Fix Your Wet Basement to Prevent Structural Problems in Your Building
Fix Your Wet Basement to Prevent Structural Problems in Your Building
Wet basements can be the root cause of many problems with the structure of a building. If you have a wet basement, you can opt for the services of a professional waterproofing company and get it fixed.
Strengthening the Structural Foundation
The major cause that weakens the foundation is water leakage. If you think that fixing the wet basement in Rockville may be expensive, it is nothing compared to the cost of redoing a couple of walls in the foundation.
Healthier Home
Wet basements cause the humidity to go up in your house. This will act as a catalyst in the breeding of moulds and dust mites. These conditions may result into health problems like asthma, sinusitis and other respiratory problems or even may damage the immune system. So, fixing up the wet basement in Rockville will help to keep the home clean and healthier.
Save on Heating Bills
The increased humidity in the air will make it harder for the heating system to heat the air. This in turn would increase the electricity bills. So, when the room is damp as a result of the wet basement, your heating system will have some extra work to do. Fixing wet basement in Rockville will be beneficial in this scenario.
Enjoy the Living Space
By fixing the wet basement Rockville, you can turn the basement into a game room, office room, gym area, or a laundry room. This will allow you to utilize the maximum area of your home.
Increase in Property Value
If you are planning to move out, the wet smelly and unhygienic basement may turn off prospective buyers when you plan to sell your home. It may affect the resale price.
To avoid any problem you can have your wet basement fixed by a professional. Visit RJY Waterproofing to fix Wet basements Rockville.
Article from articlesbase.com
Categories: Basement Moisture Tags: Basement, building, prevent, Problems, Structural
Basement Finishing Projects With Waterproof Problems
Basement Finishing Projects With Waterproof Problems
Once you have your new basement design and floor plan finished and have your approved building permits in-hand it’s time to get the construction ball rolling in real-time!
The first step with any basement finishing project is to make sure that the environment in the basement is DRY! So, if you have any moisture or water problems existing in your basement you are going to want to have those problems corrected 1st!
Dampness on walls (not water running down them), is a problem that is usually very easy to correct. Ground water tables can cause a build-up of water to accumulate around the outside perimeter of your basement walls, this causes hydrostatic pressure. Hydrostatic pressure from a build-up of ground water can be caused by a number of different circumstances.
* Poor drainage from improper grading
* Clogged down spouts and gutters around the house
* Natural springs in the yard
These are the most common origins of accumulated amounts of trapped ground water. Most of these can be simply fixed with little effort.
Once the problem has been identified and corrected from the outside of the home, the problem should “dry-up” once and for all. I always “Drylock” ( a “brush-on waterproofing compound) the problem areas of the exterior walls with a heavy coat of this product. This will keep any additional moisture from ever returning to the “inside” of your exterior walls.
Masonry walls or “block units” will always be more susceptible to moisture problems because of there porous physical construction. Concrete walls or “pan-poured-wall” will almost never have a moisture problem because they are not porous at all, and leave no way for ground water to penetrate into the basement.
A true “water problem” as opposed to a “moisture problem” is a different animal all together! A water problem is diagnosed by the home owner discovering standing water on the floor someplace. Standing water or puddles of water are usually a serious problem. This means that you MUST INSTALL a waterproof SYSTEM around the interior perimeter of the basement walls!!!! Water will always find the path of “least resistance”! This means even if you have water in your basement only once in 2-5-10-years, eventually it WILL FIND IT’S WAY BACK IN AGAIN SOMEDAY! I always recommend and install a full Perimeter Waterproof system for those clients with standing water, and i guarantee this system for life!
This is the only way to ensure that once you finish-off the basement, your investment will be kept safe and DRY!
Once all moisture and/or water problems have been properly corrected, you can proceed with the basement finishing project. Only about 2% of my basement finishing clients over the last 17 years have needed a Perimeter Waterproofing System! About another 10-15% needed to have the Drylock Solution applied to the walls to “moisture proof” them from future ground water moisture. The other clients needed no such work at all!
Most newer homes built after 1990 have had “footer drains” installed around the interior and exterior perimeters of the basement wall footers when they were originally constructed. These homes usually have 1 or 2 “sump pump pits” installed in the corners of the unfinished basement. These “sump-pump-pits” can have a sump pump motor installed into them by the home owners at anytime. Most builders do not include the pump in the pits that they have installed….GO FIGURE! It is the home owners responsibility to install their own sump pump motors to safeguard themselves in case from excessive ground water accumulation. If you have an existing pit, GET THE PUMP INSTALLED NOW!!
Any basement can be remodeled that has an existing moisture or water problem, so long as the origin of those problems has been properly corrected. Waterproof Perimeter systems should be installed by a trained professionals ONLY!
Looking for more information about basement finishing visit: BASEMENT IDEAS CLICK HERE!!
Here’s to “Living Down Under”!
Edward Case
Since 1992 Ed Case has remodeled 350+ basements in the Harrisburg PA region. Ed is an expert in basement conversion projects and high-end basement interior design. Ed regularly holds training classes designed to teach local home owners in the Harrisburg PA region how to remodel their own basements successfully! Visit: http://www.1basement.com
Article from articlesbase.com
Categories: Basement Moisture Tags: Basement, finishing, Problems, Projects, Waterproof
Water Basement Problems
Water Basement Problems
The basement is one of the most important parts of a house, but often it is neglected by the owner and the results end up being a basement flood. The leakage of water in the basement is one of the greatest worries of the homeowners. In the areas where the climate is predominantly humid, the issue of damp spaces or wet basement is even more troubling. Toxic gases and mold as well as a humid unpleasant ambiance in the basement are usually caused by the humid soil combined with heavy rainfalls.
The basement water humidity may cause many problems to every house owner. There may be financial as well as health problems caused by wet basements to the residents of the house. In order to prevent this from happening, you need to ensure a waterproofing system against humidity and basement flood. A good system has a lot of advantages.
It helps at preserving robust foundations, particularly when speaking about foundation walls. It preserves the home ambiance hygienic and clean and it lowers the stack effect and most importantly, lower your risk of having a basement flood. This effect represents the rise of some toxic gases at the upper levels of your home. The proofing system also assists in freeing the basement of mold and germs and, in addition to that, it helps increasing the value of the house for a future resale.
In the last few years, the basement-waterproofing engineers and contractors have expanded many various techniques of keeping the basements dry. One alternative is to use a solid water proofing material and one more very popular choice is the crystalline basement waterproofing in order to prevent a basement flood. Another alternative would be Perma Flex. Techniques of basement waterproofing comprise a fluid membrane, which is attached to the inside of the space, or a canvas covering attached to the outside of the space. A competent expert will be able to talk about the options with you and advise a path of action to prevent you from experiencing a nasty and even costly basement flood.
It does not make sense at all that you should reside in a home with an impracticable wet basement or a basement that floods every other month. You need to spend some money and get it mended so that you can get pleasure from your basement at the present and when time comes to resell the house you will have no problems with the wet basement.
On the other hand, before choosing a creep space-waterproofing services supplier or a basement repair contractor, it is at all times essential to ensure for qualifications as well as the record of accomplishment of the company. Choosing a neighborhood basement repair company is always helpful as they are well acquainted with the type of weather than companies situated outside the particular area. Personal checks and references are also significant before you resolve on a concluding waterproofing deal. Nonetheless, as most water damage companies offer free of charge examinations and following free quotes, you need to be well informed about all the offers.
Chris Johnson has a Class A-BLD license in the state of Virginia.
For more information about Water Damage Restoration ,Flood Damage Repair or if you have general questions about Water basement problems Please visit his website at: http://www.flooddoctorva.com
Article from articlesbase.com
Categories: Basement Moisture Tags: Basement, Problems, water
Energy Efficient Dehumidifiers — Ideas for Cutting Dampness Problems Without Spending a Fortune
Energy Efficient Dehumidifiers — Ideas for Cutting Dampness Problems Without Spending a Fortune
It seems almost everyone has basement dampness problems. Where does all that water come from?
Humidity can enter your house naturally in the air, in warm weather through open doors and windows, and through air leakage when the heat or AC is on, such as poorly sealed windows and doors, cracks in exterior wall plaster in older houses, cracks in upstairs ceilings, or attic hatches that lack proper weatherstripping. Anything that draws air out of your house, such as a woodstove, exhaust fan, or a low- or mid-efficiency furnace, will also pull outdoor air in.
So one way you can reduce moisture is to restrict the flow of fresh air, especially during humid weather.
Water can enter through your basement walls from outside. You need to direct surface water away, seal the outside of the foundation, improve drainage below the foundation, and you may even need to seal the inside of the masonry wall as well.
Aspects of your own daily life such as breathing, sweating, showering and cooking, can also create moisture when the house is closed up. The daily activities of inhabitatns can add as much as 20 gallons of water a day to your house.
Rain collecting in your driveway, or pouring out of an eaves trough, makes its way downhill. If the soil is porous around your foundation, or if there is a gap between the pavement and the house, the water will percolate through the ground or the crack until it meets the water table or is otherwise halted. Once it can’t flow down, it flows across, which is when it starts seeping through your foundation walls.
So keep surface water away from the walls of your house. Keep eaves troughs cleaned out and properly angled, and downspouts in working order with their outflow running away from the house. Your driveway should slope away from your house, or you can run a line of mortar along the gap between the driveway and the house to keep water that accumulates in the driveway from working its way down along your foundation walls.
Gardens, lawns, and other surfaces should also draw water away from your home, and if you have a sump pump it should drain far from the house as well.
Protecting your basement from groundwater is a bit more challenging and can be expensive. A basement contractor can dig a trench to your foundation walls from outside, and apply a sealant to the exterior below-ground walls. They should also backfill the trench with gravel and sand to improve drainage, and they can put in drainage tile at the bottom to draw groundwater down below the floor of your basement.
A more affordable option, if you have exposed masonry in your basement, is to scrub down the masonry to a hard, clean surface free of grit or mineral sweat, and use a parging compound to add waterproofing on the inside of your walls. This works for minor humidity problems but won’t solve serious basement moisture problems.
Any moisture you can avoid producing indoors will help cut down on humidity problems. You can’t stop breathing, but you can cook with lids on, and turn on the range hood when boiling water; you can cut back on showers or run the bathroom fan when showering; and be mindful of aquariums, decorative fountains, and other possible humidity sources.
If winter humidity is a problemIf you have humidity problems in the winter and your home is recently built and well insulated, it is possible that your home is sealed too well. A well sealed home cuts your heating costs, but if it’s too well sealed moisture will build up, as will off-gassing from synthetics, woods, carpets, and other materials that may harm your health. You might consider buying a heat exchanger rather than a dehumidifier if this is your problem. Heat exchangers let air flow in and out of your house, while keeping the heat in as the exhaust air is blown out.
Before go out and buy a dehumidifier to solve moisture problems that can’t be solved by the tips above, you should understand how humidifiers work, their rankings, how ENERGY STAR dehumidifiers are ranked, and how to choose the best model for your situation.
Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air using a compressor, condenser coils, and fan. They work the same way a refrigerator works, except that their cooling power is used to condense water out of the air. Dehumidifiers have a humidistat that keeps them on until the moisture reaches a set lower level, or until the tank fills up, whichever happens first.
Dehumidifiers are grouped based on extraction capacity — how much humidity they extract from the air per day — and by tank capacity — how much water they hold. In the United States, extraction capacity is rated in pints per day and capacity is measured in quarts. In most other countries, extraction capacity is rated in liters per day and capacity in liters.
Once your tank fills up, the dehumidifier will not extract any water from the air until you empty the tank. If you place your dehumidifier near a basement floor drain, you can run a hose from the tank to the drain, so that you never need to empty the tank. (Most dehumidifiers come with an opening for a hose.) If you can’t do this in the room where you’re putting the dehumidifier, make sure you buy a unit with adequate tank capacity.
The energy factor for dehumidifiers is the number of liters or pints of water removed from the air per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity used. The higher the energy factor value, the more efficient the dehumidifier is. So bigger is better — unlike the efficiency rankings for most other types of appliances.
ENERGY STAR dehumidifiers have energy factors ranging from 3.56 (excellent) to 1.2 (marginally efficient) with a median rating of 1.62. Only two companies, Therma-Stor Products and Munters Corporation, make dehumidifiers with an energy factor better than 2.2.
But bear in mind that an ENERGY STAR rating does not mean the dehumidifier is all that efficient — just more efficient than some others in its class. For example, ENERGY STAR rated dehumidifiers can have an energy factor of as little as 1.2, while the best score is 2.02 and the worst for a non ENERGY STAR dehumidifier is 1.0.
Always buy a dehumidifier that can handle the amount of humidity in your house. You probably do not require a pints-per-day rating above 25 unless your basement is sopping wet and at least 1,200 square feet in area, wet and at least 1,500 square feet, or usually damp and mildewy (but not wet) with at least 1,800 square feet.
On the other hand, ENERGY STAR units that can withdraw more moisture are typically more energy efficient because of the different capacity thresholds used to rate dehumidifierS. So don’t skimp and buy too low a capacity unit — overestimate rather than underestimate.
If your basement is very cool, buy a dehumidifier built to handle lower temperatures. Otherwise, the cold basement will cause frost buildup on the coils, which reduces their efficiency and may cause the motor to short cycle. If notice this short cycling, turn the dehumidifier off until the ice has melted and fallen into the tank. If the behavior persists you may need to replace the unit with a unit built for cooler temperatures.
Assuming you do own or buy a new dehumidifier, you’ll want to reduce your energy costs with whatever dehumidifier you own.
If your basement is humid, and the dehumidifier is on, keep the doors to the basement closed so damp air doesn’t creep in from upstairs.
Keep your dehumidifier coils and fan clean and free of dust. Some dehumidifiers include a washable air filter you can clean to get rid of dust build-up; if you have one, keep it clean.
If you replace an old dehumidifier with a new, properly sized energy efficient dehumidifier, and you tackle your moisture sources as best you can, you could reduce your electricity use by half or even two thirds over what you were paying before for the same level of comfort. But more likely, you’ll use a little less energy with a new and improved dehumidifier, while controlling your humidity more effectively, or you’ll use more energy (if you didn’t have a dehumidifier) but you’ll be far more comfortable and won’t be spending a fortune on electricity.
With all the news surfacing about the health effects of indoor dampness and the resulting mold and mildew, you’ll definitely benefit from addressing your humidity problems and buying an energy efficient dehumidifier. You’ll save money and be healthier.
Robin Green runs Green-Energy-Efficient-Homes.com, a website that helps people save energy in their homes. Go to this website for help on reducing your energy use on heating, cooling, lighting, and other household activities. For more on solving your humidity problems, see the energy efficient dehumidifiers section on Green Energy Efficient Homes.
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