We’ve added some great video content to our site! Ken Cotten, our President, created a couple helpful basement waterproofing videos. The first video can be found on our homepage, which is an overview of the do-it-yourself SquidGee Dry basement waterproofing system, how it works and how it’s installed in your wet basement. This video gives homeowners suffering from a wet basement a visual of the SquidGee Dry System and how it will looks and how it will work in their basement. The second video can be found on our relieving hydrostatic pressure page. This video explains how to find the hollow cells or cores in your basement walls. This is helpful for those installing our system with painted block walls and need to drill weep holes into the hollow cells to relieve the hydrostatic pressure in their basement.
This past weekend has been filled with snowstorms, rain showers, that yucky sleat and blizzard warnings all across the United States. For many people in the Midwest and East Coast, today is a recovery day to shovel out driveways, sidewalks and asses any damages caused by the several increase of snow fall. Connecticut was especially hit during the Nemo snowstorm, receiving up to 40 inches of snow!
With snow totals near 3 feet in some areas of the country, many homeowners will likely see the after affects with water leaking into the basement over the next couple of weeks. As the hydrostatic pressure building up around a home’s foundation water is forced inside the basement through the joint where the floor and walls meet. To prevent a flood of water entering your basement install a basement waterproofing system that will tap into the source of the basement water and drain it away. The do-it-yourself SquidGee Dry basement waterproofing system is an ideal remedy to a basement leaking water through the joint where the floor and walls meet.
Learn why your basement leaks during the winter months…
Image Source: CNN
Weather reports show severe weather headed for the Midwest toward the Mid-Altantic today and tomorrow. They are projecting 90 to 105 miles per hour winds just 5,000 feet above the ground in some areas, which could lead severe wind damage and possible tornados. Heavy rainfalls threaten much of the affected area leading to frozen ground and unsafe driving conditions. Flood watches are also in effect for part of the upper Midwest. Read the full article on The Weather Channel for more details.
Storms and flooding often lead to a wet basement. Here are a few tips to keep your possessions safe from water damage if you do not have a basement waterproofing system installed:
Move items away from the walls. Nine out of ten basements leak water in through the joint where the floor and walls meet. Moving the items away the from the walls will make it easier to remove the water.
Get items up off the floor. Using a few cinder blocks and sheet or two of plywood make a well supported platform to store your items above the floor.
Use a wet vacuum to suck up the water seepage. Another option is a mop and bucket during a power outage.
Monitor your sump pump. If you do not have a high water alarm for your sump pump you will need to monitor your sump pump for failure during a power outage. Having a high water alarm is ideal for every sump pump system, the best option is one that has the ability to call you notifying you that your pump has quit whether you are at home, work or out of the house verus a buzzer noise. A high water alarm is your best defense in a power outage. Instead of purchasing an expensive triple safe back up pump system that only last a few hours, you could purchase a high water alarm, a replacement main sump pump and a generator used to keep power throughout the house that will last much longer.
Install a basement waterproofing system. Every home with a basement needs a basement waterproofing system to protect their investment. There are many options on the market today from professionally installed basement systems to highly effective do-it-yourself basement waterproofing products.
Basements can leak water throughout the year whether moisture present is from rain or snow. But many homeowner’s wonder, why does my basement leak during the winter when their is only snow outside and not puddles from a rainstorm?
During the winter months, basements radiate heat out into the surrounding soil, usually about 8 inches away from the foundation. This heat melts the frozen soil around the basement creating a pocket of moisture. The water becomes trapped between the frozen soil and the basement walls during the winter time. The downward pull of gravity, known as hydrostatic pressure, is what forces the water into the basement creating a leak. This is why basements leak water during the winter months, even if there isn’t a heavy rainstorm or running water outside the foundation.
Most often the leaking water enters the basement where the floor and walls meet or a crack in the wall or mortar joints. This type of water leak is best fixed by relieving the hydrostatic pressure, installing an above floor baseboard channel basement system and sealing the wall cracks from the top to 3 inches above the basement floor. By leaving the bottom 3 inches of the wall crack open, you will allow the water to be collected by the baseboard channel.
1. Lose weight and get fit. For many trimming the waist line is a huge goal for 2013. One of the most common reasons weight-loss goals aren’t met is the hassel of going to the gym. Waterproofing your basement can open up that space for anything, including an at home gym!
2. Clear your clutter and get organized. Over the years, basements become the home to many unwanted and poorly organized items. Start your new year off right by clearing out the unwanted stuff to open the space up for organized storage. Since wet basements aren’t a good place to store your valuables, you will need to install a basement waterproofing system to keep your possessions dry and in good condition.
3. Spend more time with friends and family. Do you have a handyman friend? Suggest a you both help each other on your next home improvement project. Invite them over to help you install a basement waterproofing system and in return help them with their next project. It’s a great way to spend time with friends and check off a to-do list project all at once!
4. Take a vacation. Hiring a waterproofing contractor can cost you big money. If you have a basement leaking water in through the joint where the floor and walls meet, an ideal solution is an above floor baseboard channel like the do-it-yourself SquidGee Dry System. A basement with a linear footage of 60 feet would only cost $375 (shipped!) to install the DIY SquidGee Dry System, compared to hiring a PRO, which could cost anywhere from $3,000 to $1,500! That’s a huge savings that could go toward a vacation! Find out what you would save!
5. Learn something new. Learn something new by installation of the SquidGee Dry System. Do-it-yourself installation is easy and only takes a weekend.
