A1 Foundation Crack Repair Blog

The real estate market has been performing a bit better, and more than a few real estate agencies had a pretty good January. The market usually starts to pick up in the spring in Massachusetts, however, with the mild weather; homeowners are starting to think about selling their homes now.

If your home has had basement water problems and you are thinking of selling your home, those problems need to be fixed and they can only be fixed by a professional waterproofing company. With the real estate market as it is, low home prices and an abundance of homes on the market, your home needs every advantage in order to sell.

No matter how many times you have had a wet basement, this information needs to be shared with potential buyers. Ensure you get top dollar, and that your home stands out by showing the basement water problem has been remedied.

In home sales, there are more problems with wet foundations and basements than any other physical problem in a house. Ask any real estate agent and they will tell you the same thing. Spend a little money to fix the problem and make more money back in the long run.

To get your home ready for the market, solve you basement water problems by contacting A-1 Foundation Crack Repair.

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Massachusetts is full of older homes, many are historic or antique. In these homes, we often consider wet or damp basements to be par for the course. When an older home has a field stone or concrete block foundation, we expect wet basements even more.

Unfortunately, no home is built to have a wet basement. The issues and problems that arise as a result are not always easy to recognize. Concrete floor cracks or basement wall cracks are almost never only on the surface. You should assume that the crack you see goes all the way through. Foundation and concrete floor cracks cause structural issues, property damage issues and mold.

Basement cracks need to be repaired, but understand that concrete on the crack and cosmetically sealing the crack is not going to do the trick. It could actually do more damage if water leaks are present because sealing it at the surface could cause pressure to build. Concrete is porous and pressure build up will only cause the water to find another way through.

Hire a professional to take care of all you basements cracks and leaks. Your home is most likely the biggest investment you will ever make. A1 Foundation Crack Repair is the best solution for cracks and leaks in your home’s walls and foundation. Call us as soon as you detect a problem.

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Your home may be state-of-the-art and built by the finest builder, but guess what, even that perfectly made foundation can develop cracks. When your foundation develops cracks, your home has a problem.

Often foundation cracks develop from soil settlement, heavy rain, ice, and other ground movement. As the soil around your home moves, freezes, and defrosts cracking and shifting of your foundation is a result.

There are a few signs to watch for: bowing or leaning foundation walls, cracks in stair masonry, basement leaks or water stains, musty smells, windows and doors that are sticking and/or a leaning chimney.  

If your home has any of these symptoms, contact A1 Foundation Crack Repair if you're concerned about your foundation.

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There may only be a few days left in January, but January is National Radon Action Month. Did you know that basement floor cracks can let in worse things than water? They can let in Radon too.

Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, after smoking. January is the time to check your home and office space for radon levels. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, radon exposure accounts for almost 20,000 deaths annually.

Radon is a tasteless, colorless, and odorless gas that occurs naturally in soil and rock. It disperses harmlessly outdoors but when it enters your home through holes and cracks in the basement floor and walls or from well water, it can be a health hazard. Prolonged exposure to radon can cause lung cancer. The only way to know if your home has unhealthy levels of radon is to perform a simple test.

If you have basement cracks, contact A-1 Foundation Crack Repair.

Information from Conway Daily Sun

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Winter is here and this means that the soil around your home has frozen. In the winter the soil around your home expands. When soil expands, it can push your home's foundation upward. This is also called a heave.

Heaving can cause cracks and bowing in foundation floors and walls. If these foundation problems are not repaired they can cause more damage to a structure over time. The good news is that skilled professional foundation repair contractors can repair foundation cracks in any season.

Foundation problems happen when the soil around your home changes. When a house is built it is built on soil that is dug out is later refilled around the foundation. This soil is loose and settles over time. Water moves through loose soil easily and seep through a basement's walls and floor through joists and cracks. When the frozen earth heaves, the pressure can cause foundation walls to crack and bow.

If you suffer from foundation cracks, contact A1 Foundation Crack Repair before those small cracks become larger problems.

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When you have foundation cracks in your home, you need an effective crack repair solution. Foundation crack repair provides watertight protection and durability to keep your basement dry and prevent the deterioration and further cracking of your foundation.
 
Hydraulic cement and other available products cannot fix the cracks in your basement walls. Professional crack repair companies will provide the most effective crack repair to fill the entire crack, the whole space, not just the surface. This ensures that your home will get the water-resistant, structural repairs you need.

Foundation cracks are not just aesthetic problems; they can cause your home serious problems. Basement and foundation cracks can cause mold to grow. However, the problem can be fixed.  Contact A1 Foundation Crack Repair, professional foundation and basement professionals. We provide the best durable, effective foundation cracks repair in the Boston area.  

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Many think that small foundation cracks aren’t a problem. Think again. If you have cracks of any size, you need a professional crack repair company to keep your home safe and secure.

If it is an old crack or one that you have just noticed, call a crack repair professionals. Foundation cracks can threaten the long-term stability of your foundation and ultimately your home, have them repaired.
 
Even small cracks can develop into major problems for your foundation. That’s because small foundation cracks don’t stay small; water will find the path of least resistance. Water will enter your home when it finds a foundation crack to travel through.

With freezing and thawing, the water will force the crack to expand, creating a serious problem over time.

Professional foundation crack repair provides durability to keep your basement dry and prevent the deterioration and further cracking of your foundation.

Foundation cracks can cause major problems for your home: as a catalyst for damage and in letting water into your home that can lead to mold growth.
 
Don’t let a deteriorating foundation threaten the safety of your home, contact A-1 Foundation Crack Repair today.

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Happy New year in advance to you from all of us at A-1 Foundation Crack Repair.  We hope you have a safe and relaxing New Year's break.  We also want you to know that when it comes to the health of safety of both you and your home, we never rest..  This is because we know the very clear and present dangers that a cracked foundation presents to you and your family.

So we'll make the focus of this final blog post calendar year 2011 to be a simple educational reminder of just what risks are introduced by ignoring the cracks in your foundation:   

• Home Foundation Bulkhead Cracks enlarge due to neglect (water enters crack and freezes, making the crack wider each cycle)
• Radon (can cause lung cancer, stomach cancer, fatigue, headaches, allergies, and rashes)
• Mold (can cause many health problems to list a few: nasal stuffiness, shortness of breath, loss of urinary control, diminished mental capabilities, asthma complications)
• Insects (carpenter ants, termites, infestation, wood decay)
• Humidity (which could lead to decay of wood and other material stored in basement)
  ODOR (uncomfortable conditions caused by decaying organic material from the soils on the exterior

For those of you who have not visited our "advice and tips" page, we invite you to visit the page where you will find some prudent things you can do to limit further damage to you home and more importantly, to take proactive measure to immediately protect yourself and your family from radon, mold, and other threats.

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It happens to scores of people every year.  Your down in the basement pulling out the Holiday decorations and the bottom falls out of a few boxes.  Then you notice the water damage on the boxes.  It only takes a moment to trace the source back to the crack in your basement wall or floor.  

Well, don’t let it ruin your Holidays, but don’t delay taking action either.  Don’t be fooled that the frozen ground outside is doing you any favors.  Radiant heat from the house will ensure a steady stream of water continues to enter the house and potentially cause increasing damage.

A quick inspection from your crack investigative team  at A-1 Foundation Crack Repair will get you fully educated on the exact threat to your home and put your mind at ease.

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When you buy your homeowners insurance policy, you may think you are covered when it comes to water damage. But there are many scenarios where insurance does not cover damage caused by water. With so many home insurance mold claims and water damage claims being denied, there is a lot of confusion about what types of water damage is covered by homeowners insurance.

Water damage is defined differently than flood damage in a policy. What types of water damage is covered under your homeowners insurance?

Homeowners insurance does not cover water damage caused by floods, but there are some kinds of water damage it does cover.
 
Generally, homeowners insurance pays for damage from rain coming through a hole in the roof or a damaged skylight or window, but only if that damage was caused by a storm.

If the hole or the window was damaged from neglect, then, no, the water damage is not covered. Water in your basements caused by floods is also NOT covered by your homeowners policy.

Many of our customers have water damage due to leaky pipes that causes water damage overtime. This is not covered, again neglect. When pipes freeze or break due to the cold, the resulting water damage is covered by your policy.

Most insurance companies cover all water damage inside the house (leaking of or damage to the washing machine, water heater, bath tub), including the basement. Essentially if the water damage was caused by damages from a storm, which is covered, then the water damage is covered; but remember, floods are different.  If the water damage is caused by lack of home maintenance, the water damage is not covered.  

If you are not sure what type of water damage is covered, review your policy or ask you insurance company. The best bet is to stop water before it enters you basement, contact A1 Foundation Crack Repair.

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