Fall Basement Waterproofing Preparedness

It's fall, and the leaves will soon be turning all sorts of colors, falling into our yards and streets.

They also fall in to your gutters, which can present unforeseen consequences for your basement or crawl space. Clogged gutters are one of the most preventable causes of basement seepage, and happen all too often, especially in these heavily wooded Michigan neighborhoods.

Fall basement waterproofing preparedness starts with making sure those gutters are cleaned of all leaves and debris, so they can flow easily and direct water away from your foundation.

When you allow leaves to clog up your gutter, a couple of things happen. First, water is allowed to flow over the sides of the gutters like a waterfall. This overflow of large volumes of water creates a powerful splashing very close to your foundation, which can more easily make its way into old window sills, above-grade foundation cracks, as well as the sill plate––the space between the top of your foundation walls and the upper floors of your home.

As the rain continues, and the gutters continue to pour out water, the soil becomes more rapidly saturated. At it's most critical point, the water table (body of natural ground water pushing upward) and the surface water (rain absorbing into the ground) converge, and begin to push against your foundation, working its way into hairline cracks and up through your floors.

The more you can do to route water away from your foundation, the better off your home will be during heavy rainstorms––so keep those gutters clean!

Floor Cracks and Basement Waterproofing

During the average home's lifetime, there are bound to be waterproofing and structural issues. Just like other common issues you may experience more often upstairs, it's part of the game. Some of these issues, like your windows fogging up in the winter, can be indicative of a larger issue (insufficient insulation and weatherproofing).

Floor cracks, like many other basement waterproofing warning signs, can certainly be one of these indicators. Basement floor cracks can point to larger issues such as foundation settlement and hydrostatic water pressure buildup.

Each of these issues requires a different strategy––a general rule of thumb is, if one side of the crack is taller (or one half sinks), you may be dealing with a larger structural issue that may require the attention of a foundation professional.

How Storms Affect Your Basement

Storms impact us in many ways, and can have devastating effects on our homes. For some of us, it’s wind and lightning that have the most damaging effects. For most of us, however, its the prolonged, torrential downpours that tend to have a lasting impact on our homes.

Foundation cracks, water seepage, and mold can become indefinite problems if not addressed, and generally tend to become worse, and more difficult and costly to fix over time.
Basement Waterproofing and Heavy Rain

Two things happen when it rains heavily for extended periods of time. Surface pooling, and total soil saturation. The pooling on the surface can immediately find its way into your basement through windows, the sill plate, and unsealed cracks in your foundation walls.

After an extended period of time, the soil around your home may become saturated, creating a large amount of water pressure pressing against your foundation. With enough pressure, water can actually begin to make its way up through the concrete joints where the walls and the floor meet, as well as through floor and hairline cracks.

The best way to avoid bigger problems in the future is to have it looked at as soon as you notice an issue; whether it be sudden mold growth, hairline cracks, peeling paint, or excessive rust on appliances. These sorts of early warning indicators can save you loads of time and trouble in the long run.

Storms impact us in many ways, and can have devastating effects on our homes. For some of us, it’s wind and lightning that have the most damaging effects. For most of us, however, its the prolonged, torrential downpours that tend to have a lasting impact on our homes.
Foundation cracks, water seepage, and mold can become indefinite problems if not addressed, and generally tend to become worse, and more difficult and costly to fix over time.

Basement Waterproofing and Heavy Rain

Two things happen when it rains heavily for extended periods of time. Surface pooling, and total soil saturation. The pooling on the surface can immediately find its way into your basement through windows, the sill plate, and unsealed cracks in your foundation walls.
After an extended period of time, the soil around your home may become saturated, creating a large amount of water pressure pressing against your foundation. With enough pressure, water can actually begin to make its way up through the concrete joints where the walls and the floor meet, as well as through floor and hairline cracks.
The best way to avoid bigger problems in the future is to have it looked at as soon as you notice an issue; whether it be sudden mold growth, hairline cracks, peeling paint, or excessive rust on appliances. These sorts of early warning indicators can save you loads of time and trouble in the long run.
- See more at: http://everdrymichigan.com/how-storms-affect-your-basement/#sthash.TsJK0sY0.dpuf

Sump Pump Discharge Lines

Example of a discharge line tied into main sewer line.

Many homeowners underestimate the importance of the configuration of the discharge line. The discharge line is what leads the water from the sump basin out of the home, and can have a direct effect on the pumping efficiency of your home's waterproofing system. Here are some things you want to be aware of:

1. Long distances. The farther the water has to travel through a discharge line, the harder your pump has to work in order to get it out of your home. This can allow water to build up in your perimeter drain tile, and may cause premature pump failure.
2. Too many fittings. If your path out of the home isn't the simplest one, and your discharge line is curved and routed every which way, you may be adding unneeded stress to your pump. Reduce the amount of turns in your discharge line, and make its route outside as short and simple as possible.
3. Beware tying into sewer lines. In some areas, this is completely disallowed. In others, you must have a secondary overflow valve and line exiting the home onto your yard to prevent catastrophic failure in the event of a storm backup. Always abide by city code.
4. Prevent winter freezing. In these cold, bitter Detroit winters, it's important to make sure the discharge line isn't freezing outside and block up your waterproofing system. We recommend adding a rubber coupling a few feet out from the home so the line can be shortened during the freezing winter months.

Learn more at http://www.everdrymichigan.com.

Keep An Eye On Foundation Cracks

Foundation cracks can occur more and more frequently as your home's foundation ages, but can also occur relatively early on in the life of a foundation.

Cracking in the foundation can occur based on a variety of circumstances, whether it be improper construction, excess soil moisture during construction, or high soil pressure due to regular, heavy water saturation.

What we do about foundation cracks and when is critical. If left for too long, small issues can become larger structural issues that become more costly and difficult to fix. So what can you do? First, perform a crack inspection. You may also have a professional contractor perform a free basement inspection. Inspect the foundation from both the inside and outside of the home, the latter being especially useful in the case of a drywalled interior.

Hairline cracking is common and nothing to be too alarmed about––however, there are still recommended precautions you should take. First, reduce the possibility of moisture seeping through the crack by applying masonry caulk along the cracked area. If the foundation shifts and the crack becomes larger, consult a foundation professional. We also recommend reaching out to a professional if water seepages is too powerful for the caulk and begins to make its way through.

For more information about free foundation repair inspections in the Detroit and S.E. Michigan area, click here!

Basement Waterproofing Michigan | Everdry Michigan | Maintaining Floor Drains & Main Sewer Line

It’s important to remember that flood-proofing a home basement only has a few things in common with waterproofing large structures like apartment buildings, hotels, or parking lot garages. It’s true that both usually have floor drains that can be maintained by snaking a pipe with electrically-powered drain cleaning rooter machines. However, unplugging a house trap cleanout or catch basin is a completely unique project.

Unlike sewer laterals in large industrial structures, the sewer main in your home can become clogged with substances like fat, grease, food, cosmetics, shampoo and toilet paper. Regardless of how well your basement walls are waterproofed to protect against hydrostatic pressure and provide under slab drainage, you could still be susceptible to a flood from a backed up floor drain.

In order to avoid this, there are a few precautions you can take. First, if you’ve had problems with the main sewer line clogging in the past, it might be time to replace or repair it. Jackhammering the basement floor is the only way to reach the pipe itself, but a sewer snake or hydro jet might be able to solve the problem just as well. And don’t forget: your gutter downspouts tie into your main sewer line too, which is why these are also take into consideration by many professional basement waterproofing companies.

For more on basement waterproofing in Michigan, feel free to visit everdrymichigan.com or call 586-698-3030

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Basement Waterproofing Dearborn

With another 3 inches of rain in the Detroit area as of September 28th, it looks to be a rainy September.  For basement waterproofing needs, Everdry Basement Waterproofing Dearborn is a choice that will help you and not try to sell you.  They would rather help you and make sure you understand what you need to resolve your problems.

Everdry Michigan has sump pump options as well as battery backup options for their friends in Michigan.  You can call them at 586-698-3030 or visit them at their website everdrymichigan.com.  For more information, you can visit Wikipedia’s basement waterproofing page.

Water-Who My What??

Okay, let's face it. Waterproofing isn't the most glamorous of all home improvement services. It's often overshadowed by it's flashier granite counter top cousins, or out shined by its ever popular older brother, roofing.

But more and more, we're seeing the true importance of basement waterproofing come to light. You see, a lot of people remain content
to just "let it be." Ahhh, just forget about the basement- we only use it for storage anyway. We're never down there, why pour thousands of dollars into it?!

Well, for some, that will never change. And we can throw all the health risks and property value loss figures we want at 'em, but they're never going to see the value. And that's fine-

But for all those with a shred of concern over the well-being of their foundation, and most of all, their families, please consult the web for more information. Here are some quick facts to get you started on your path to basement health expertise:

• Odor present in the basement or crawl space can be a sign of moisture.
  
• Someone in the house is getting allergies or is sick more often is a warning sign.
• Mold only takes 24-48 hours to grow, with a relative humidity of just 60%.
• Floor and wall cracks are a sign of a moisture buildup, or "hydrostatic pressure."
• Windows (or doors) upstairs don't open as easily anymore, sign of excess moisture.
• Downspouts that overflow when it rains hard could mean a storm backup.
• Basement appliances or fuse box rusting out mean relative humidity is too high 

Okay, I'm thoroughly worried, what do I do now? Well, don't be worried. There are plenty of things you can do to ensure no long term health risks or foundation damage are sustained.

Luckily, basement waterproofing in dearborn has evolved so much that maintaining a dry basement is virtually down to a science. Through the installation of continuous interior and exterior drain tile and a powerful sump pump, the water that once caused cracks, mold, and mildew can now be gone for good.


But don't just take our word for it, click here to read what people are saying about some of the work we've personally done, and learn more about how waterproofing can improve your, health, happiness, and home or visit basement waterproofing wikipedia pageAnd feel free to pick up the phone and call us! No, really. We can hand you over to a knowledgeable technician or inspector to answer any questions you may have about your basement. If you want we can even send someone out for a free inspection and estimate. Just call the giant red number below.

(586) 698-3030

It's Winter, Why Waterproofing my Basement?

Winter is here, and it's getting colder outside. Most people wouldn't think you'd have to worry about your basement leaking during the cold winter months, but you'd be surprised! Actually, only the topsoil layer becomes frozen. Heat remains stored deep underground, in the basement level for example, and liquid water is still allowed to flow. We know, because we dig outside, even in freezing temperatures!

Winter is a crucial time for foundations and basement waterproofing dearborn. All the water that was allowed to accumulate around your foundation during the warmer months freezes and places an incredible amount of pressure on your foundation walls. This phenomenon, frost heave, is responsible for things like cracks in poured concrete walls, and the bowing of cinder block walls. This can lead to very serious consequences, so it's best to deal with this as soon as possible.

Check out our website at everdrymichigan.com and find out more on how you can protect your foundation!  Feel free to visit Wikipedia's basement waterproofing page as well.

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"Like" us on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EverdryWaterproofingofMichigan) and receive a coupon for any future purchase for Everdry Basement Waterproofing Michigan.  Everdry Michigan (everdrymichigan.com) offers FREE estimates and foundation inspections for crawlspace and basement waterproofing, foundation cracks, wet basements, etc.  Give us a call today 800-878-9090.

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