A1 Foundation Crack Repair Blog

Too many people are dealing with wet basements. Now that the hurricane is over you can address your wet basement problems and be prepared (and relaxed) for the next time. You need to not only clean up the water, but you need to prevent basement floods from happening again. Because, as many people found out, sump pumps are great, but if there is no power, there isn't a whole lot you can do.

Keep in mind that you have about 48 hours to get your basement dry before mold starts to grow. Water extraction is the key. It is important to get dehumidification equipment into your basement. You need the air to be dried out and dehumidified. Often sheet rock or plaster has to be removed and you need to get air behind the walls in order to get it dry. 

After you have your basement dried out, you need to take steps to ensure that you don’t get water again. It is a fact, if you get water in your basement once, you will get it again.   The first step is to figure out where it came from in order to address the best way of eliminating it in the future.

If you got water in your basement from the hurricane, contact A1 Foundation Crack Repair so we can help prevent you from EVER taking in water again.

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There is no question that homes with basements provide us with much more space than those with only crawl spaces. Often, homeowners will put recreational rooms in the basement, or perhaps an office. Other times, the basement will be storage, a tool shed and a laundry room combined, but this still provides us with extra space upstairs. So, there is no point in going into why a wet basement is a bother.

Water in the basement is a problem, even if it is empty, (and they never are). There are really two different ways in which water can enter our basement, and both will entail some form of waterproofing. Water can either come in slowly, almost undetected or it can quickly invade our basement causing a flood.

Moisture is often a problem since basements are below ground level, even if it is not visible. It may show up as mold or mildew. Even if you can’t see the moisture, there are definite signs that it is there.

Doing a little bit of basement waterproofing for this usually means installing a basement dehumidifier which will run on a regular basis, at least through the summer, fall and spring.

Of course, the other way you can get water in the basement is all at once, a flood. This can be destructive, especially if you use the basement for living space or storage. If the water is coming in at one specific location, sealing that location is necessary.

However, if your basement floods on a regular basis, measures that can be taken to fix this.

Having a problem with water in your basement is simply keeping you from enjoying part of your house. Although waterproofing your basement is going to take a little bit of work, it will all be well worth the effort whenever you can take this part of your home back again.

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One of the two leading causes of poor indoor air quality is mold growth.

Mold can form and grow on any surface that provides a food source surrounded by moderate temperatures, oxygen and sufficient moisture. The best examples of mold food sources are cellulose-based substances, such as rugs and wood. In today’s hoomes, food sources for mold are readily available in the form of untreated paper-faced gypsum board, wood wall studs and wood-based sheathings as well as furniture.

Once moisture is exposed to the mold food source, long-dormant mold spores can gain a foothold. As long as the food and moisture sources are supplied, the mold colonies will continue to grow and prosper. When mold has spread throughout a basement or home, you may notice unpleasant odors and experience a variety of health problems, such as headaches, breathing difficulties, skin irritation, allergic reactions and aggravation of asthma symptoms.

Here are some methods of airborne contaminant capture and removal:

• Remove particulate matter through filtration
• Manage moisture and humidity by adding dehumidifiers where necessary
• Clean dehumidification systems, including drain pans
• Clean humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and water spray systems
• Employ moisture management strategies in the home's envelope.

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