Common Sources of Moisture & Water in Basements

By:    |   Published May 29, 2020

The joys of being a homeowner can quickly turn sour when you have moisture problems. Between water damage costs and the risks of mold, you need to keep your basement dry! To diagnose your basement moisture issue, you should start by investigating for the most common sources of water in basement areas.   read more

Avoid These Basement Foundation Repair Mistakes to Keep Your Home Waterproofed!

By:    |   Published December 30, 2019

Let’s face it; even though your basement is the foundation of your home, it is not always the first thing on your mind when it comes to repairs. Things like broken appliances, peeling paint, and worn carpet are things that homeowners – or their guests – see on a regular basis; so they are more likely to be the things that get addressed. read more

Don’t Get Left Underwater! Follow These Steps to Avoid Buying a House with Water Damage

By:    |   Published October 29, 2019

Searching for a house can be exciting and, at times, overwhelming. Once you finally find “the one,” the last thing you want is to discover that you are the proud new owner of a house with water damage.  Buying a house with water damage can be a nightmare, especially if you are unaware of the damage prior to the purchase. The following tips can help you be an informed buyer and avoid unknowingly buying a house with water damage. read more

Avoid Downspout Drainage Disasters and Protect Your Home from Excessive Rain

By:    |   Published July 30, 2019

It’s raining, it’s pouring…and the average rainfall is soaring! According to Ohio’s Country Journal/Ohio Ag Net, the average rainfall across Ohio totaled 52 inches from June 1, 2018, to May, 31, 2019. That makes it the wettest yearlong period in Ohio since 1895! Not only does all that rain take its toll on the farming industry, but that means that well over 10 more inches of rain has fallen on rooftops across Ohio and Michigan this year than average. That excess rainfall can put a strain on downspout drainage systems everywhere. When your home’s downspout drainage system fails, damage to your foundation can result. read more

Warped Paneling Problems: The Causes & Solutions

By:    |   Published May 28, 2019

To some, wood paneling is synonymous with orange shag carpet and avocado-colored appliances of the 1950s through 1970s. But paneling is making a comeback for many reasons. Paneling is a way to bring the beauty of the outdoors inside. A rustic look can be achieved with reclaimed – or reclaimed looking – paneling.  Wainscoting has become a popular decorating choice as well as running panels horizontally to give a room character. Many times, paneling is white-washed or painted a neutral color such as gray. Wood paneling is more durable than drywall or wallpaper and can even protect your walls. read more

Should I Seal the Gap Between My Basement Floor and Wall?

By:    |   Published January 4, 2018

Every homeowner is concerned with keeping their house protected from moisture and water damage. One area that is vulnerable to seepage is your home’s cove joint. Unfortunately, you can’t just seal the gap between your basement floor and wall to fix it. Learn why not, and the best options for keeping water out of the cove joint by reading below.

What Is a Cove Joint?

This joint, where your basement wall and floor meet, is known as a cove joint. It exists due to the way that a home’s foundation is poured. After your foundation footings are built, your basement walls are poured so that they slot into a keyway. This helps keep them properly aligned.

When your walls have cured, the basement floor itself is then poured. This leaves a small gap between the floor and the walls – known as the cove joint.

Why Does the Cove Joint Leak?

Following a heavy rain, ground water around your home will rise. It begins to push into any potential openings in your foundation. Because the cove joint is a necessary part of structuring your foundation, it’s a common entry point for water. As prolonged rains or heavy rains continue, they’ll begin to force their way in through these gaps. This is typically referred to as hydrostatic pressure.

Why You Can’t Just Seal the Gap Between Your Basement Floor and Wall

It may seem like an obvious solution to simply seal the cove joint to prevent water from breaching into your home. However, it’s not that simple. In the short term, a sealant applied along this gap between your basement floor and wall may prevent leakage. However, it will eventually fail in one of two ways:

#1. The water being blocked by the sealant will find another gap in your foundation to enter the home. Typically, this will be cracks in your foundation.

#2. The sealant you used will be forced off or penetrated by the water. Once this happens, all the water will leak through the opening in your sealant, rendering it useless.

Either of these events will happen due to the strength of the hydrostatic pressure. It’s not easy for water to push into your home. When it meets with resistance, such as a sealant, it will work its way through or around that resistance.

The Best Solutions to Protect Your Cove Joint

While sealing the gap isn’t recommended, you do have options to help protect your home from potential water damage. There are

multiple approaches to keep this water from leaking into your basement read more

Don’t Ignore Inward Movement of Your Basement Foundation Wall!

By:    |   Published December 7, 2017

There are few things in your home as important as the basement foundation wall. It helps ensure the structural integrity of your home and fights against the tide of moisture and soil pressing against your basement interior. If it fails, it can devastate your home.

Foundation wall failure typically happens slowly over time, and there are signs that you can see. But only if you know what to look for! Learn how to spot the signs and identify what’s going wrong with your wall before it fails completely.

How Do You Know If Your Foundation Wall is Leaning, Bowed or Bulging?

Fortunately, there are several indicators that can help you identify when your basement foundation wall is compromised. When looking for structural issues, they can present themselves differently depending on the type of inward movement your walls are experiencing.

Here are some of the most common signs of problems with your basement foundation wall:

  • Cracks in your walls more than 1/8 inch wide
  • Angled cracks from the corners of the wall or across the center
  • Unleveled flooring
  • Water seepage
  • Walls sliding inward at the bottom or leaning in at the top

Distinguishing Between Types of Basement Foundation Inward Movement

Not all foundation damage is the same. If you think you’ve identified the early signs of failure, it can help to distinguish between leaning walls or bulging walls. The difference may not seem important, but it can help with locating the source of the problem and deciding on a solution.

Bulging walls often have horizontal cracks, as the pressure is closer to the center of the wall and will cause it to fold in from the center. You can measure for a bulged wall by using a plumb string attached to the ceiling and measuring the distance of the wall, bottom to top. If the wall measures longer than the plumb line, it indicates a failing wall that is likely to be bulging.

Leaning foundation walls will angle slightly. Most homeowners expect leaning walls to lean in from the top. In some cases, the inward movement comes from the bottom instead. Make sure to look for both.

What Can Cause a Foundation Wall to Fail?

Drainage

Inadequate drainage is one of the most common ways that foundations suffer damage. As moisture drains into the foundation, it builds up against the side of your home and can cause soil heaving. Hydrostatic pressure is also a typical cause of water leaking into your basement.

You can prevent drainage problems from occurring. In addition to ensuring your home’s grading provides moisture with a path away from your foundation, gutters and spouts that direct water far away from your foundation is important.

If your gutters are damaged or clogged read more

5 Ways to Help Keep Your Basement Dry

By:    |   Published October 25, 2017

Water in your basement can be a nightmare. Whether it’s a flood or chronic dampness, you could be looking at expensive clean-up and repair costs. The best way to keep your basement dry is to take action now, before an emergency strikes.

But what are the best steps to keep a basement dry? Get tips to keep water out of your basement and learn the warning signs that might indicate a breach in your foundation from EverDry Toledo, serving Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.

The Best Steps to Take to Keep Your Basement Dry

#1. Keep Water Away from Your Foundation

Water typically enters your basement by seeping in along the foundation. Your home has a few defenses against this, but they need to be maintained to keep them working.

The first major step is to inspect and clean your downspouts and gutters. They help direct the flow of water away from your foundation. However,

debris builds over time and can cause blockage read more

What Causes Cracks in Basement Floor Concrete? Are They a Serious Risk?

By:    |   Published October 19, 2017

While every home is unique, they often experience problems that are actually very common. One of the common problems is cracks. These cracks can appear anywhere, from little cracks in walls or tiling to major cracks in basement floors. As a homeowner, you need to know what the cause is and, more importantly, how critical of a problem is it? If you’ve discovered a crack in your basement floor, learn the possible causes and how to handle them below.

 

Causes of Basement Concrete Cracks

Shrinkage

The two primary parts of concrete are cement and water. After it’s poured, it cures to become solid. As the concrete dries, it will shrink. The degree of shrinkage is largely affected by temperature. If temperatures drop while your basement cures, that can cause cracks. Likewise, sweltering heat will rapidly dry your concrete – and curing too quickly also causes cracks. Even in perfect conditions, over time, your basement concrete will experience some degree of shrinkage.

While there are some ways to help mitigate shrinkage, such as controlled cracks in specific areas, it’s impossible to prevent them. There are certain areas that are more likely to develop these cracks than others, such as around doors or other sharp corners.

On the bright side, cracks in your basement floor due to shrinkage rarely result in any structural problems. However, they still open the doors for other problems like water or pests. That means they should be repaired and sealed whenever you identify them. While you should consider every crack a potential risk, most cracks under one-eighth of an inch wide aren’t a cause to be concerned.

Settlement

Another common cause of cracks in basement floors is when the concrete slab begins to settle. Typically, settlement occurs when the

soil beneath your foundation is too unstable to support the weight of your home read more

When Water is Coming into Your Basement, Who Should You Call?

By:    |   Published January 25, 2017

Some surprises are great – like finding $20 in your coat pocket. Others – like finding water in your basement – not so much. If you’ve discovered water in your basement and you’re not sure where it came from, who should you call for help – a plumber or a foundation repair expert? The answer to that mystery can probably be deduced from a few simple questions.

Where is the Water Located? read more