First Steps to Basement Waterproofing

On the exterior, make sure that the soil is properly graded around perimeter of home to ensure positive drainage of surface water.  This may mean re-grading and/or installing a custom drainage solution.   Check to see that all roof run-off, gutters and downspouts, are draining away from home with positive slope.  It’s best to get downspouts to discharge 10’-15’ from home.  Connecting downspouts to underground 4” PVC drain pipes is a great way to direct the water away from your home Also, look at all exterior concrete… driveways, sidewalks and verify that it has ¼” of fall per foot away from home.  If your concrete is falling toward the home, the concrete will need to be raised, or removed and replaced, or the water will need to be re-routed by installing channel drains in proper locations It is recommended that basements and crawlspaces have interior or exterior drainage system next to footing.  This system is a 4” perforated pipe backfilled with clean gravel and in most cases wrapped in filter fabric. Drainage pipe should be run to daylight if possible, when not possible, pipe should be run to a sump pit that can be installed on the interior of your home and water pumped away. Determine size of sump pump to be installed.  The correct sizing of your sump pump is critical, if a pump is too small it may not keep up with the amount of water coming in, also the sump discharge plays a critical role. If an exterior drainage system is not an option, an interior, under-slab drainage system can be installed and drained to the same sump pit/pump.  Once a drainage system is in place, and foundation stability is verified, cracks in walls and floors need sealed.  This process is done by epoxy or polyurethane injection http://www.reliablebasement.com/

Foundation Crack Repair

Even though concrete cracks are normal, it is not recommended that they remain ignored. Most homeowners have concrete cracks in their basement, either on the foundation wall or on the floor. If there are water puddles or water stains around these cracks you should address them as soon as possible. More often than not, a foundation crack will grow over time and result in larger amounts of water seepage. For more infomation contact Reliable Basement Services http://www.reliablebasement.com/

Why would I want an Basement Egress Window?

• They let a lot of light into the basement
• They turn a basement room into a legal bedroom
• They increase safety by having a secondary fire escape
• They increase your property value with the addition of an extra bedroom
• They create a more enjoyable space without the feeling of being 'in a basement'

Basement Waterproofing Chicago: Basement Crack Repair

Basement Waterproofing Chicago: Basement Crack Repair: Most people think it's best to leave leaking foundation crack repairs for spring. The fact is... its best to repair them this fall. Having m...

Basement Crack Repair

Most people think it's best to leave leaking foundation crack repairs for spring. The fact is... its best to repair them this fall. Having mositure remain in a crack during Chicago winters will cause them to expand even larger and leak more. Fall is the best to have your basement crack repaired. Visit our crack repair specials at http://www.reliablebasement.com/

Basement Waterproofing Chicago: Basement Waterproofing Tips

Basement Waterproofing Chicago: Basement Waterproofing Tips: Late fall is a very good time to check gutters and down spouts, with leaves and branches falling from trees can cause gutters to clog and wa...

Why do sump pumps fail?

Why does a sump pump fail?
Power Failure: In most cases, a sump pump fails because of a loss of power. There are several reasons you could lose power. There could be a storm causing a local power outage, a tripped circuit breaker or a blown fuse; a damaged power feed line or even something as simple as an unplugged pump. In some cases a wearing sump pump will cause the electrical breaker to trip.

Mechanical Failure: Another common reason for sump pump failure is a mechanical problem, such as a faulty part or an aging pump. The pump may be burned out or jammed with mud or a stone. It could have a broken impeller, drive shaft or the float switch could be stuck or broken. A back up pump isn't going to protect you from mechanical failure so it is wise to purchase a separate alarm that will alert you to a system failure in addition to your backup pump. Most mechanical problems with the sump pump are float related. If the pump does not start, the float may be hanging on something in the tank. A simple repositioning of the pump should solve the problem. If this fails, the float may need replacement. If the pump fails to shut off when the water level drops to the bottom of the sump tank, this indicates you need a new float.

Pump Overload: Pump overload usually occurs when an excess of water flows into the sump pump. When this happens the pump is unable to handle all of the incoming water and it malfunctions. Also, a pump will overload if foreign matter becomes trapped, partially clogging the pump. This will cause the motor to start to run slower and eventually the sump pump will stop working.