The Heroes of Basement Waterproofing! Michigan Toll Free: 800-STAY-DRY (800-7829-379), National Toll Free: 800-800-7073

If you have a damp crawl space, you are presented with a big choice. You can either obtain crawl space waterproofing from a licensed, experienced professional or you can just ignore it and move on.

Now pay careful attention and understand when we tell you that this choice is more important than you might think. Let us examine the outcome of each decision.

The results of obtaining crawl space waterproofing

• Increased home value
• Lowered future maintenance costs
• Easy to access crawl space
• Lowered energy bills

The consequences of foregoing crawl space waterproofing

• Possible rotting support systems
• Insect breeding grounds and invasion
• Breathing unclean air in your home
• Mildew and risk of mold

After reading the above list, anyone can see that obtaining crawl space waterproofing is a smart decision. And finding someone to do the job is simple. Just search the web for “crawl space waterproofing” in your local area and you’ll find plenty of options. Or get over to staydrywaterproofing.com and save yourself the hassle.

You’ve heard about waterproofing a basement. Maybe someone you know has even suggested you do it. But the question still lingers in your mind. “Why?”

The answer is one simple, disgusting word- mold. Not waterproofing a basement in Indiana will undoubtedly lead to water penetration. And a wet basement provides a prime breeding ground for mold. Below are a few reasons why mold should appear on the top of every homeowners “most feared” list.

• Sickness- Okay, it’s true that the media has overhyped the health risks of mold. In reality, only a small fraction of molds contain toxins that cause life-threatening illnesses. But what if the mold that results from the failure to waterproof your basement leads to sickness in your family? The chances might be small, but the possibility does exist. While mold in your wet basement may not necessarily pose a serious health risk, it will definitely aggravate allergies. Exposure to mold can cause everything from itchy eyes to frequent headaches. And if anyone in your family suffers from asthma, count on the suffering to increase if you allow mold in your basement.
    
• Difficulty of Removal- A quick search on the internet offers do-it-yourself solutions for mold removal. Some sources may try to sell you a chemical. Others tell you to mix one part water with one part bleach and spray it on the mold. The water allows the solution to penetrate the mold and the bleach to kill it from within. These solutions may work for small mold problems.However, not waterproofing a basement can result in much more than a small problem. The likelihood of you noticing mold growth immediately is not very good. More often, homeowners notice mold growth long after it reaches the out of control point. Once mold spores enter the air in a moist climate, killing them is nearly impossible. Even if you spray the mold with all the bleach in the world, failure to kill even a barely visible patch will allow the mold to stay alive and continue to spread.   
• Cost of Removal- Once mold has taken over your basement, mold remediation contractors will offer your only hope. And let’s face it- they aren’t cheap. You might find a guy who performs mold remediation cheaply on the side, but do you really want to trust that guy with your investment? Realistically, you will need to pay big bucks for a trustworthy name that performs good work. And as your wallet thins out, you’ll wish you had thought more about waterproofing the basement. 
   
• Home Devaluation- Once you’ve hired someone to remove your mold, the government mandates that you inform any potential home buyers of the past problem. If you’ve taken the necessary measures to clean up the mold, your home may still keep its value. However, nothing makes buyers run like the word, “mold.” You will face difficulty selling your home the minute it has that label slapped on it. If you fail to properly remove the mold in your wet basement, you might as well not even attempt to sell your home. If anyone even thinks about buying it, they will demand a significant discount.

  In short, allowing mold to grow in your home might be the biggest mistake you ever make. Failing to control moisture levels in your basement will create the perfect habitat for  

In short, allowing mold to grow in your home might be the biggest mistake you ever make. Failing to control moisture levels in your basement will create the perfect habitat for

If you’re a homeowner, you probably already know that a cracked foundation is no laughing matter. The discovery of wall cracks, doors that won’t shut properly, and floor separation immediately makes us fear we may need foundation repair. 

But how do we really know if our home is in danger? Well, first you have to determine the cause of your home’s cracks. Here are a few of the main culprits: 

• Expansion- Block, a popular material found in most homes, naturally expands throughout its lifetime. When coupled with overexposure to sunlight, block walls may begin to crack. The additional heat causes the block on your home to grow at a faster rate. Typically, the sides of your home that see the most sun will develop vertical cracks due to thermal expansion. If your builder didn’t use adequate control joints, the damage could get out of control.Underground block walls crack for different reasons. While below-ground walls never see sunlight, they do have to deal with water, perhaps the largest cause of foundation cracking. Earth pressure also may cause horizontal cracks in your underground block walls, signaling the need for foundation crack repair.  

If you have cracked block walls, it may not necessarily be a sign of a serious problem. However, it’s a good idea to call a professional to diagnose the symptoms. 

• Shrinkage- The natural tendency for concrete to shrink causes the majority of foundation cracks. These cracks generally occur early in life of your foundation. The severity of shrinkage cracks depends on countless factors such as humidity, water, and type of concrete mix. Whatever the cause of your concrete shrinkage, the contraction leads to stress build up. Unless your builder placed control joints throughout your slab, the building compression may result in the need for foundation crack repair.
   
  Shrinkage cracks may seem sporadic or discontinuous. They tend to taper off and start back up in the same general area. These cracks often run vertically or diagonally, originating in the corners of the foundation. You may notice some evidence of shrinkage near the corners of windows as well.While shrinkage cracks may not continue and ruin your foundation, they may allow water to penetrate and cause future damage. To determine the severity of your shrinkage cracks, contact and expert on foundation repair.
• Settlement- Foundation settlement is every homeowner’s worse nightmare- the one that requires a high dollar prescription. These settlement cracks occur when one portion of your foundation settles differently than another due to differences in soil, tree roots, or various other factors.The cracks formed by incorrect settlement usually appear much wider than shrinkage cracks. Often these cracks expand more towards the top. This signals that one portion of the foundation settled more than the other, causing part of the slab to break and drop.While foundation repair can solve your settlement crack problem, it’s important to identify these cracks early to prevent serious damage. 

Depending on the cause of the cracks you’ve found, your home may need foundation repair. While repair of deep settlement cracks may prove pricey, you can’t afford to let them linger. The risks of further damage, basement collapse, and the devaluing of your home far outweigh the cost of dealing with the problem. 

Unfortunately, pinpointing the source of your problem may prove a difficult task.

The solution? Don’t try to figure it out on your own. Call a professional to assess the damage you’ve found. They can find the cause of your problems and let you know if you need foundation repair. There’s no time to waste!