Bitumen is seeing a renewed use as a exterior waterproofing sealant and while there are some practical uses it is generally very job specific. Bitumen is mined from tar sand. The most well known being the Tar Sand pit in Alberta Canada. The area is larger than England and is a source of great environmental […]
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When will grading work? The Basics: Water flows downward only in the presence of resistance. If there is little resistance water simply goes downward. The point above is this: Grading will only make a difference if it is actually stopping the water from soaking into the ground. This requires a very high degree of slope. […]
Apart from sealing the outside wall with sealants such as tar and vinyl coatings, the approach of grading the land outside away from the house is the most common approach to waterproofing basements. This is a logical and often an affordable approach of a few conditions exist: 1. Shallow basements next to lower ground. Simply […]
Water Facts * Three-quarters of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, yet 98 percent is salt water and not fit for consumption. * Less than 1% of all the water on Earth is freshwater usable for human consumption. * More water is stored underground in aquifers than on the earths surface. * The US […]
I have inspected over 10,000 basements and have seen every engineering concept known to man applied in an attempt to prevent water from coming through a foundation wall. Still, every time, the water still ends up on the basement floor. I have seen some solutions really do a good job for a while only to […]
Did my downspouts cause my basement to leak? Considering most basements are anywhere from four to eight feet underground, we have to considerthe conditions that are responsible for water intrusion. For example, what type of soil surrounds the home, how old is the structure, or perhaps how was the home constructed. Most homes in the […]
The following article is a brief overview of both interior and exterior waterproofing. Exterior waterproofing is done in one of 3 ways: 1. Exterior Coatings The earth around the exterior of the foundation wall is removed ideally down to the footer (this is the continuous concrete block that the wall sits on). The wall is […]
Mold remediation is a two part process. 1. Removing Mold 2. Removing the cause of the mold. 1. Removing the Mold Mold Removal is a fairly detailed process. The area must be thoroughly sealed with filtered fans (HEPA filtered fans) discharging to an outside area. Air in the containment area cannot recirculate or the spores […]
