Perma Dry Waterproofing Blog
Do you have water in your basement or crawl space? Is there mold or mildew affecting the air quality in your home? It's likely you need basement or crawl space drainage. Perma Dry offers a wide variety of common sense solutions to your wet basement or crawl space problems. Learn more here in our blog. When you're ready, give us a call and schedule an appointment.
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What Are The Best Yard Drainage Solutions?
Your front yard acts as an appetizer for your property. Being the first thing your visitors see, it can affect how they see you as a person. Considering all of these facts, a single misplaced puddle on your lawn can give the wrong vibes to people. Hence, homeowners like you must install effective yard drainage solutions.
Here are some easy ways you can improve your yard’s drainage:
Build A Simple Creek Bed
Creek beds are one of the easiest drainage systems to install. If done right, creek beds can also look amazing even when they dry out. Creek beds are often constructed with one end facing a water source like roof gutter pipes, and the other facing the lowest part of the property.
In simple words, its job is to direct water somewhere where it can’t do any damage. It can effectively prevent water puddles by giving the water an exit out of your yard. When building a creek bed, make sure that it is not directed to someone else’s property. Also, check your local public office to make sure that creek beds are legal in your area.
Beautify Your Yard With A Rain Garden
A rain garden is a section of your yard that is lower than its other parts and often enclosed by rocks and filled with plants. It acts as a catch-basin for rainwater what may otherwise turn into puddles. Rain gardens usually don’t collect water by themselves. So it is crucial to build it together with other water directing systems such as a creek bed.
When building a rain garden, it is ideal to choose native plants with deep roots and excellent water resistance. With a rain garden, you no longer have to worry about watering your plants as nature will do this for you. Beware, however, of grass overgrowth in your garden.
Use An Underground Drainage Pipe System
A drainage pipe system is a more modern approach to your yard drainage problems. Compared to the first two, a drainage pipe system uses materials not found in nature. To build your pipe drainage, position the inlet to a major source of water and place the outlet somewhere lower.
Ideal underground drainage should be sloped at least 1/8 inch per foot. Make sure also to cover the buried drainage with gravel to support it against any weight.
Construct A French Drain
A French drain is a level-up version of the drainage pipe system. Instead of using a smooth pipe, the French drain uses a perforated kind of pipes. This means that moisture stuck away from the inlet of the tube can still be drained. To make it even more effective, you can cover the buried pipe with gravel to make it easier to for water to enter.
Another difference between a French drain and a yard drainage pipe system is that the latter does not need an outlet. With it being surrounded by wholes, the water collected by it is evenly distributed into the soil it is buried on.
Find Someone Who Can Build You A Dry Well
A dry well is a relatively large whole on the ground used to collect rainwater to help disperse it on a single location. Special dry well barrels are specifically designed to do this job. They are built with heavy-duty plastic materials that make them immune to the environment.
A dry well requires a considerable amount of digging to construct. Without proper care, you can end up damaging your yard than helping it. Here at Permadry Waterproofing Seattle, we offer top-notch yard services to make your property look its best. We specialize in preventing water damage in properties, including preventing water puddles from accumulating and more. If you wish to learn more, call us now at (206) 309-5147.
What To Do When Basement Leaks After Rain?
A house’s basement can serve many purposes. You can use it to store things that you no longer use. If you have some extra funds, you can even set up a kickass living area for you and your family. Unfortunately, being located at the lowest part of your home, your basement is most susceptible to water leaks and flooding. Basement flooding can cause significant financial risk.
Luckily, you can tap the services of waterproofing companies like Permadry Waterproofing Seattle to help protect your basement from leaks. However, you may not always have funds to ask for expert help. In this case, you can apply some DIY waterproofing techniques instead. Here are some easy ways you can prevent leaks in your basement:
Locate And Repair Cracks In Your Foundations
Your foundation carries most of your home’s weight. Hence, it is unsurprising that some cracks may appear over time. Repairing your foundation can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars due to its importance to your home’s integrity. You can, however, use polyurethane injections as a temporary solution for this problem.
Polyurethane injections seal cracks tightly to prevent them from growing. It also prevents water from seeping through these cracks, avoiding further erosion of your foundation. After applying the injection, make sure to consult a foundation expert to assure the safety of your home.
Remove Any Debris In Your Eavestrough
Your eavestrough or gutter helps control the flow of rainwater from your roof. It prevents rain flow from damaging your walls and digging through your lawn. It also helps direct rainwater to proper drainages.
An unfortunate drawback of eavestroughs is that they easily gather debris like leaves and branches. A clogged gutter can cause water to back up and flow to places you least want them to. Overflowing water may also slowly dig through your foundation, which in turn may cause leaks in your basement.
After clearing any debris from your eavestrough, you should then prevent future clogs by adding a filter to it. You can install or have someone install large-hole metal meshes to catch debris flowing to your gutter. Also, use larger drain pipes to reduce the possibility of leaves accumulating inside them.
Prevent Condensation In Your Water Pipes
Even without cracks, your water pipes can contribute to water leaks in your basement. When cold water flows through your water pipes, air condenses on the pipes’ surfaces. Only small amounts of moisture are produced this way. However, the scarce ventilation in your basement will prevent the water from re-evaporating. The best way for you to prevent pipe condensation is to insulate your pipes.
Inspect Your Sewers Regularly
Besides being extremely unsanitary, leaking sewers can cause the most damage in your basement. Make sure to check your sewer tanks and pipes at least once a year. If you live in a very old building, your inspections should be more common. You can also hire companies that offer high-tech sewer inspection services that can help you find invisible cracks.
Ask For Expert Help
Applying DIY preventive measures against basement leaks can save you hundreds of dollars. However, nothing beats knowing that your home is protected by expert waterproofing services. Permadry Waterproofing Seattle offers some of the best waterproofing services in the Seattle area since 1996. If you want to learn more, click here now!
Why Do You Need a Crawl Space Sump Pump?
As a SeaTac-area resident, you don’t need anyone to tell you that you live in one of the rainiest places in the continental United States. On average, Seattle enjoys — or perhaps endures — 152 rainy days per year.
With that much rainfall and the Olympic Peninsula’s high humidity levels, it’s no wonder homeowners experience constant issues like wet basements, damp crawl spaces and the occasional basement flood.
Sump pumps are one common solution homeowners employ to keep their basements dry. Typically, homeowners install sump pumps beneath their basement floors where water often collects. However, you can place sump pumps nearly anywhere water tends to accumulate — including inside your crawl spaces.
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If you frequently deal with wet crawl spaces, keep reading. We’ll explain how sump pumps keep damp crawl spaces dry and what else you can do to keep your crawl spaces dry so that they don’t attract rats or create mold and property damage.
How Do Sump Pumps Work?
Most sump pumps sit just under or just above your basement floor, depending on whether or not you invest in a submersible sump pump. As water collects, it drains into the sump pump, which then pumps the water out of your home.
In the past, most sump pumps drained into the local sewer. Nowadays, though, most municipalities prevent homeowners from discharging pumped water directly into the sewers because the excess water can overload the city’s system. Instead, homeowners should run their pump’s discharge line into a dry well or any area outside the house that lets the water run away from the property.
Sump pumps run on electricity and need to be installed near an outlet. However, you can also find battery-powered sump pumps that don’t rely on an outlet and will still function in a power outage, which is important as natural disasters like floods can affect your city’s electrical grid.
Some homeowners choose to install two sump pumps: a main sump pump and a backup battery-powered sump pump for emergencies.
Why Would You Need a Crawl Space Sump Pump?
Not every homeowner needs a crawl space sump pump. If you never experience pooled water in your crawl spaces or have taken several precautions already to protect your crawl spaces, like adding ventilation and concrete, you may have nipped the problem of flooded crawl spaces in the bud.
However, just because you’ve never noticed crawl space problems doesn’t mean you don’t have them. Many homeowners fail to check their crawl spaces for water issues since, unlike basements, crawl spaces are out of sight and out of mind.
If you’ve never inspected your crawl space before, make sure you take a peek and pay attention to mold, musty odors, signs of rat infestations and, of course, pooled water.
If your damp crawl space problem has gotten so bad that water has started collecting, it’s definitely time to consider installing a crawl space sump pump. Most crawl spaces have electrical outlets, so you may need to call an electrician to install one.
As with basement sump pumps, crawl space sump pumps should have emergency battery backup systems in case something happens to the city’s power grid in a disaster situation.
What Else Can You Do to Keep Your Crawl Space Dry?
Sump pumps remove water that’s already collected cheap Phentermine, but they don’t help you keep water out in the first place. While they act as pivotal emergency aids and damage reducers, they’re just one crucial part of a complete crawl space moisture-reducing plan.
Along with installing a crawl space sump pump, you should consider other measures.
Crawl Space Ventilation
Mold flourishes in darkness and dampness. Mechanical air pumps expel moisture and potentially dangerous gases like radon from your crawl spaces and into the surrounding environment.
Crawl Space Encapsulation
Most moisture enters your crawl space from the surrounding dirt and foundation. Encapsulation keeps that moisture from getting inside the crawl space in the first place.
Crawl Space Moisture Barriers
Like concrete encapsulation, moisture barriers prevent mold, water, and pests from getting inside of your crawl spaces.
When you combine wet crawl space solutions like those above with emergency measures like crawl space sump pumps, you can stop moisture from getting in and move excess water out if a flood or foundation crack lets water seep into the crawl space.
Find Peace of Mind and Reduce Damage
Installing a crawl space sump pump can stop you from worrying that pests, mold, and property damage are spreading beneath your floors. Work with a basement waterproofing professional to find and install the right crawl space sump pump for your Seattle-area home.
You’ll enjoy not just a cleaner, dryer crawl space area, but also the greater peace of mind that comes with knowing every aspect of your property is safe and sound.
Looking for wet crawl space or basement solutions in the Seattle and Tacoma region? PermaDry Waterproofing has the tools and experience to help. Read about our professional sump pump installation services on our website.
3 Common Debates About the Modern Management of Crawl Spaces
There are often intense debates among home-improvement experts about how to upgrade crawl spaces to create safe, comfortable homes. Many times, people from widely divergent places will have opinions on crawl-space management that are as far apart as their home locations.
Your own basement professionals have area-specific advice for your home’s construction type, soil makeup and local climate. If you do any of your own research on managing crawl spaces, you’ll find there are three main areas where contractors and home-energy experts offer contrasting opinions.
You Should/Should Not Have Ample Vents in Your Crawl Space
One of the most contentious debates in the contracting-HVAC-waterproofing world is whether or not to place vents in the crawl space foundation walls. Vents are provided to reduce the chance of moisture buildup in the crawl space. They’re also believed to help move stale or toxic air from the ground away from the home.
Larger vents are placed in unconditioned crawl spaces, not in heated or cooled crawl spaces. During the summer months, the vents will be opened to allow air flow. In winter, vents are closed to keep pipes from freezing.
People who believe in vented crawl spaces probably live in more arid areas of the world. When the air is dry, dew does not develop on ductwork and pipes at moderate temperatures. Condensation is not as likely to build up inside crawl-space ductwork.
If you live in a very humid environment, like the Pacific Northwest or the Southeastern U.S., you face extremely humid air that’s prone to creating dew. Dew is moisture that’s formed when the air is holding all of the water it can carry. If the temperature drops near the fully soaked air, condensation and dew form on surfaces.
If the air outside is more hot and humid than the air inside the crawl space, your crawl-space vents won’t help. Hot air is always drawn to cold air. Fully saturated warm air that enters your cooler crawl space causes the formation of wetness on ducts and pipes.
When water droplets from pipes and ducts continue to seep onto floor joists and other wood, the foundation of your home could be compromised. Mold and mildew develop. Insects and other pests are drawn to the moist soil and wood. For these reasons, liberally venting a crawl space in a moist environment is not recommended by many home experts.
You Should/Should Not Insulate Pipes and Ducts
Many homes are built with plumbing pipes in the crawl space. Ductwork from the furnace or air conditioner is often run along the crawl space, too. As noted very cheap Valium above, these crawl space features can create wet conditions under the home if you live in a humid environment.
There are other sources of moisture in the crawl space besides foundation vents. These include:
- Moisture from the ground
- Plumbing leaks inside the home
- Condensate from an AC unit
- Leaks from a foundation hose connection
- Underground springs
- Poor drainage around the home
One inch of rain falling from the roof can add over 8,000 pounds of moisture to the home. The same inch of rain falling on part of the yard can add over 11,000 pounds of moisture.
All of these wet conditions encourage weeping or sweating pipes and ductwork. For that reason, ducts and plumbing should be insulated along with the crawl space. It’s one of the surest ways to reduce the chances of moisture forming on these home components.
You Should/Should Not Condition the Crawl Space
Some contractors and home experts believe that conditioning the crawl space solves the moisture and evaporation issues. A heated crawl space is less likely to experience frozen pipes. A cooled crawl space won’t rob cold air from your AC ducts.
There are several drawbacks to heating and cooling the crawl space. One concern is whether or not your HVAC system is built to handle the heavier load. You could overwork your heating and air conditioning systems and cause them to age prematurely.
You also risk creating weird pressure conditions in the home. When the crawl space sucks air from your home’s system, your home is subject to a negative pressure situation. It’s similar to when you drink a bottle of water quickly without letting air into the bottle opening. The bottle is sucked into itself.
The same thing happens to your home when not enough air is returned to the home’s rooms to make up for the extra air sucked out by the crawl space. Your HVAC system may have to be completely revised to handle the load without causing pressure issues in your home’s air.
Heated and cooled crawl spaces put your family at a higher risk of being exposed to radon, molds and mildew. The air returned to your home from the crawl space can make your family sick.
Rather than going to the expense of heating and cooling the crawl space, choose encapsulation for the under-house area. A thick moisture barrier is installed to keep the moisture away from the foundation and your home. The encapsulation process also insulates the crawl space to protect the pipes from freezing. Insulation reduces energy loss from outside air.
Ducts and plumbing pipes can also be encapsulated to protect them from freezing temperatures, pests and moisture. Contact the encapsulation professionals at Perma Dry Waterproofing. to learn more about the benefits of this crawl-space upgrade.
Crawl Space Problems? Save Energy and Your Home With Concrete Encapsulation
Issues with crawl spaces in Washington State affect the homeowner, contractor, remodeler, and property manager. Whether you live along the coast or in a drier area of the Pacific Northwest, excess moisture, poor ventilation, mold, rodents, and insect damage in the crawl space are all enemies of your building’s structural elements. These problems also contaminate the air you breathe inside the structure.
If you’re facing any of the above problems with your building’s crawl space in Seattle, Snohomish, Tacoma, or surrounding areas, you should know that concrete encapsulation is a solid solution. Concrete encapsulation is simply installing a three- to four-inch concrete barrier over the crawlspace floor. Here are some of the benefits of choosing this method:
A Concrete Barrier Is Cheaper Than Conditioning the Crawl Space
Crawl spaces in Washington State are generally unconditioned spaces that rely on vapor barriers and passive ventilation to reduce moisture and move stagnant air from underneath structures. Some buildings have conditioned crawl spaces, which are mechanically ventilated or heated in the hope that this will solve crawl space issues.
The problem with conditioned Valium without prescription crawl spaces is that they require energy to operate. Concrete encapsulation requires no energy to work once it’s installed. There are also additional maintenance and repair requirements when you install mechanical conditioning. With the concrete-encapsulation solution, your routine operating and maintenance costs are non-existent or minimal.
Conditioned crawl spaces are not permitted in some structures, and they are not easy to retrofit onto existing buildings. Compare the expenses and difficulties of installing a conditioned system to the ease and one-time cost of a concrete-encapsulation solution.
Concrete Encapsulation Eliminates Pest and Mold Issues
When we install your crawl-space concrete barrier, we are ensuring your crawl space floor is completely sealed and impervious to rodents. The concrete barrier also seals in the dirt layers under the crawl space that subterranean termites and other insects use to tunnel into your crawl space. Additionally, encapsulation works to eliminate the moist conditions that pests seek out under homes in damp areas.
Even with a vapor or plastic barrier over your dirt crawl-space floor, the floor itself provides many spores and nutrients that allow mold and mildew to grow. All it takes to develop unhealthy levels of mold under your crawl space is a bit of moisture mixing with the dirt flooring.
Up to 40 percent of your building’s air may be coming up through the crawl space. When you have the crawl space sealed in concrete, the air you breathe is healthier and cleaner.
Concrete Encapsulation Looks Great and Puts You at Ease
While plastic sheeting makes a suitable and reliable vapor barrier when installed professionally by our team, concrete encapsulation offers a much more attractive “finish” to your floor space than plastic vapor barriers. The seamless, clean look of the concrete layer gives your crawl space a custom appearance. Remember, too, that it’s not difficult for animals or tools to tear or rip a plastic barrier, but the concrete barrier is tough and durable.
Concrete encapsulation also offers a much easier surface on which to work if you or your contractor must repair plumbing, ductwork, or other systems under your building. The surface makes it easy to see where pipes or other leaks are happening. With a dirt floor covered in plastic, it may be difficult to see where a leak is occurring without closer inspection.
Retired homeowners appreciate the looks and ease of installing concrete encapsulation under their buildings. The reduction of mold, rodents, and moisture gives them peace of mind and healthier living spaces without the bother of constant monitoring of their crawl spaces.
No matter which smelly or damp issues you’re facing with your crawl space, give us a call at Perma-Dry Waterproofing and Drainage to discuss the solutions. We offer a full range of services to waterproof, seal, and protect your crawl space. Let us do the hard work to keep your valuable property free from crawl-space invaders including rats, bugs, and mold.
Waterproof Your Foundation Now to Avoid Dealing With Flood Damage Later
Recently, Seattle and Tacoma residents and officials watched helplessly as torrential rains caused flooding in many neighborhoods. Parts of Washington saw rain and snow totals that were 200 to 600 percent over normal precipitation amounts. The fact is, homes all over the state are at risk of or already suffering flood damage.
Additionally, due to the increased chance of flooding in coastal areas across the US, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has redrawn flood maps. FEMA recently raised the base flood elevations in the Tacoma area by several feet, meaning a new area of homes along Washington’s shoreline are expected to be vulnerable to intermittent flooding.
No matter where you live in Washington, climate extremes and flood-plain changes are your signal to act now to flood-proof your home.
Flood-Proofing Takes Many Forms
How best to flood-proof your home depends on your property’s elevation, topography, and drainage. The type of home foundation you have is also key. Whether you have a basement, crawlspace, or slab, there are specific methods to waterproof your foundation. No method is guaranteed to prevent all flooding, but most methods will protect a home in the average heavy-rainfall situation.
New drainage tiles may need to be installed where water pools in your basement or crawlspace. Your foundation pillars may need to be waterproofed, and the area around the pillars may need to be graded and drained. Repairs should be made to any leaks or degraded mortar in foundation masonry. The area around your foundation should be landscaped and drained to divert water away from the home.
Doing Nothing Could Cost You
In some areas of Washington’s coast, homes that are now effectively in official flood plains will be grandfathered in and allowed to be inhabited. That special Tramadol 100mg status changes if the newly designated homes are damaged, rebuilt, or renovated. In those cases, the homes must be built at a higher elevation to reflect the new base flood elevation.
It’s wise to stop severe flood damage to your home now by flood-proofing your basement or crawlspace. Then, your home will be more likely to withstand high waters, and you won’t be required to completely rebuild your home sooner than you can afford to. When you have taken the proper precautions such as these preventive measures, you can buy yourself time, especially if you live on the edge of a floodplain.
Insurance Issues Are Compounding the Storm
Many parcels in Pierce County were actually removed from the flood zones in the new maps. This change ends a mandatory requirement to carry flood insurance, which FEMA must provide if the home is in a flood plain and has a mortgage. Some mortgage lenders will still demand that you continue carrying flood insurance even if your property is removed from the flood zone. Flood-proofing your home may help lower your monthly insurance premiums in that case.
Flood insurance premiums have risen drastically in recent years. FEMA is advising that its premiums will increase by 25 percent each year as it phases out the coverage. Property owners will need to spend $1,000 on an elevation certificate if they want to prove their structures are not at a high risk of flooding.
If you do no waterproofing, thinking your insurance will cover you in case of a deluge, you may be in for a rude awakening. Your “flood” insurance may not compensate you for flood damage due to tidal surges or storms. Read the fine print and make sure you’re actually covered for flood damage with your current policy before you forgo the installation of proper flood protection.
Selling Your Home Is a Big Consideration
Even if your property is not in a flood plain, waterproofing and draining your basement or crawlspace adds value to your home. You won’t have to spend time mopping up pools of water or pulling up ruined carpet. Your home will be more valuable to the buyer who wants all of the safeguards possible in a new home.
Basement and crawlspace flood-proofing, when done by professionals, makes a home more secure. When your floor sills and joists are kept dry and sound, your home is on a more solid foundation. The work also makes the home’s foundation look well-maintained and tidy.
Shrewd home buyers love to tour homes on rainy days to check out leaks and drainage issues. When you have your home’s foundation waterproofed or encapsulated by the pros, buyers are going to choose your home over other properties with musty basements and wet crawl spaces. By making the necessary changes now, you ensure that you get the highest return on your investment.
The experts at Perma-Dry Waterproofing & Drainage, Inc are ready to help you flood-proof your Tacoma area residence. Contact us today to schedule an inspection of your property and a discussion of all the options to keep it dry and secure.
The Four Types of People Who Benefit the Most From Crawl Space Encapsulation
Crawl space encapsulation completely transforms an often neglected area of the home. Instead of dreading the dark, mysterious area under your home, you don’t have to worry about your bright new crawl space.
There are four types of people who benefit the most from crawl space encapsulation. Keep reading so learn what encapsulation means and find out if you’re someone who needs this upgrade to improve your quality of life.
Crawl Space Encapsulation Is Done in Steps
The first step is a scheduled inspection of your crawl space. Professionals evaluate the under-house area, testing for the following:
- Drainage issues
- Humidity levels
- Integrity of sills and joists
- Cracks or leaks in foundation
- Collapse of foundation sections
- Infestation of pests and mold
You must address any pest, mildew, and structural issues and have repairs and treatments done by the proper professionals. Then, you must empty the crawl space of all debris and storage.
You may need to hire a remodeling contractor to replace or brace floor joists and a pest control firm to treat your home for anything living in your crawl space. Additionally, you may need a mason to repair or replace concrete block or stone before you install the actual encapsulation system.
Many companies that install encapsulation systems also repair crawl space drainage issues. This may be as simple a fix as replacing an outdated sump pump, or it may be a more complicated process that includes regrading the crawl space floor and adding a new drainage tile with buried drain lines.
Once all of the crawl space issues are resolved, your crawl space is ready to be encapsulated. Depending on the dimensions and depth of your crawl space, it will have a primary covering placed on the floor. This may be gravel, gas-dispersing fabric, foam, or a combination of all of the above. Some encapsulation methods require no underlayment.
Next, professionals roll out a very strong layer of white material to completely cover the floors, posts, and walls of your crawl space. The edges of each rolled out section overlap on the next, and the overlapping edges are sealed.
The Four Kinds of People Who Need Crawl Space Encapsulation
There are some people who need crawl space encapsulation yet may not realize it. If you’re one of the following people, now you know what you’re missing.
You Live Where Radon’s a Risk
The Northwest has issues with radon, so your home should be tested for this dangerous gas every two years. Homes in risky areas of Washington State should also practice routine radon mitigation.
One important component of mitigation is sealing Tramadol from Canada the crawl space to prevent the colorless, odorless radon gas from entering the living areas via the bare ground under the house. Standard rolled vapor barrier doesn’t seal your home as effectively as encapsulation does.
You or a Family Member Has Asthma or Allergies
Allergies and asthma are exacerbated by stale air that comes into the home. Since a large percentage of your home’s air quality depends on the air quality in your crawl space, it’s important to make sure the under-house space is as clean and free of mold, mildew, dust, and pollen as possible.
Animal droppings, old paint and chemicals, and rotting batt insulation make air dangerous for people with breathing sensitivities. Anything that prevents bad air from entering the home should be done when asthma attacks or allergic reactions pose a risk to someone in the home.
You Fear the Great Unknown
If you have an intense fear or dislike of your crawl space, you’re not alone. Many people have a phobia or two relating to the crawl space. There are even horror stories written about crawl space nightmares. When you’re terrified of spiders, snakes, or dark, confined spaces, your crawl space is the last place on earth you want to enter, even in a home emergency.
Once encapsulation is done, your crawl space is clean and visible. The bright encapsulation material keeps creepy crawly things out, and you don’t need a lot of light to make your way around under the house. Even your clothes stay clean.
You Need the Storage Space
In smaller homes, or those with many household members, space is at a premium. You may need the crawl space area for overflow storage. Without encapsulation, a moldy or leaking crawl space is no place to store anything a person intends to preserve. When it’s time to retrieve any stored items from the crawl space, it’s hard to maneuver around in the dark, shallow space to locate items.
Once encapsulation is completed, you have a clean surface on which to set non-sharp items like boxed goods. You can easily locate the items later in your clean, bright new crawl space.
Trust Perma-Dry Waterproofing & Drainage, Inc. to install your crawl space encapsulation and improve your quality of life. Contact us today to schedule an inspection and facelift for your grungy crawl space.
Old Houses and Basement Water Problems: What You Need to Know
If you live in a historic home, you enjoy the character and craftsmanship of quality artisans from an era long past. The old walls and beautiful woodwork may speak of the home’s history, but the basement is often a different story. Water and moisture problems are unfortunately common in older houses.
There are solutions to help you make and keep your basement just as dry and beautiful as the rest of your historic home
Common Causes of Old House Water Problems
Basements in old houses were not designed to be living areas as they are now. Old basements were used to store food for the winter, keep coal or other fuel sources, and store tools and gadgets that were essential to the pre-modern lifestyle. Some basements may even have old cellars for wine or ice.
Extensive waterproofing was not needed. The bricks or rubble of a “flexible” foundation allowed for water to seep into the basement in very wet conditions, where it flowed to a floor drain. So a small amount of seepage is often par for the course in older basements.
However, inches or even feet of water are another story. There weren’t wet-vacuums or sump pumps to remove flood water. The ground may have shifted, city planning may have changed ground topography, or the water table may have risen since your home was built.
If you’re hoping to finish your old basement or use it for storing items that could be permanently damaged with water, you’ll need to invest in Ambien Pharmacy more waterproofing than the old design originally allowed for.
The Challenge of External Repairs
Older homes have sturdy foundations, but they were not built like homes are today. Rarely will an old foundation have footings below the walls you see and the floors you walk on. Modern footings provide foundational stability to concrete basements.
Waterproofing by digging around the exterior foundation can upset the delicate strength of older homes. They rely on the pressure of the ground to remain structurally sound. Because of the lack of footings, you risk causing foundational damage to a home by prematurely digging to lay weeping tile or apply trenching with backfill.
It’s best to seek help from a professional waterproofing company before concluding that digging will fix your leaky basement. If digging and trenching is the only solution, make sure to use a professional who has experience with preserving the integrity of old foundations.
Solutions for Leaky Old Basements
Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions you can try to reduce your water problem and make the basement fit for finishing and modern storage. Here are just a few of the waterproofing methods that are effective for older homes.
Improve Your Home’s Natural Drainage
Check your downspouts and the slope of the ground around your home. All water should be directed several feet away from your foundation. If the ground slopes toward your house, you can look into grading the yard for better flow.
Check Your Crawl Space
Some homes have a crawlspace and a basement. If you have more moisture toward the crawlspace end of your basement, installing a waterproofing lining in your crawlspace can help to prevent additional water flow into the basement.
Seal the Cracks
Many older homes have weak or permeable mortar in brick and rubble foundations. Seal these cracks to help reduce the flow of water. Seal them from the outside or have them professionally injected.
Use an Interior Sealer
For small amounts of leaching, you can use a paintable waterproofing sealant on the interior of your home that can withstand the gentle pressure of extra water during rainstorms or spring run-off. It’s not a solution for full-on floods, but for damp walls, it will provide protection against mold growth and gradual water damage.
Install an Interior Sump Pump
For more severe water problems, you do need an active removal solution. Sump pumps sit below the grade of your basement. They collect water as it rises. When the water gets above a certain point, the pump activates and pumps the water away from your home.
Snake Your Gravity Drain
Many older homes have original gravity drains meant to divert the flow of water in the basement. If these are not draining well, a small trickle can become a flood. Even though you want to prevent even a trickle, your gravity drain is what protects your finishing’s and belongings from severe flood damage.
Seal and Improve Your Window Wells
Over time, the window wells in old basements can fill with silt and debris. Many times, the brick retainers are no longer functioning. Windows can become a source of leaks.
Sometimes it take a combination of several methods to fully moisture-proof an old basement. It’s better to be proactive than reactive when it comes to waterproofing.
For more information on how you can improve the waterproofing in your historic home, contact us at Perma-Dry Waterproofing & Drainage, Inc.
Investigating and Eliminating Common Causes of Basement Flooding
If a fierce storm causes nearby waters to rise to record levels or a neighborhood sewer-line unexpectedly breaks down, you know the cause of the subsequent flood in your basement. It’s a mess and a misfortune, but, hopefully, the situation is a one-time occurrence.
Determining the cause of chronic, repeated basement flooding often takes a bit of detective work. Flooding is caused by any of a host of system failures, so you or your contractor must investigate. You may even find more than one problem is adding to the basement puddles. Below are the most common causes of basement flooding and how you can eliminate them.
Detect the Cause of Your Basement Flooding
There are a number of issues that can contribute to basement flooding, including the following.
Plugged Upper Floor Drains
If water appears to be running down a wall before ending up in the basement, suspect a leak from a shower, sink, or toilet. This may likely be the cause if the water appears to originate close to one of these plumbing fixtures. A leaky dishwasher, washing machine, or refrigerator should be suspected if one of these appliances is located close to the leak’s starting spot.
You may have to tear out sheetrock or do other demolition to walls in order to locate the source and path of an upper-floor leak. Many times, you’ll find that a drain under a shower or sink is clogged or collapsed. Water from the sink or shower either backs up and spills over or leaks from pipes that have cracked from the strain of backed up water. The water pours down along walls, saturating floors, ceilings and, eventually, your basement.
Fixture and Pipe Leaks
Small cracks in pipes and fixtures also cause similar basement waterlogging. The pan under your shower may have small cracks or may bend under the weight of people, letting water spill between the pan and the shower surround. The floor or wall adjacent to the shower becomes saturated, and the excess water drips down to the basement.
Sinks, tubs, and toilets may have leaks in the seals, basins, or hot and cold control knobs. Loose shower tiles, caulking, or pipe fittings may be inviting water to flow in a constant stream down to the lowest floor of your home. Pipes that freeze and thaw can crack and leak for a while before being detected. You may need to listen in order to hear some leaks located behind walls or underneath flooring.
Foundation Cracks
If basement flooding is coming from the foundation, you most likely have a crack in your foundation. Water will find a way inside cracks in your basement if the foundation isn’t properly sealed and waterproofed. Whether your foundation is cinder block, cement, concrete, or stone, small cracks develop for all sorts of reasons.
Earthquakes, storm runoff, landscaping, and nearby construction may cause settling and cracks. Aging foundations may crack as the home settles Zolpidem online over time. Pests can infiltrate insulation around openings in the foundation, allowing water to pool, freeze, and crack the underlying material.
Clogged Yard Drains
Groundwater drains around your home are a smart investment since they’re designed to divert water away from your home’s foundation. If they become clogged or damaged, however, the backed-up drains will allow water to pool next to your basement, increasing the chances water will flood your home. If water is flooding the basement from a ground-level window or foundation crack and the ground outside the area is saturated, suspect your yard drains.
Leaves, trash, mud, and even animals can get stuck in the drains, causing them to back up. Either end of a groundwater drain may become clogged by toys or by vehicles parked on top of the grates or drain ends.
Prevent Future Floods Now
Resolving your basement flooding issues is much easier when you know the source of the problem. Be aware that some of the causes of basement flooding may remain even after you repair your basement and fix the source of the unwanted water. To keep water out of your basement, follow the steps below.
Replace Old Plumbing Fixtures and Pipes
If your fixtures are aging, and prone to cracks, leaks, and clogged drains, it’s time to have the entire plumbing system examined and overhauled where necessary. Replace leaking taps and shower heads; remove, clean, and replace drain screens; and have a professional inspect, clean, and repair all of your older pipes and drains.
Repair Foundation Cracks
If your home’s foundation has one crack, there may be more cracks you haven’t noticed yet. Dig around under the dirt next to the foundation to see if you spot any more cracks that could spell future trouble. Have cracks repaired, and have your basement sealed to prevent external water from penetrating the foundation.
Hydro-Jet Stubborn Drains
Outside drains should be fitted with grates over the ends to keep out debris. After heavy storms and whenever necessary, have the drains hydro-jetted to remove large debris and muck.
The hydro-jet method is an efficient way to clean all sorts of pipes, from vent stacks to floor drains, because technicians have the ability to shoot water both ways at high pressure inside the pipe. Combined with the large variety of nozzles for scraping and scrubbing, the high water pressure gets pipes much cleaner than snaking or rooting does.
The experts at Perma-Dry Waterproofing & Drainage, Inc are here to help you solve your basement flooding issues. Whether you need waterproofing, basement sealing, or drain clean-out, call us today to schedule our professional, skilled home services.
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