In this episode, Richard Comeras (aks “The Crackman”) discusses the reasons for those pesky damp patches in the corners of your foundation’s walls. Listen and enjoy!
Narrator: It’s time once again for the “Crack Man Podcast” hosted by A1 Foundation Crack Repair. We’re here with the Crackman himself, Rich Comeras. Rich has 30 years of experience in the construction industry and over 20 years experience as the President and founder of A1 Foundation and Crack Repair Inc. His podcasts provides expert basement water proofing, concrete repair, and preventative maintenance tips for homeowners and businesses. A1 Foundation’s valuable insight will help avert a disastrous flood within the basement, health problems associated with water infiltration within the basement, and protect your biggest investment….your home. The topic for today’s podcast: Why am I getting damp patches in the corners of my foundation walls?
Narrator: So I know I mentioned Rich Comeras in the intro, but today we are in the presence of true greatness in the making, the Crackman’s son-in-law, Adam Tracey. So Adam, do we call you Crackman Junior, or do your kids have another name for you?
Crackdaddy: Well, my kids have decided to call me “Crack Daddy” since their grandfather is the Crackman. We decided that would be the best name at this time.
Narrator: All right, Crackdaddy it is. So Crackdaddy, or Adam, I understand you getting a lot of calls this time of year for mysterious water spots in basements. What can you tell us about them? Crackdaddy: As the summer month’s heated up and the humidity started to rise again, we get a lot of calls where home owners notice these damp patches in the corners of their basements where it is usually dry in there. They want to know what’s going on there. A lot of times what we find is that as the humidity starts to increase, people will open their windows and generally their basements will generally start to get more saturated with moisture. Because basements are generally below grade, you start to see those damp patches coming in because these foundation walls are much colder than the air surrounding them. Then you start to see some dampness on the walls. Beyond that you can have small cracks that come up from the corners of the foundation along the wall there which will compound the issue because you will have cold air that comes through. When you have cold air meeting moist warm air you’re going to have water showing up on the inside of the foundation.
Narrator: All right, so the obvious big problem there is the excessive amount of humidity in the basement. What can you do to reduce that humidity?
Crackdaddy: Well there are a few things that you want to do. Any sort of crack down there is going to allow cold air to get in from the outside. You also want to check windows and doors to make sure that they are properly insulated. Another thing that people don’t think about all the time is that they place the washer and dryer in the basement. You need to make sure that the dryer vent is properly installed so that you don’t have moist air from the dryer coming into your basement. That will heat up the basement and allow the moisture to collect.
Narrator: So you may think that it’s just a natural humid place, what can you do to reduce the humidity down there other than obviously closing windows and checking dryer vents? Is there something that you can install to reduce humidity?
Crackdaddy: Yes, absolutely. Again, we want to make sure that everything on the preventative side is taken care of so you mitigate any air coming through the other side. You then can install a dehumidification system to keep the humidity at an appropriate level. This will help prevent condensation buildup on the wall. You do not want to allow this humidity build up down there especially if you plan to refinish or occupy the basement.
Narrator: This will help prevent mold and all sorts of other bad things, right?
Crackdaddy: Yes, you want to make sure this issue is taken care of before you even think about your dream finished basement.
Narrator: All right, Adam. Thank you for clarifying why mysterious water spots will suddenly appear in basements this time of year. If you have a basement water problem and think you need a professional, or, if you’d like more information on foundation repair and waterproofing topics, please visit A1FoundationCrackRepair.com or call Rich at (866) 929-3171. Or you can email rich at info@a1foundationcrackrepair.com. Thanks for listening and keep that basement dry.