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Reasons to Waterproof Your Crawlspace
You may not spend too much time thinking about crawlspace waterproofing in Baltimore . However, although it is quite discreet, your home’s crawlspace is a vital area that contains its main support beams, utility lines, and water pipes. Keeping this space clean and contained through crawlspace waterproofing, also known as crawlspace encapsulation, can prevent moisture-related problems from spreading throughout the rest of your home. Read on to learn some of the main reasons for waterproofing your crawlspace.
Keep Excess Moisture Out
Your crawlspace may house older water pipes that could be prone to leakage. Leaky pipes in a vulnerable crawlspace can often turn into a raging moisture problem. Likewise, water seepage can pose a problem for crawlspaces that have not been encapsulated. Water seepage arises from excess rainfall, which can in turn cause the water table in your area to rise. If the water table meets the level of your crawlspace, this excess water can cause harmful damage to your crawlspace that has resounding impacts throughout your home.
Keep Pests Out
Crawlspaces that are left unsealed are prime real estate for unwanted pests. Snakes, rodents, termites, and even larger animals such as raccoons can easily find their way into your crawlspace and wreak havoc on your home’s most vital parts. If your crawlspace is experiencing excess moisture, it is even more likely to attract pests such as termites, who flock to water-saturated wood. Prevent these problems through professional crawlspace waterproofing or encapsulation.
Keep Mold Out
Like many pests, mold also thrives in dark, moist areas. A crawlspace with excess moisture is one such environment. One of the worst things about mold is that once it starts to spread, it can easily contaminate your floor, insulation, and interior walls. Mold spores that have originated in your crawl space and spread throughout your home can also create health problems for certain individuals. Keep mold out and prevent multiplying problems by hiring a professional to waterproof your all-important crawlspace. If you already have mold in your crawlspace, a professional can also perform a mold cleaning service.
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How a Wet Basement Can Affect Your Family
If your basement always seems to be damp, it can make it difficult for your family to enjoy the space. You should hire a company to do basement waterproofing for you. Storm Waterproofing LLC can prevent you from having to deal with a flooded basement in Baltimore and allow you to start enjoying your basement space.
When your basement is damp, it will often smell like mold and mildew. It will also make it just about impossible for you to store anything of value in it. You won’t be able to spend time as a family in a basement that’s wet, and you will likely have higher energy bills due to the lack of basement waterproofing. Water and air will both be able to seep into and out of the space as they please. To start making the most of your basement, you should waterproof it and do basement finishing. When you decide that you are ready to take those steps, Storm Waterproofing LLC will help you get rid of the water in your basement once and for all.
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Making the Most of Your Basement Space
Do you have an unfinished basement that you’re not using at the moment? You are wasting a huge opportunity. You should invest in basement waterproofing today, finish your basement off, and start using it. You could add a living room to it, convert it into a suite for a relative, or have a play area for the kids. It will allow you to make your home larger and increase its value. Start by working with a company that can do basement waterproofing serving Baltimore, and then try making one of these improvements to make the most of your basement space.
Build a Living Room That Your Whole Family Can Use
If you and your family love to spend time watching TV and movies together, then you should turn your basement into a large living area where you can spread out and watch whatever you want. You can install a flat screen TV, a surround-sound speaker system, and comfortable couches that will allow you to relax. You will enjoy spending time in your new living space, and as long as you have basement waterproofing done, you won’t need to worry about water damaging anything that you put in your finished basement.
Create a Large Playroom for Your Kids
Is your home filled with toys? Are you tired of spending your days picking them up and putting them away? Then you should consider putting a playroom in your basement where your kids will be able to play with whatever they want without creating a huge mess in your home. By containing the toys to a room in your home that your guests won’t see, the kids will have a space where they can play and you can cut down on time it takes to clean before company comes over.
Add a Bedroom and Bathroom
Whether you want to create a new bedroom for one of your older kids or you are looking to create space for an elderly member of your family, you can do it with basement space . Basement finishing will make it easy to increase the livable space in your home in a matter of weeks.
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Signs That Your Home’s Foundation Needs Repair
The foundation of your home is obviously very important to it. Without a strong foundation, your home will deteriorate over the years and, eventually, you will see signs that will show you that it’s time to have foundation repair done. One way to avoid the need for foundation repair is to have basement waterproofing done. Basement waterproofing serving Baltimore will help protect your foundation and keep it strong. If you choose not to have it done, here are some of the things that you make start to see as a result of your weakening foundation.
Uneven Floors
Have you noticed that the floors in your home suddenly feel like they are sloped? This is one of the ways you will be able to tell that you need to have foundation repair. When your home shifts due to your failing foundation, the floors will become uneven in different parts of your home. Your floors should be level at all times, and if they’re not, then you know that you have a serious problem. You should have an engineer come to your home to take a closer look at your situation.
Cracks in Walls
Cracks in your walls can be caused by things other than just your foundation, but if you notice several cracks in your walls throughout your home, chances are you have a problem with your foundation. These cracks will form over time as your foundation fails and, while you can cover them up temporarily by painting over them, they will return before long. Have your home’s walls examined right away if you find that there are cracks in them that are getting worse.
Doors and Windows That Don’t Open and Shut Easily
When your home needs foundation repair, you will usually find that the simple task of opening and closing a window or door is difficult. Foundation issues will affect the alignment of doors and windows and make it almost impossible to use them normally. Basement waterproofing and foundation repair will help to prevent damage to your home that comes along with foundation issues.
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Crawl Space Concerns for Homeowners
Does your home have a crawl space in it? If so, you probably don’t venture inside of it very often. Crawl spaces shouldn’t be used for storage, and it’s usually difficult to maneuver in them, so most homeowners don’t spend much time in their crawl spaces. However, there are some concerns that come along with having a crawl space in your home, and it might be worth having crawlspace waterproofing done to alleviate them. Find out why you might want to consider crawlspace waterproofing in Baltimore by reading about some of those concerns below.
Preventing Water Damage
If it rains very hard one day or, worse, for a series of days, you will likely notice that moisture will work its way up into your crawlspace through the ground underneath of your home. This moisture will often get stuck in your crawlspace and not be able to get out until the ground beneath your home dries. This can lead to your whole home smelling musty as a result of the moisture. It can also lead to water damage in your home’s structure and make you wish you had done crawlspace waterproofing.
Keeping Pests Out
The crawl space in your home is the perfect place for pests to congregate. From rodents like mice and rats to insects like cockroaches, spiders, and termites, there are all kinds of pests that will look to your crawl space for protection from the elements. By monitoring your crawl space frequently and having pest control done on your home, you can stop pests from gathering in your crawl space.
Avoiding Mold Growth
Mold needs moisture to survive, and if you have not had crawlspace waterproofing done, there will likely be enough moisture inside your crawl space for mold to spread. If you ever find that this is the case, you will need to have mold cleaning done immediately. More importantly, you will also need to have your crawl space waterproofed to prevent mold from coming back in the future. The health risks associated with mold are dangerous, so don’t take any chances with it.
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Why You Should Work With Storm
After a heavy rainstorm, the last thing you want to do is to have to deal with a flooded basement. If you need to hire a professional contractor to waterproof your home or to install a sump pump in Baltimore, you want to be sure that you’re working with a company you can trust like Storm Waterproofing.
Utilizing state-of-the-art waterproofing techniques, Storm’s skilled contractors specialize in basement and crawlspace waterproofing , mold remediation and removal, foundation repair, and sump-pump installation. They are all fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and offer lifetime guarantees on their work, which are transferable if need be. Storm Waterproofing also offers emergency services, so if a problem occurs in the middle of the night that needs to be taken care of immediately, you can contact Storm 24-hours a day, seven days a week. With over 20 years of experience, you can rest assured that Storm Waterproofing has got your back.
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Reasons to Invest in a Sump Pump for Your Basement
Sump pumps in Baltimore can help to ensure that your basement stays dry after a heavy rainstorm. They’re particularly useful if you live in an area that is prone to floods or if you’ve had flooding issues in your basement before. By removing unwanted water from your basement, these pumps can help to protect your home from a whole host of problems such as water damage, and mold and mildew infestations. Here are some more reasons to invest in a sump pump for your basement. When you’re ready to purchase one, enlist the help of a trained professional.
Reason 1: You Live in Area Where Flooding Is Common
Whether or not you need a sump pump in your basement is mostly contingent on where you live and where your house is situated. If you’re lucky and you’ve never had to deal with a flooded basement, you’re probably fine without a sump pump. However, if you have moisture issues in your basement or if there has ever been standing water in the space, you should invest in a sump pump. If you’re on a budget, be sure to try other waterproofing methods, such as using a dehumidifier, before resorting to buying a sump pump.
Reason 2: Sump Pumps Effectively Remove Water From Basements
If your basement is overly wet, have a sump pump installed. This small pump is usually placed in the lowest part of your home, which can your basement or a crawlspace. It keeps the area under your home dry by pumping out any water—moisture in the soil surrounding your home’s foundation, for instance—that drains into its sump pit. Before you have a sump pump installed, be sure to have your waterproofing professional repair any cracks or damage in your home’s foundation.
Reason 3: Peace of Mind
Even if you haven’t experienced flooding yet, you may still want to consider investing in a sump pump if your basement tends to be on the wet side, smells musty, or has signs of mold growth. If water intrusion is an annual issue, you should invest in several pumps, as well as a backup pump that’s water-powered, in case you experience a power outage that renders your main pump inoperable.
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Discover How Water-Powered Sump Pumps Work
One way to ensure that you have a waterproof basement near Baltimore is to install a water-powered sump pump. This backup pump engages if your main sump pump malfunctions, or when power is cut off from your main sump pump, which could happen during a power outage due to a severe storm or heavy rains. Without a backup pump, you risk having to deal with a flooded basement and extensive water damage.
Watch this informative video to learn more about water-powered sump pumps, and to see an animation of how they work to extract water from basements without the need of electrical power sources.
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Factors that Increase Your Risk of Basement Water Damage
The winter season has arrived in Baltimore, and it is important to make sure that your home is protected from water damage. A flooded basement can result in significant damage to your home, ranging from moisture issues to mold growth and more. With the help of a company offering basement waterproofing serving Baltimore , you can rest assured that you will not be in need of mold remediation or other emergency waterproofing basement procedures. To help you determine whether your home is in need of basement waterproofing, here is an overview of some of the factors that may increase your risk of water damage in your basement.
Extreme Weather Conditions
Oftentimes, basement flooding is caused by extreme weather conditions. For example, when your area is subjected to a heavy rainstorm, rainwater could begin pooling around your foundation. If your foundation has not been properly sealed, this water could begin to leak into your basement. To protect your home against rain related water damage, it is a good idea to schedule basement waterproofing services before the start of the storm season.
Improper Property Grade
The grade of your property is a term that describes the overall slope of your yard and foundation. Ideally, your property grade should slope evenly away from your foundation and basement. In the event that your grade slopes towards your foundation, you may find that your basement experiences flooding after a rainstorm. Water pooling around your foundation is a top sign that you may have property grade issues.
Sewer Backups
A sewer backup is a home emergency that can cause significant flooding to your basement. When your sewer backs up, wastewater could begin to enter your basement’s indoor spaces. To prevent a sewer backup from damaging your home, it is a good idea to schedule regular plumbing services. Your plumber can identify whether your sewer line is at risk of clogging or breaking. By keeping track of the main causes of basement flooding, you can avoid a water damage emergency this winter.
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How Your Basement and Crawl Space Affect Your Indoor Air Quality
The type of foundation used to build the home, as well as how well it is maintained and kept dry, can affect the indoor air quality of the home. Fortunately, you can keep your basement and crawlspace maintained by scheduling crawlspace waterproofing or basement waterproofing in Baltimore . Watch this video to learn more about how the basement and crawlspace affect indoor air quality.
Mold can start to grow if too much moisture gets into the crawlspace or basement. To avoid needing mold removal services, schedule sump pump maintenance every year. Furthermore, route the dryer exhaust outside the home, rather than in the basement or crawl space. Lastly, have your crawlspace or basement inspected annually, or if you notice signs of water damage, such as water spots, a musty smell, or visible mold growth.