Basement waterproofing and crawl space repair in IN

Why and How Would Crawlspace Air Impact Evansville, Indiana homes?

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:34:39 -0500

The quality of air in your crawlspace or basement in your home directly impacts whether or not the air in your home is healthy to breathe.

Air circulates in homes from top to bottom. As much as half the air in your first floor may have first come from your crawlspace. So any mold spores or contaminants in your basement or crawlspace will migrate into the air you breathe in your home.

Foundation vents make it worse. During hot summer months in Evansville, Indiana, hot and humid air flows into the crawl space. As that hot air hits with metal ductwork underneath floorboards, condensation forms. Over time, this can lead to rust. Then, the ducts that circulate air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter time will add particles of rust into the air you breathe.

Often, people with asthma and allergies stay indoors when pollen counts are high.. Bad air in a crawlspace or basement can compound their problems. When a family puts a cleanspace encapsulation system into their home, they can eliminate these risks.

Damp air can also seep from the crawlspace or basement into the home and carry obnoxious odors with it.

Next week – how do leaky crawlspaces cost families more money with higher utility bills and what can they do about it?

Crawlspace Air Risks

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:02:39 -0500

Take a deep breath and hold it. As you exhale, you feel great.

But all breaths and air are not created equally; clean air is better. If your home has a damp crawlspace or basement, every breath you take in your own home can make you sick.

How?

Last spring’s floods subsided, but they may have left a present for families whose homes have crawlspaces: air that makes their families sick. The air in your crawlspace flows into the air in your home and can make you and your family sick.

A crawlspace is dark, dirty, humid, and may have animal droppings in it. Adding moisture can make a toxic recipe.

What risks does your crawlspace pose to your family?

Mold spores can grow and multiply, impacting your entire family’s respiratory systems. They are most dangerous to pregnant women, young children, and the elderly, but can make everyone sick. U. S. asthma rates are increasing by ½ % every year.

Next Week: why and how can crawlspace air impact your home?

Summer Intruder

Thu, 26 May 2011 04:38:30 -0400

Summer is here, so get out the swimming suits and get the grill hot for some good ole blistered hot dogs. Summer brings everyone outside to enjoy the weather and leaves families away from their home more than usual, but as you're away enjoying yourself there is a destructive intruder entering your home at that time. That intruder goes by the name of Humidity.
            Humidity is a huge concern that most people don't think about being a destructive problem. As more and more families seal and improve the energy efficiency within their home, which stops the home from breathing, they tend to forget about the most important area of the home where most of your humidity starts. That is the area under the main floor of the home whether being a crawlspace or basement. Humidity enters the home through crawlspace venting and moisture vapor passing through the walls and floor in the basement.
            Concerns that a family should have about high levels of humidity in their home include: mold growth, increased allergy issues, HVAC rusting, wood rot, warping floors, high energy costs and increased insect activity. Most customers that I meet on a daily basis are surprised that when I mention that 60% of the air that a family breathes on their main level of their home just came from the crawlspaces or basement, reducing the chance of good air quality within their home.
            The great thing is, Healthy Spaces has seen this issue progress over the last several years and has taken 100% control of solving this concern in our customer's homes and business. If you maintain the humidity below 50% and the wood moisture content below 16% at all times, mold cannot grow. Also, your #1 indoor air allergen is dust mite feces. As long as the humidity is maintained, dust mites can't live in your home. Healthy Spaces can control the destructive intruder while you are home or away enjoying the summer! Just call Healthy Spaces for your free in-home visit that involves a thorough inspection of the concerned areas along with digital photos of the inspected area.

Healthy Spaces is located in Evansville, IN and serves many areas throughout the Tri-State area, including Owensboro KY. Call today for a free estimate and inspection!

                                                                                           Enjoy Your Summer,
                                                                                                Damon Cheatham
                                                                                      Design System Specialist

812-476-9708
877-846-0061

EEWW, my basement smells musty

Mon, 23 May 2011 12:08:26 -0400

Mold needs organic material to grow and high relative humidity over 60%. It doesn't have to be wet to grow, just humid.
When the air outside is warmer than the inside air, and especially when it's humid outside air, we are likely to have condensation problem in our lower levels. This is because the Relative Humidity of air goes up 2.2% for each one degree you cool it.

When its hot and humid in the summer, rain or not, our basement may be the wettest it has been all year long.

We suggest a dehumidifier. You can go out and buy one at your local store, however it just won't do the job right.
-They are too small.
-They don't drain automatically, so the bucket fills up and it shuts off. Guess who has to remember to go down and empty out the bucket. Imagine if you didn't have to every worry about that ever again.

Our Sani Dry is an Energy Test Winner. It is built to dry the air in your basement effectively and efficiently

Be dry, feel dry, smell dry....

We have trained design specialist that come to your home and educate you on the systems we provide. We have served many homeowners throughout the Tri-State area, including Owensboro, Evansville, Hawesville, Jasper and nearby.

Call today for a free estimate and inspection. Healthy Spaces.....We can FIX IT!

Giving for Living

Mon, 02 May 2011 10:45:38 -0400

Swat Pest and Network Building Concepts joined forces for St. Patricks Day to raise money for the Red Cross. March is Red Cross month and we could not think of a better time to focus our attention on this incredible organization. We held a St. Pattrick's day Benefit at Acropolis Restaurant. We all enjoyed a Chinese Auction, raffle drawings, delicious food and great company.
We raised over $1,000 that evening for the Red Cross. We want to thank all of our colleagues, friends and family that came out to support an organization that provides incredible support to our community.

Additionally, we want to thank the Swat Pest customers who donated to our Hero Squares campaign. Our technicians asked our customers to donate $1 for a Hero Square and we raised $175. Below is a photo of the squares posted in the foyer of our corporate office.

Swat Pest Management, Inc. is the Tri-State's best source for pest and insect control, termite inspections and more!

Flood -Spring 2011, Helping our local neighbors

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 04:13:59 -0400

This Spring we have had record breaking rain fall in the Tri- State area. For the month, Evansville has received 11.09 inches of rain, which is 7.25 inches above normal for April. The Ohio River and tributaries are steadily rising which is causing significant trouble spots in the community. Roads are closed and homes and flooded with water.

Our Healthy Spaces team members helped a homeowner that lives street from our corporate office. The home had about an inch of water inside when we arrived. A local company donated the sand and we bagged and laid the sand bags. Now we wait for the water to subside.

For all your basement flooding and wet basement needs, Healthy Spaces offers expert basement waterproofing in Evansville and throughout the Tri-State area.

We are committed to teaching our community about green and healthy living

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:26:55 -0500

Healthy Spaces is a part of a regional organization called Energy Pros. Energy Pros are a group of sub-contractors and manufacturers that are dedicated to educating the community on the benefits and strategies of High Performance Homes. We hold free monthly seminars to inform consumers of particular techniques used to achieve extraordinary levels of home comfort and energy efficiency in homes as well as new construction homes.

Do you realize that using CFL lighting in your home's most common areas can reduce your lighting bill by 75%?!

Our house is a system. We teach you about how your house works and how to choose the right sustainable materials resulting in low CO2 emissions performance.

We are proud to be able to provide this information to our customers as we understand how important it is to have a healthy and energy-efficient home.

Click here to learn more about this important organization and your local chapter in Evansville IN sponsored by Healthy Spaces.

Healthy Spaces is a member of Basement Systems, inc. and International Network of Basement waterproofing contractors, offering 25 patented products designed specially for the basement environment. We have served many households in the Tri-State area with basement waterproofing, crawl space vapor barrier installation and foundation repair, including cities such as Newburgh, Huntingburg, Henderson KY and nearby.

We Love to Walk with Purpose

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 04:25:53 -0500

This year has proven quite productive, but most specifically, we've been actively walking and raising money to support the courageous people living and battling Down Syndrome, Breast Cancer, and Diabetes.

•    We've proudly walked in the Evansville Buddy Walk, put on by S.M.I.L.E. on Down Syndrome. The first walk took place in 2002 and about 500 people participated. With each new year, the walk draws more and more participants in addition to raising awareness in the local communities.

•    Healthy Spaces has also participated in the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® race. This organization is the proven world leader having invested $1.5 billion since 1982.

•    We also participated in the Diabetes Walk!

We believe in such causes and would love to support as many as possible. Know of a local walk? Let us know! We'll do what we can to help.
We're your local crawl space, basement waterproofing, mold removal, and foundation repair expert in Kentucky and Indiana, serving cities from Owensboro to Evansville, Vincennes to Henderson and nearby. Contact us today and we'll be sure to help you!

Healthy Spaces Donates to Families Who Have Lost Their Homes

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 04:20:02 -0500

We love to reach out to the community and are always inspired to help those struggling through "sticky" situations. When we heard about the unfortunate situation at Princeton-Vail Estates, we had to help.

After just a little organization, we were able to collect some toiletries and clothing for some 36 families that are without their homes following the damage done to their apartment complex. We wish the families the best and hope this all gets alleviated soon!

Healthy Spaces is your local crawl space, basement waterproofing, mold removal, and foundation repair expert in Indiana and Kentucky. Contact us today and we will surely help you!

Indiana Foundation Repair Expert Awards Sportsmanship Toward Opponent with Down Syndrome

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 03:47:42 -0500

Evansville, IN - Healthy Spaces has awarded Paul Maier, Mt. Vernon High School's football coach, after his sportsmanship and willingness to make an unforgettable experience for senior player Zach Beckman, a member of the opposing team-- Jasper High School.

As team manager the past three years, Beckman has played a vital role on the Jasper football team. This past year marks Beckman's senior year and his first year participating as an official player on the team. Whilst having Down Syndrome, Beckman put forth a commendable effort against Maier's team. Between Beckman's courage and some support from Maier, Beckman was able to score a touchdown.

To Beckman and the entire community, Maier's sportsmanship toward Beckman demonstrates real heart and shows how high school sports should influence its players. This experience has proven unforgettable for everyone at the game.

Healthy Spaces supports such acts of kindness and has presented Maier with a trophy and gift basket to demonstrate their appreciation.

Contact Healthy Spaces today for assistance with mold removal, basement waterproofing, crawl space repair, and foundation repair in Indiana and Kentucky.

Wet Basements Need Basement Waterproofing

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 10:11:38 -0500

When you first envisioned your home's basement you probably didn't imagine your storage boxes floating around and little duckies inhabiting your home. You most likely just saw the space and had the best ideas in mind for how you'd use it for a little while until you saved enough money to finish the space.

Then a couple rainstorms later you're beginning to worry. Will my foundation get ruined? Could this get any worse? Where do I go from here?

When the Basement Leaks

The first time you noticed the water was during a light rainstorm. It wasn't too much, just a little "moisture," or so you'd like to say.

After each rainstorm that "moisture" began to look more and more like puddles. When the kids grabbed their swim suits and went into the basement no one believed the moisture theory anymore.

So, you looked all around the basement and there aren't that many big cracks or any noticeable holes. Oh, and according to the previous owners, the basement was waterproofed years ago. Isn't that a one time process?

The Good and the Bad

Basement waterproofing isn't an impossible procedure, but it's either done well or done poorly. All too often it's the latter, which gives any good contractor capable of doing a great job a bad reputation and little business.

If a basement is leaking and the rain is pouring into your home, it's time to call an expert. Although all contractors maintain different skill-sets, it's important to do your research and consider several things before considering your contractor or considering against another contractor.

1.    Not every contractor is the same: Maybe you've had some bad experiences or you've heard from your neighbors what some contractors have done poorly. Try not to assume that every contractor will treat you improperly. There are some contractors who hold their customers in the highest esteem and only have to waterproof a basement one time! Yes, that's right!

2.    Try to get the best basement waterproofing system: Not every contractor uses the same system. Less expensive doesn't mean a good price. It sometimes means, cheap. When you go cheap, you can sometimes find yourself in need of replacement and doing the whole project over again. Find a contractor to do it right the first time, it's worth the money.

3.    An Addition is more expensive: If you're choosing your contractor based off of the price of the system they offer, please consider that you can increase the value of your home, receive a huge return on investment and spend less than you would for an addition-- even with the "not to inexpensive" systems. It's worth the expense if it's done well and does the job right!

4.    Professionalism and warranties: A basement waterproofing contractor should always appear organized and ready to help you with all your questions and concerns. You should never be afraid in your own home, so if you're uncomfortable with your contractor then maybe the company isn't right for you. A good contractor will believe in the product and provide a warranty. No warranty means little faith. That's not a good sign, huh?

Itâs Actually Waterproof

You may not believe it, but it's true. A basement can be waterproofed once and one time only. There are a few things you should know about the systems that do and don't work so well.

1.    The internal drainage system prevents cracking and water buildup. It helps relieve hydrostatic pressure that causes the cracks and wall buckling, and it's easy to maintain. The system prevents water and pressure from entering, whereas the external system waterproofs the wall allowing for water and pressure buildup. Thus, not solving the problem, but certainly adding to the list.

2.    Water damage resistant products are the way to go! Be sure that you choose products that are capable of resisting mold, mildew and rot. In addition to preventing water damage. This doesn't mean the water won't come, but if it somehow comes in by way of a plumbing leak, water pipe burst or a problem from an above level, the product won't need replacing! Mold-proof means "bye-bye" to that musty old basement smell and hello to allergy improved living.

3.    You can finally finish your basement! If you're not certain that your basement is waterproof then try to hold off on any additional repairs. If you're considering finishing your basement, do so only after you're confident in the waterproofing capabilities of your basement. Thus, if you choose to finish your basement your finishing project won't one day get ruined by the leaks and water problems.

For the highly acclaimed, valued and trusted basement waterproofing system throughout the U.S. and the world, contact Basement Systems, Inc. Contact Healthy Spaces today for basement waterproofing in Indiana and repairs for your wet basement in Kentucky.

Wet Basements Need Love Too

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 09:58:39 -0500

The last time you went into your basement you felt a little less-enthused about spending time down there. In other words, it was dark, damp and a little stinky so you'd rather just stay upstairs.

If your basement isn't the most appealing space in your home, try not to just avoid the space. Instead, think of all the ways it could be utilized. Basements are huge parts of the home that could make up for a massive living space, but they can easily become the forgotten spaces beneath the home.

The basement can be a great way to increase your home's living space and return on investment if ever you decide to sell your home. In addition, the basement is the perfect get away. But one thing can ruin that for so many homeowners-- water!

Water Damage

What are the signs of water damage? Sometimes the damage is very noticeable. For example, when there are water stains on the walls, this could be from previous water damage, whether or not you were living in the home when it happened. In addition, if you find cracks on your walls or buckling walls your future is likely to include water damage.

How does your basement smell? If you've noticed a musty smell or some guests have commented on a particular smell, it could be from mold growing in your basement. Perhaps you've never seen mold in your basement-- doesn't mean it's not there!

The Infamy of Mold

Moldy isn't the best word to use to describe your basement, or any of your homes for that matter. Unfortunately, mold is also very sneaky and a lot of time passes before many homeowners notice the mold in their basements.

Once the smell comes, the mold must be found and properly removed. Although your walls may appear clean and mold free, the mold is most likely lurking on the other side of the wall. For example, mold loves to feed on dry wall or any other organic material such as cardboard, wood and paper.

Thus, all organic materials in a basement are susceptible to growing mold. If you don't want to scour through your basement and fear missing the mold, contact a mold mitigation expert near you.

Removing the Mold

Above all, if you decide to try and maintain low mold levels, you must remove the source of the mold. By just wiping or taking the mold off of a surface, you're only removing the current mold spawn, but plenty more will come. In fact, mold can grow in 24-48 hours!

The Source of Mold

Moisture! Besides the cracks and buckling walls, mold is another sign that your basement needs to be waterproofed. In addition, basement waterproofing is ultimately the only way to remove mold in your basement. Basement waterproofing is more than just installing an internal or external drainage system, but it's actually a process including crack repair as well as the installation of items such as a dehumidifier and/or sump pump. There are many ways to help waterproof your basement, thus remove mold-- but they're all in the category of moisture control!

Basement Waterproofing Benefits

Not only can you remove the mold, but you'll also be able to improve the air quality in your home. It's been estimated that a third to a half of the air on the first floor comes from the basement or crawl space, which means that a cleaner basement helps cleanup the rest of the home's air.

Basement waterproofing also contributes to lessening wall cracks and wall buckling, water buildup, hydrostatic pressure and water damage. Water can still enter a basement due to plumbing leaks and even a water heater leak. But, with the proper waterproofing system you can be sure that your basement won't be permanently ruined. Between the internal drainage system and the sump pump, your basement will be properly taken care of-- and you'll only need it waterproofed once.

Then, once your basement has been waterproofed, you can consider having your basement finished without the fear of your newly finished basement being ruined by water-- unless your basement is finished with products and materials that are susceptible to damage.

For the highly acclaimed, valued and trusted basement waterproofing system throughout the U.S. and the world, contact Basement Systems, Inc. Contact Healthy Spaces today for basement waterproofing in Indiana and repairs for your wet basement in Kentucky. We have served homeowners with their wet basements throughout the Tri-State area, including Madisonville, Princeton, Evansville, Jasper and surrounding areas.

Basement flooding

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:30:04 -0400

Basement flooding is now being recognized as a potentially serious problem. There are many negative consequences associated with basement flooding, above and beyond the inconvenient mess and disruption of household routine.Give us a call for a free inspection (812)476-9708

Watering you Landscaping

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 10:23:24 -0400

Excessive watering of flower beds and shrubbery around the foundation wall. Once the upper soil layer or mulch bed air spaces are filled with water, the excess water either runs off or seeps into the ground next to the wall. Prolonged and excessive watering can contribute a large amount of water to crawl spaces or basements.

Concrete block Vs. Poured Walls

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:13:45 -0500

Concrete block vs. poured walls

I have been asked over the past couple of months what is better - concrete blocks or poured concrete when building a house. Most people believe that a solid poured wall will not leak at all - that is simply not true. Here are the differences that I found to help you come to your on conclusion when building.

The first thing to realize is that concrete block is made from poured concrete. The primary ingredients in concrete block happen to be: Portland cement, gravel aggregate and sand. These are the same ingredients you would find in a poured concrete foundation. The only difference being the size of the gravel used in each application. Typically you will see gravel stones as large as three-quarter inch diameter in a poured concrete foundation. A concrete block may have gravel no larger than the size of a pea.

Poured concrete foundations are solid through and through. This happens by default as the plastic concrete flows from the ready mix trucks into the foundation forms. The typical concrete block foundation is not solid. The concrete blocks that are used to build block foundations, by their very nature, are hollow.

When concrete blocks are stacked on top of one another, you can look down through the center of the foundation. After the concrete blocks are laid, the voids can be filled with a cement-based mortar or poured concrete that contains small pea gravel. If the builder does this, then the filled concrete block walls are nearly identical to poured concrete walls.

But simply doing this is not enough to satisfy myself, code officials and structural engineers. Concrete and things made from concrete or cement tend to have fantastic compressive strength. Often it is measured in the thousands of pounds per square inch range. But the same material typically has only one-tenth the strength when you apply a tension or stretching force to it. Bending a poured concrete or concrete block wall creates tension. Backfilled soil against a wall produces tension as the soil pushes against the wall. Poor quality soil creates tension on a foundation as more and more weight is added to the foundation as the house is built.

You can strengthen poured concrete and concrete block walls by including reinforcing steel. Often you will see horizontal steel bars placed in the lower and upper sections of poured foundation walls. This steel often has a tensile strength of 40,000 pounds per square inch. This horizontal steel helps prevent vertical cracks should the foundation drop or heave. Horizontal wire fabric can also be placed in the mortar joints between layers of concrete block to achieve the same result in a concrete block wall.

Vertical reinforcing steel is also very important. This steel can be put in both a poured concrete foundation and a concrete block wall that will have the hollow voids filled with cement grout or pea gravel concrete. The reinforcing steel should be one-half inch in diameter and these rods should be connected to the poured concrete footer that the foundation rests upon. This steel should be placed every two feet on center.

Neither wall system will be waterproof. If you want a dry basement or crawlspace you must apply a foundation waterproofing system to the exterior of the foundation walls after they are built. In addition, a drain piping system needs to be at the base of the wall on top or the footer. The water that flows through the soil and makes it to the pipe is then drained to daylight if the house is built on a sloping lot. If the house is built on a level lot, the drain pipe often empties into a sump pit.

If you are building or planning on building please give us a call to speak with a qualified inspector about your waterproofing options.

1 (812) 476-9708

What is Basement Waterproofing all About

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:26:58 -0400

What is Waterproofing a Basement All About?

The basement waterproofing systems and how they work.

Let's take a look at the time and tested waterproofing of basement and how it works.

If you imagine how a basement is first built, when the house it is sited in was first conceived, then basically the following happens. A big hole in the ground is dug, the footer or foundations are laid, the walls of the basement are built and then the rest of the house follows.

The important point to note is the first one in the list above -- that big hole in the ground.

The construction of basement walls invariably leaves a void on the exterior which requires backfilling. Loose backfill is used to fill in the gap. The problem here is that water looks for the path of least resistance, and you've just given it just that with a huge pile of loose backfill, no matter utilize water drainage pipes that often become silted. The water is naturally bringing all sorts of silt, sand,and dirt no matter how well it's been compacted.

Water will constantly ooze into this area. The system can overload if the pipes get over-filled and then the pressure of the built up water would be concentrated on the outer basement walls. Water will work its way through even the smallest gaps, even though basement walls are waterproofed in some way.

This type of problem doesn't usually go away because the pipes that are supposed to take away the excess water gradually worsen over time.

A lot of the time a huge mistake is made by not providing access to these pipes. To keep water out of a basement waterproofing is also applied to the external walls.

The WaterGuard system is a better system that works by getting rid of water pressure in the walls. Water is controlled, collected and allowed to flow through drainage channels either to natural drainage or to a sump pump where the water is removed away from the property.

Waterproofing a basement is when they are installed internally, have easy access ports for removing silt, and can be installed in basements where other methods have failed.

So to summarize, a good basement waterproofing system will:

usually be a permanent or long-term solution
stop both ways by which water can enter through the walls and up from the floor
not disturb landscaping, decks, patios, driveways, etc
usually be an approved waterproofing method for home loans
often be substantially cheaper than other waterproofing methods

Choose a reputable basement waterproofer when protecting your home, remember it is economically foolish not to waterproof, because the increased value from waterproofing will definitely exceed the cost of the waterproofing.

In conclusion, you want a basement waterproofing system that will deliver:

a permanent or long term fix
stop water through the floor and walls
not disturb the exterior appearance of your home
an approved method by home loan lenders
more affordable than other methods

Waterproofing your home is an investment.

Insulation or Not

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:04:58 -0400

Insulation or Not

Few crawl space have insulation in the floor above, and some do not. One reason for insulation in the floor above is that the crawlspace is so cold in the winter due to open vents. These vents should be closed for good that will make a huge temperature of the floor above

Fiber glass insulation only works in a closed cavity. Fiber glass insulation is mold candy other than that it ts not doing much in your crawlspace with it being so loose and air passing right through it

The best way to go if you want your crawlspace insulated is cellulose (spray foam)the next would be rigid foam board. Pluming leaks are bound to happen it is just a matter of time in the event that it does happen you don't want the insulation to get destroyed and start causing you home more problems

To have one of our inspectors to come out for a FREE inspection

GIVE US A CALL 812-476-9708

Solutions For your Basement or Crawlspace

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:29:40 -0400

Solutions to for your Basement or Crawlspace

Healthy Spaces offers basement waterproofing to turn your wet basement into a completely dry basement. Crawl space encapsulation, basement finishing, crawl space entrances are the other services that we provide with the help of a professional team of experienced basement repair experts. We also offer a number of innovative and technically sound basement finishing products for a cleaner and drier basement. Apart from basement waterproofing systems, we also provide wallboards such as the Brightwall and Zenwall. Our Thermaldry floorings use state-of-the-art technology and a natural system that works round the clock to keep your basement dry. Our sump pumps will help you to keep the basement of your house free of water all through the year. Basement water leakage is one of the biggest concerns for those who build their homes in regions having humid soil, such as in the states of Indiana and Kentucky.

Give us a call for a free Inspection 1-800-894-8024

Selling your Home?

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:31:11 -0400

Are You Selling Your Home?

Healthy Spaces offers a free pre-inspection to be performed before or at the time a home owner places their home for sale. We are able to forewarn the home seller of any concerns existing in the Crawlspace or Basement of their home. The home owner can than address the concerns before a perspective home buyer could be scared away from closing on the home. The main reasons why a prospective buyer will back out on buying a home are issues that are in the crawlspace or basement. Let Healthy Spaces eliminate that concern in your Crawlspace or Basement. The result is selling your home with fewer issues, in a shorter amount of time.

For A FREE Inspection call 1-800-894-8024

A couple of causes for a leaky Basement

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:26:43 -0400

A couple of Causes for a leaky Basement

If no surface water sources are found, then the source of the water is likely subsurface groundwater under hydrostatic pressure. Unfortunately, subsurface groundwater problems are more difficult and more expensive to fix than surface groundwater problems.

When the groundwater levels outside the basement rises above the level of the floor, the basement acts like a boat in a pond. If a boat is sitting in water, water will leak in through any open cracks or holes. It works the same way with a basement. Hydrostatic pressure can push water through hairline cracks.

Symptoms of this are water coming up through cracks in the basement concrete floor or water coming in at multiple locations.

If you have an older house within town and the house has a basement with no sump pump, it is likely the perimeter foundation drain system connects directly into the city storm sewer system. If the level of the basement is below the street level, there is the potential of storm water backing up in the city storm sewer system and being pushed into the perimeter foundation drain system. This can saturate the soils around the house at the basement level with storm water under hydrostatic pressure, causing water to leak in.

Another source of subsurface groundwater is an underground spring.

No matter where it is coming from, the best way to control subsurface groundwater is to install the Water Guard drain system to relieve hydrostatic pressure. The groundwater is pushed into the drain system and not into areas where it can damage carpets, walls or belongings. The water drains by gravity into a sump pit where a sump pump discharges it out of the house.

There are two basic types of drain systems for wet basements. One is a perimeter above-slab gutter system installed at the base of the exterior foundation walls on top of the floor slab. It doubles as a base material for the wall. The other type of drainage system is a below slab perimeter drainage system. The below slab system requires the partial removal of the concrete floor slab and installation of drainage pipe making it more expensive than the Dry Trak system.

It is believed that an under-floor drainage system is better because the under-floor drains are believed to relieve the hydrostatic pressure before the water reaches the bottom of the floor slab.

Give us a call for a FREE INSPECTION 476-9708

Concrete crawlspace

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 04:28:34 -0400

Concrete crawlspace floor

Rain,Rain,Rain

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:51:25 -0400

Rain is here and is going to be for most of the week nobody opens there windows when it rains because they don't want there floors getting wet. Most people don't think about there vents in there crawlspace they are just like minature windows and they are leTting the moisture into your house every time it rains when the humidity is high outside the vents let the humidity into your house. If you have vents on your house there maybe problems in your crawlspace that you dont know about. Give us a call for a FREE INSPECTION so you will know about your crawlspace and what we can do to save you money.

Thank You Tri State

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:02:10 -0400

Thank you Tri State for 10 years of service, we would not be here without you. We enjoy serving our homeowners on a daily bases. We hope that with us growing and the Healthy Spaces Division being open and growing strong that we help you with your indoor air quality needs.
We will serve throughout the area, including Evansville, IN; Owensboro, KY; Henderson, KY and all surrounding areas.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Contact one of our expert Tri-State waterproofing contractors today for a free estimate!

Swat Pest Night With the Otters

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 11:35:33 -0400

Swat Pest Night with the Otters, we have tickets at our office. Come out and join us July 17, 2009, the game starts at 7:00!

Dirt Crawl Spaces

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:57:19 -0400

Dirt Crawl Space Problem

The problem is moisture inside of the home particularly because a home is made of organic materials, filled with objects made from organic materials, and lived in by a family

The moisture comes from two sources ground and air

Moisture from the ground, exposed earth contributes a lot of water vapor into the crawl space air. The earth is damp, as that soil dries into the home, the water vapor moves upward into the house.

There are several ways water gets into a house leaks, ground water seeps, and humidity through vents, under the footing, between the footing and wall and through cracks in poured walls.

Air is an efficient way to move water. Air, especially humid air, moves with ease in and out of places. Air moves all around us in vast quantities through large and small places. Air brings its moisture content wherever it goes. When air is heated or cooled its relative humidity changes. Warm air holds more moisture them cool air.

Crawl spaces are cool, because the earth is 55 degrees year round. So when we bring warm humid air into a crawl space, the air is cooled, and the relative humidity goes up. High relative humidity causes rot, mold, energy loss and attract pest

Healthy Spaces can help you so you don't have these problems with our clean space encapsulation system give us a call for a FREE ESTIMATE

(812)476-9708