pests, and involves encapsulating the environment, applying the chemical, waiting for the chemical to kill the infestation, and then venting the space of the poisonous gases. The home must be completely evacuated, including any pets and plants as well as food and medicine. Only once the space is deemed safe are the residents allowed back into the home, and even then a chemical odor is normally lingering.

With ThermaPureHeat, there is no lingering odor, no dangerous chemicals, and aside from any residents or pets in the house, only heat-sensitive objects (such as candles cosmetics or chocolates) need to be temporarily removed (or placed in the refrigerator). The heat applied is around the same temperature as a sauna, raising the wood-core temperature to 130°F. The duration of the ThermaPureHeat process varies depending on the area being treated and the type of organism being exterminated. It can be applied to an entire structure (such as a single-family home or commercial building), to a single level of a unit (such as a multi-family house), or to a target area (such as a kitchen cabinet or around a dishwasher's waterline).

Expediant is a mold, moisture, crawl space repair and pest control company serving New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and parts of Massachusetts. They have been in the mold inspection and diagnosis business since 1995. They offer free mold and pest control inspections and estimates to homeowners in NY, CT, NJ, PA and MA.

Expediant Environmental Solutions, LLC
4348 Albany Post Rd.
Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.moldybugs.com

Questions on Piering: Hollow Pier Tubes by Peak Basement Systems

1. I see that your push pier tubes are hollow, why don't they continue to sink into the ground after you install them? Why not fill them with concrete to make them stronger?

The push pier tubes that we use are the very latest in foundation repair technology and have been rigorously tested in our soil conditions. These pier tubes will fill with several feet of soil during installation, creating a soil plug. The amount of soil will depend upon the type of soil being penetrated. For this reason, placing concrete within the pier will not completely fill the shaft to the bottom.

Filling with concrete could, in fact, make the piers stronger but there are a few reasons that it is not usually done in our soil conditions. The first reason is that the system experiences it's highest load while driving the piers during which the concrete could not be present anyway. There are a few non-typical applications where concrete filling might be appropriate, but they are rare for our soil conditions and usually involve piers that are partially exposed, otherwise, the added cost of the concrete filling process is not justified.

*Thanks to Jeff Korton, P.E, for a great answer to this question!

Break Time Wine by Ayers Basement Systems

The ladies in the offices of Ayers Basement Systems traveled to Hometown Cellars Winery in Ithaca, MI about 8 weeks ago, to make the first two batches of our company Wine.

Hometown Cellars Winery is a full service winery offering over 20 varieties of quality wine for you to sample and choose from as well as wine accessories, wine racks, gift certificates and more.

They also invite you to make your own wine in the premises, with their ow equipment and create customized labels and packages for your creations.

The ladies at Ayers have named their wine creation "Break Time".

Today 11/19/09 they will again travel back to the winery, to bottle the two batches of wine and label the bottles.

These bottles of wine will be given away to special customers and at presentations given by Ayers Basement Systems. The ladies truly hope everyone enjoys a little "Break Time".

Toys for Tots by Ayers Basement Systems

Ayers Basement Systems is very fortunate to be a co-sponsor for the Toys for Tots with Independent Bank.

Everyone is invited to drop off new, unwrapped toys at the Toys for Tots drop box located at:

Ayers Basement Systems,
2505 S. Waverly Hwy,
Lansing, MI
48911

We have posted a 6' X 3' sign for Toys for Tots, for the public to be able to locate us better in our front yard.

We are very excited to be a part of this great program and are hoping to collect a record number of Toys this year as the need is really great.

General Manager by Ayers Basement Systems

Ayers Basement Systems is expanding and moving to Lansing, MI. Due to Ayers Basement Systems continuous growth the past few years and plans for expansion for the future, we have purchased the buildings and property a 2505 S. Waverly Hwy, Lansing, MI 48911. On Dec. 1, 2009 Ayers Basement Systems will be having a flag raising ceremony with the Basement Systems Flag at 7:30 am. All the company employees, owners and a few invited visitors will attend.

Foundation Repair Continuing Education in Omaha by DryPro Basement Systems

There is definitely a Science and an Art to the business of foundation repair. When it comes to successfully lifting and stabilizing structures, there is a lot more involved than just mounting brackets and pushing or screwing steel into the ground. Dry Pro sent Lee Davis (a Foundation Specialist) and Kelly Dragstrem (a Wood Repair Specialist) to Omaha for Supportworks Foundation Repair Continuing Education training. Foundation Supportworks' training program uses the right blend of text book, classroom and hands on field training.

Peak Basement Systems' Staff Heading To Foundation Support Works Training by Peak Basement Systems

Peak Basement Systems team members are heading out to training next week in Omaha, Nebraska, in order to learn more about the Foundation Supportworks systems and the way they can improve installation techniques and customer service. 4 attendees are participating and they will be there from November 16th through November 20th.

They are planning to drive out, so let us wish them luck with the weather and hope everything goes well!

Does Humid Air Go Up or Down? by Basement Systems of New Hampshire

There are two classic arguments used to explain where humid air goes in a home.

Argument 1: Wet air is heavier than dry air. Ventilate and dehumidify the basement to solve this.

The idea here is that as air becomes humid in a home, it becomes heavier, causing it to sink down into the basement and lower levels of the home. Therefore, ventilating the basement with outside air will circulate this humid air out of the home and keep the basement dry.

If humid air sinks, will this ground level vent keep the basement dry?

Problem 1: Humid air is less dense than dry air.

Dense things sink and less dense things rise, right? Well, according to Isaac Newton, in his book Opticks, (and USA Today) humid air is actually LESS dense than dry air.

It makes sense. If humid air didn't rise, why would rain fall from the sky when the temperature drops?

So, in a home, humid air rises upwards, not downwards.

Problem 2: If humid air WAS denser than dry air, basement vents still wouldn't work.

Let's pretend for a minute that dry air IS lighter than wet air. Where are the vents going to be in the basement and crawl space? At ground level, right? If humid air did sink, wouldn't it flow downwards into the basement through the vents?

Is this vent keeping the basement dry and mold-free?

Problem 3: Outside air isn't always dry.

If it's raining, humid, or damp outside, how dry will ventilated outside air make your basement? Not very, right? And what happens to your utility bills if you're venting cold air into the home in the winter, or hot air in the summer? You can count on some heavy utility bills. We insulate this air out of our home for a reason- because we don't want it in the house.

Argument 2: Sealing off the outside air and dehumidifying the space will keep it dry.

Even with a seemingly dry basement wall, this white powder (efflorescence) reveals that moisture has been passing through the concrete walls

Other basement contractors will seal off the area from outside air as much as possible. Once the space has been isolated from the outside, they will install a dehumidifier to remove any extra humidity and to maintain the proper humidity level in the future.

To seal off the space, all vents in basements and crawl spaces must be sealed. Crawl space doors and entrances should create an airtight seal when closed to keep out outside air.

Moisture can also pass continually through the porous concrete, mortar, or dirt, entering a basement or crawl space straight through the walls and floors. Along with the moisture, water brings a white, powdery mineral salt called efflorescence. If you seal the walls with a paint, this salt will build up behind the seal, causing it to blister and peel. Instead, mechanically fasten a sheet of plastic- at least 25 mil in thickness- to the walls. This will keep moisture out of the space, helping you fight mold and moisture damage in the home.

A dehumidifier is a great idea as well. Be sure to pick one that is self-draining, powerful enough for the entire space, and is Energy Star rated to keep your utility bills low while protecting your investment.

Dry Below-Grade Spaces

There's only one good way to keep your basement and crawl space dry: seal the space and install a dehumidifier. If you're interested in taking your basement to the next step, Basement Systems of NH and Boston would like to help you. We offer FREE basement and crawl space waterproofing and dampproofing estimates in areas surrounding Boston, Northern MA, and New Hampshire. Call or contact us online today to get started!