Homeowners need to do more Research: Licensed CT, MA, RI Contractors

I just wrote a post on another blog that I keep about Making sure your Contractor is Licensed Properly, especially in CT.

What's wrong with Connecticut? Well, to quote an article written by Michael F. Sabitoni in the Providence Journal this past year contractors who work without licenses create a "secret economy cheats workers and state."

It's true! In the late 90s and early 2000-2004 Waterbury, CT police held multiple stings to round up contractors who were putting out bids on jobs without properly being licensed or insured.

Nothing's wrong with the state, but it's the lack of attention to this subject that is also costing Massachusetts and Rhode Island tax payers millions of dollars in their own states.

If you're a contractor: PLEASE PLEASE keep your license up to date, make sure you're registered with the state and have proper insurance. You'll save me a bundle from having to pay for you to be locked up.

If you're a homeowner: Please, don't be afraid to ask for license numbers and proof of insurance. Make sure to use the contractor research links I posted or to call your labor department in your state to ask questions.

For quick reference:
CT Department of Labor Website
RI Department of Labor + Training Website
MA Dept. Of Labor

Wet Basements in New England, CT, MA, RI: How water gets into your basement

It’s rainy weather like today’s (cloudy and raining all over Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts, I’m sure that Connecticut saw it earlier) that will eventually remind many homeowners how important having a dry basement is. Having a wet basement can be aggravating. Many people get down on their hands and knees to sop up water with sponges, buckets and wet-vacs.

The fact of the mater is having a wet basement isn’t your fault. It’s a design flaw in how basements are built. The good news is you can have someone inspect your basement, and install something that addresses these flaws head on.

Water can find it’s way through the space between the footing and wall:
When a wall is made the footing is poured first and left to dry. They form it around 2x4 in order to achieve a “dove tale” so the wall poured on top of it dries with part of it’s support inside of the footing. The problem is that the concrete can’t connect. If one object is dry, a wet concrete object can’t merge with it and become one solid piece. There’s a natural space left between the two objects. This space is an easy route for water to press through and find itself ether on your floor, underneath your floor, or wicking up your walls.

Water can settle under your concrete Floor:
Wet basements can also happen with water seeping up from underneath the floor. When a foundation’s walls are finished the Contractor “back-fills” or fills in the open areas with dirt, stone or gravel. Your floor of your basement rests on back fill. Depending on what was used for back fill it can be easy or hard for water to sit, build pressure, and find holes and gaps to seep up from. Cracks in the floor or the gap between the floor and the wall are the two most common areas this water shows itself.

Water can come through cracks in your foundation walls:
Cracks happen to all concrete eventually. There are many factors that can cause cracks in concrete but the one thing that can exploit these small tares in your walls is water. When it rains outside the soil soaks up the amount of water it can handle, the rest is left to fend for itself and find places to fill up. When water finds a crack in your wall it can “sense” the pressure difference in the basement and seeks to occupy the open space. Depending on the amount of water and pressure build up outside, the water can dribble, seep, or pour through cracks.

Addressing all three possibilities is the key to success:
Now the major issue is finding something that tackles all three, looks good, doesn’t interfere with your use of the basement, and protects you for the life of the house. The GrateDrain system by Grate Products LLC is that system. The combination of Wall Protection, Crack Repair, a Duel Channel drain to address both directions of water flow, and a GrateSump to relieve pressure under the floor and remove the water in the drains are the way to go.

The GrateDrain is designed to remove water from under the floor and defend against that water building up over time. With a solid wall in the middle of the drain it can separately address the water coming from the wall behind the wall protection and the water coming between the footing and the wall. The GrateSump, where the sump pump is installed, will add extra support for water build up under the floor at a deeper level as well as provide the exit strategy for the water in the drain.

The GrateDrain is a flawless, seamless, closed system to protect your basement from ever being wet again. Basements in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have been receiving help from Pioneer Basement for over 25 years (a GrateDrain Installer!). If you have a wet basement and need help, if you have dreams of finishing but need to get water under control, then look no further; Pioneer Basement is here to help.

For basement waterproofing, or wet basement help in CT, MA, or RI, call:
1-800-649-6140 or visit Pioneer Basement online: www.pioneerbasement.com

Do you need to get your Basement storm ready?

If you have a waterproofing system, thinking about getting one or just need something to give you a little bit of an edge in the next big storm, consider investing in a Battery Back-Up Sump Pump.

Battery Back-Up Sump Pumps are not just batteries that can be connected to an existing pump. They are typically whole separate units that require separate discharge lines as well. The higher quality units will also give you an alternator box to help recharge these batteries using AC power.

The nice thing is that these pumps don’t just come in handy during a power outage. They can be tailored to help out in any situation, using AC power or battery power. By simply placing the switch at a level that allows for the Battery Back up to kick in at a particular water level under your basement floor, you’ll set yourself up to add in pump redundancy. If the normal pump can’t handle the flow, the battery back up will turn on and jump in to “lend a hand.” BBU Sump pumps are essentially adding another two pumps to your line of defense against basement flooding. 1 pump that works when the power is on and another pump that works when the power is off.

With the massive storms blowing through over the next few weeks because of Hurricane season don’t forget to have a solid waterproofing company in your phone book in case you need an emergency pump out.

One such company is Pioneer Basement. Serving as far west in Massachusetts as Berkshire county, as far west in Connecticut as Hartford, all the way to the shore lines of southern Rhode Island, and well back up into Boston.

If you need an emergency pump out, if you want to stop the water from ever coming in again after this big storm, or you just want to get pumps to keep you well defended, get in touch with Pioneer Basement: the Basement Experts.

1-800-649-6140

GrateDrain – Next Phase in Basement Waterproofing Technologies pt.1

Drain Tiles, French Drain, Pipe and Stone, and now the GrateDrain™. The advancement process in the water control and basement waterproofing industry has been slow and fraught with trial and error. But now, the GrateDrain™ bends the rules and introduces new technology to old ideas.

What is the GrateDrain™?

The GrateDrain™ is a product introduced by Grate Products LLC in Westport, MA a little over 3 years ago. Its design is simple: A duel channel drain made out of extruded polyvinyl chloride (PVC), its wide holes on both sides are punched, and the walls of the drain are .08in thick. It’s a robust, smooth, drain with antimicrobials built into the plastic to defend against iron bacteria infiltration.

GrateDrain™ is unique in that it contains a solid center support wall that not only serves a structural function but succeeds in helping to discourage cross contamination of water penetration from wall/footing joint to under your concrete floor. This also helps to isolate iron bacteria issues if they are present. Large punched holes allow for higher volume of water to enter the drain to be then directed to the sump pump area.

Punching the holes, rather than drilling them, leads to less snags not only while you’re installing the GrateDrain™, but allows for less to hold onto when we’re talking about clogs. If the pipe openings are smooth, the less debris and other objects tend to get caught. Stuck dirt only allows for more things to attach themselves to it, leading to build ups and eventual failure of the pipe.

The entire drain is customizable to the size required for the job. No longer would you have to deal in 7 foot lengths of prefabricated piping. If you need a 14’-5” piece, you build it, right then and there, leading to very little waste and a more manageable pitch to the drain. The drain connects to itself via access ports that are located along long stretches of drain and at the corners. These access ports allow the installer to maintain the drain over long periods of time and allow for better flow around corners through the continuous GrateDrain™.

For more information about GrateDrain™ Contractors in your area visit: http://www.grateproducts.com/

For Local Installers:
VT: Vermont Basement
MA/CT/RI: Pioneer Basement
NH: Rescon Solutions
NY: Kinetic Basement
PA (east): Tri-State Services Inc.
PA (west): Matthews Wall Anchor
MO: Missouri Basement: St.Louis Metro
NY: Crawford Basements (Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse)
Iowa: Basement Solutions of Iowa
VA: Virginia Basement Waterproofing
NJ: Select Basement Waterproofing, NJ
MD: Floodbusters Basement Waterproofing - Baltimore


Part 2 Continued @ http://http//www.pioneerbasement.com/forum/blog.php?b=14