Paints that are good for the final part of a basement remodel.

Painting the walls in the basement after you've finished it should really be considered the last step in any finishing or remodeling project (next to hanging shelves or nick-knacks)

The healthiest choice for painting the walls is a paint that has Zero Lead, and Zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Typically, as many of us remember, paint has a smell to it. This odor is caused by the chemicals in the paint and can, in places with no ventilation, be hazardous to your health in large amounts.

Avoiding any VOCs in paint, today, is rather easy. All major home improvement stores carry paint without these VOCs and they come in thousands of custom colors for your walls. You can get what you want at a great price and without any risks to the indoor air quality of your home.

Why are VOCs bad in the Basement?
Like any smell or odor, the basement can trap them in and let them build up. Basements or crawl spaces aren't normally very well ventilated, nor do they have proper air circulation. This allows any air bound chemical to build up (in parts per million) and become stronger and more potent.

If you have mold or odors in the basement anyway, adding to them with a stench of VOCs filled paints isn't going to help you to breath any easier.

What if I'm looking to finish and have odors in the basement already?
Most likely there is something causing these odors in the first place.

Mold and dry rot are the two most common causes for odors in the basement. If ether one of these exist, finishing or remodeling the basement shouldn't be your top priority. Getting control of the smell through air circulation and filtration are a good first step.

Moisture plays a key roll in the formation of mold and dry rot and should be taken seriously. Controlling the moisture or possible leaks and flooding can protect the finished space from damage and from future mold and dry rot. Installing a waterproofing system can help control moisture while helping to correct the conditions of the basement that are causing the odors and smells.


Related Reading and Links
Read about the Top 6 Basement Mistakes that contractors and homeowners make. See what other readers have asked in Safe'n'Dry Basement Blog's Reader Questions Section
Ask Pioneer Basement a question Directly on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums!

What materials are safe for basement finishing? - Reader Question

The safest materials for finishing a basement are also the best. I've written other posts on this subject and I will elaborate a bit on why my choices of inorganic materials are best.

Traditional materials - Dry Wall, Wood Studs, Drywall ceiling, paper-backed fiberglass insulation

Traditional materials aren't designed for the basement's moist environment. Moisture added to any of these materials, or parts of them, could result in mold issues. Mold issues can lead to health issues and could force you demolish everything you just installed.

Okay, so where do I start when finishing my basement?
Think "moisture" and "mold" proof materials. Plastics, metals, insulation without paper backing - there are solutions out there. Even some Traditional building materials have been reinvented to work in a basement finishing project. Moisture/Mold resistant "dry-wall" - almost every large manufacture has a type that they sell.

Metal studs - for those who are use to using wood to stud out a wall, they take a little getting use to. The MAJOR difference is that these will never rot, cause mold, or will need replacing.

Insulation installed without paper takes away the food source for the mold. The only problem with traditional fiberglass is that it's suseptible to absorbing the moisture in the air, and will be ruined if it comes into contact with larger sources of water.

Floor Solutions -
Flooring is tricky. Normally it comes into direct contact with the basement floor which can be a moisture issue in the future. Make sure to install a plastic or inorganic subfloor first - then a finished style of flooring can be lay on top of it; protecting your carpet or laminate flooring from moisture damage.

First step
Waterproof the basement

Second Step
Plan out the floor plan of the space

Third Step
Purchase moisture and mold resistant materials for the basement.

Every basement has the potential for moisture problems, leaks, and flooding - waterproofing the basement before finishing will help to protect the finished area you put in the now empty area of your basement. Protecting for the future is a good thing to do. It may be dry or have never seen water, but it can and eventually will.

Image from http://www.homebasementfinishing.com

Related Reading and Links
Read about the Top 6 Basement Mistakes that contractors and homeowners make.
See what other readers have asked in Safe'n'Dry Basement Blog's Reader Questions Section
Ask Jacob A question Directly on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums!

Basement Mistakes pt 5 – Finishing a Basement with Organic Construction Materials

With the push to find renewable resources for construction materials there have been a large amount of contractors who become confused about Renewable vs. Organic material.

I’ve spoken on the topic of organic material vs. in-organic material in the basement several times on multiple forums and in this blog. Renewable resource material isn’t always the same as Organic Material. Many Renewable construction materials are made out of recycled plastics and metals – which (lucky for you) are both In-Organic!!!

Green Home Improvement and the Basement Health Industry live in harmony once more!

Organic materials in a basement
One of the largest concerns about many homeowners is mold. Mold requires moisture, a dark space, and food to eat. Mold is able to break down organic materials like wood and paper; this is what it uses as food. Any wood, paper, paper-products, fabric, cardboard or dry wall can potentially become mold food.

Moisture Resistant materials and In-Organic Construction
The basement environment is radically different because of its naturally increased levels of humidity. This makes it that much more important to build with materials that are designed for moist areas and that don’t provide a food source for mold spores.

Paperless insulation, paperless dry wall, metal studs, and other materials are what are needed to properly finish a space in the basement. These materials, depending on their manufacturer, possess qualities that allow them to withstand moisture, provide rigid and custom fabrication, and possess all the same qualities of the construction materials used on the 1st and 2nd floors.

Placement of the studs.
Many homes, especially around New England, have finished basements. Homeowners and contractors for decades have been installing the wood studs directly against the foundation wall. A.) This is lazy and B.) This causes problems.

Lazy:
By putting a stud against the foundation wall you’re hoping that the foundation is plum and it’s one less step to do. Who needs to make sure anything’s level right? (Cough*sarcasm*cough)

Causes Problems:
Moisture travels through the foundation wall and comes into contact with these wood studs. Mold spores LOVE this and thrive, OR dry rot occurs, eventually rendering the wall useless.

Placing studs 2”-4” away from any foundation wall gives enough room to force air circulation and filtration behind the walls which keeps the area moving and clear of mold and excess moisture.

The area behind the studs is vulnerable to excess moisture build up, even more so then the rest of the basement, so if there is insulation in the finished walls, it’s that much more important to provide circulation and dehumidification.

The Take Away:
1.) DON’T USE WOOD STUDS!
2.) DON’T USE “Standard” Dry wall!
3.) DON’T USE PAPER BACKED INSULATION
4.) USE MATERIALS THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED TO BE MOISTURE AND MILDEW RESISTANT –many of these also have excellent fire ratings
5.) IF you don’t know what to do: ASK A PROFESSIONAL!

Hundreds of Thousands of dollars a year are wasted in ill-prepared and poorly planned basement finishing designs using the WRONG material. This is why it falls, yet again, under the Top 6 Most Common Basement Mistakes that homeowners and contractors make.

Basement Decorating Ideas - All manors of Basement Finishing

After starting a thread on the Pioneer Basement forums: Basement Decorating I went back through my files of emails to go through some messages from readers and from clients about attempting to decorate their basements.

People all over the world, and especially in urban areas like Boston, New York, and London have sent me questions about how to best decorate their basements. My first question:What do you want to do in your basement?After a moisture control system is installed, the possibilities are endless!

Home Basement Finishing has a great basement idea photo gallery to get the juices flowing.

My design ideas for a basement always tend to lean towards lighter, brighter, more reflective colors. This helps to bounce light further into the basement and thus, making it less bleak and dark. The main idea is to pick a color that you want to design around. (My family for instance really loves greens...I'm sure you'd find another color that you love).

Support piers can be covered up with a variety of different options. I decided to cover mine in a wood finish. I kept the column covers "square" to match the basic furniture patterns in the rest of the basement (no sense in having a Round object interrupt the sea of straight lines). If you're into more modern, round, or elliptical furniture and headboards then you might consider dressing yours up with a more traditional round lolly column cover. But like I said, your imagination is the only thing holding you back.

Organic vs. Non-Organic Basement Finishing Design.

There still seems to be much confusion with the introduction of “green” design and the concept of Organic vs. Non-Organic material. I’m going to do my best to address the majority of the differences.

Firstly: The idea of what “green” design is.

Calling something “Green” is simply a term to designate that “something” as environmentally friendly. This is a very broad and unregulated term. There is currently no committee that looks at everything on the market and labels it as green. The closest we have is the Energy Start qualifier labeled by the EPA.

Sump pumps that don’t use drinking water to pump are considered “green”. Walls that don’t have chemical compounds in them are considered “green.” Floors that are made out of recycled materials (woods, plastics, metals) are considered “green.” If anything “Green” is a marketing term, a buzz word, something to get those environmentally cautious, who’d never normally buy the product, interested in looking at it or potentially purchasing it.

Now, “green” products are, like with anything in the world, broken down into two categories: Organic or Non-Organic.

Organic vs. Non-Organic.

Keep in mind we’re talking HOME IMPROVEMENT, not shopping for food.

Organic is a term to label anything that can be broken down naturally, decomposed by mold, fungus, and eventually rejoin the earth as more dirt.

Non-Organic is a term for objects that cannot be broken down: PVC, Metal, lead, mercury, concrete; I’m sure you get the idea. Basically its object that can’t be broken down and can’t decompose. Think plastics and metals, opposed to wood.

Organic Design/ Green Design

Organic design is the practice of designing with organic materials. Green Design is the designing of objects that won’t impact the environment. Packaging, shipping methods, materials to build, display, construct and maintain the object are all taken into consideration. It’s a fascinating field with many new developments daily.

For the construction industry it’s a fantastic new way of looking at building homes and commercial buildings outside the normal “status quo” box. It’s a “new” marketing concept and therefore has been met with some initial resistance. But seeing as the “green” market is expanding and more people are trying to find ways to lesson their carbon footprint, it’s becoming more and more popular.

Organic Design in Basement Finishing:

Basements are naturally moist environments. The basement itself is subject to moisture in all forms year round that have the potential to becoming a floor or a leak. It’s for this reason alone that many organizations in the Basement Finishing and Basement Waterproofing industry don’t use Organic materials in their designs.

Organic material subjected to a moist environment over long periods of time can harbor the growth of mold, mildew, and therefore lead to an unhealthy household. Organic Design can’t work in a long-term solution to fit and meet your space needs in the basement. But Green Design can.

(past blog post about Organic Construction in Basements)

Many of the products, materials and methods used in basement waterproofing and basement finishing are recycled AND non-organic. These flooring, wall, and ceiling options, as well as many of the vapor barriers and drainage systems are made with recycled materials. This reduces landfill waste yearly and helps provide an environmentally friendly long-term solution.

(image borrowed from http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2007/12/03/brad-pitt-william-mcdonough-and-the-lower-9th-ward/)

Related Reading and Links

Read about the Top 6 Basement Mistakes that contractors and homeowners make.

Ask Jacob A question Directly on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums!

Basement Remodeling: Pre-Finishing and Preparation steps.

Over the past few years I’ve seen more and more problems with wet basements and more and more of them are happening in fully finished basements. The homeowner in many cases stated “it was a dry basement, we’d never seen water until today” which is very true in most cases.

There are two facts about basements that we currently have to live with:

1.) All concrete will and can crack
2.) All basements will and eventually leak

These are two very hard things for most people to understand. We’re all in denial about bad choices that we’ve made in the past and not preparing your basement before you finish could be one that you could very well have to own in the near future.

The thing is that this lesson is totally preventable. Preparing your basement is much like prepping a patient for surgery. You can’t just throw them into the ER; you have to go through a series of steps before they’re ready.

With the basement, regardless of if you’ve ever seen water, water in its gas form (vapor) can travel through concrete quite easily. Airflow brings it into your home in your basement and then helps it to travel up into the home eventually. Increased amounts of humidity and an increase in a need to run you’re A/C are two signs that you might have a moisture control problem. There are other signs that you might come across as well such as condensation, puddle-ing, and damp walls.

Don’t think for a second because you’ve never had water on your floor that your basement won’t ever leak.

The first step in finishing your basement is to install a moisture control system that will reduce the amount of moisture vapor build up in the basement, protect from leaks and flooding and dehumidification to help circulate the air and filter it.

From here you’ll be working with a clean slate that’s protected and ready to be finished over.

Basement Finishers in CT, MA, RI: All the same?

I think one of the more common questions as of late has been "can you compare your finishing system to the Owens Corning system?" Technically...when I'm at work...I can't.

However, this is MY blog, and I'll tell you what's up.

http://www.pioneerbasement.com/forum/blog.php?b=25
Here I talk a little about the Pioneer Home Basement Finishing "system" called BasementShield.

Here's a list of things that Make BasementShield better/different than The Owens Corning Finishing system:

1.) Water and moisture control is included. Owens Corning, as of this past year finally got a grip and started outsourcing to Basement Systems dealers basements with water problems. HOWEVER, because they outsource this will add an additional 6,000-$16,000 on top of the OC's $50,000 price tag.

2.) Because our walls are made with mold and mildew resistant material that's just as strong as Drywall, you get a finished feel that's similar to upstairs. The walls are designed with traditional studs that won't rot, insulation and are combined with the moisture control system installed to fully protect your basement.

3.) Ceiling and Flooring options are INCLUDED in the price you get! This is something that OC hasn't ever done.

4.) Our system is custom. Design what you want, paint it, wall paper it, custom trim, built in storage..you name it, it can be installed! OC worries about your 4 perimeter walls which come in 1 color and tell you "the color will change with the carpet you put down." *sigh*

5.) Recessed lighting, electrical can be customised for your needs and design ideas.

6.) All of the products are non-organic, which means that mold and mildew can't use them as a food source.

7.) Most designs can be constructed in the same amount of time as an OC system, for thousands of dollars less than Owens Corning.

The Pioneer Home Basement Finishing system is the best, most cost effective, efficient, customisable and protected system on the market today.

Twitter, Blogging, and Basement Info

So there are some new things that I'm doing to try to keep the new info coming to you, my readers, and to new and potential customers of Pioneer Basement.

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BasementGods
I'm attempting to keep up a "basement tip of the day" and give you insite as to how to look at your basement differently, work, live in, and protect that space and your home.

Pioneer Basement@wordpress.com has been moving and shaking recently. Just did a seemingly popular blog about Field Stone Foundations and how to keep them up, waterproof them and so on. Let me know what you think!

Today: I just placed another bit in the "tips and tricks" catagory in the Pioneer Basement Forums/Help Forums as well as wrote a little piece on finishing your basement for the expanding family (especially around the holidays) http://www.pioneerbasement.com/forum/blog.php?b=24

So I'm keeping busy. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! and keep safe and keep dry!

Basement Finishing and Remodeling Design Tip

http://www.pioneerbasement.com/forum/showthread.php?t=769

I'm planning on adding many more tips and tricks for thinking differently in the basement.

It's important to realize that the moisture levels in the basement are higher and therefore you have to use different materials to build in a basement.

If you think different, build different, you change your basement and still have a healthy and successful area.

Basement Blogs: Why I write my blog, basements and all

I’m rather disappointed, personally, on the lack of answers that I find while surfing the web about basements. Everyone has an opinion about what company you should be going with or how to pick a contractor (which in the end always feels slanted towards the company that suggested the “check list”) but it doesn’t seem like many companies are making an effort to really talk about the problems, causes, and the solutions.

Over the past few months I’ve been making a direct effort to answer questions posed to me through email, through talks with homeowners and (the more tricky way) through the Google Search questions people have found my blog with.

People come to my blog for many reason: Finding DIY Tips about how to finish or waterproof a basement, ideas about finishing, design tips, waterproofing questions, price shopping, or just a place to come and read about someone who’s obviously obsessed with everyone else’s basements.

Along the way I’ve met some interesting people and hopefully some good friends.

I look forward to the next year in writing and communicating news and information about basements, foundations, waterproofing, and finishing in hopes that you can walk away confident that you know whom to call, what the answer to your personal question was, or possibly a suggestion for your own design project.

I’m not the DIY network or Bob Villa, so my expertise is pretty limited in that "home repair god" regards, but I’m confident that I can answer your questions about basements, foundations, waterproofing, crack repair, and basement finishing.

The basement isn’t the same as the 1st and 2nd floors and by now I hope you understand that. It needs special attention to handle the moisture and special attention to the products and techniques in installing a finished product.

If you have any questions you can leave them in a comment, email me directly, or link to me somewhere on the web. I also Moderate the Pioneer Basement Waterproofing Forums as well as the hang out around the NAWSRC.org and BasementDepot.com forums as well.

Follow me on Twitter: BasementGods
Follow me on Wordpress: PioneerBasement

Any question, any time, I have your back when it comes to your basement.

Fun Basement Idea Poll on Pioneer Basement Forums

So since it’s raining rather hard here today in Westport, I’ve decided to do some outreach and pose some questions to the customers of Pioneer Basement.

What is in your basement?

What do you WANT in your basement?

Two very simple, but fun questions. Most homeowners don’t like talking about what’s down in the basement now, laundry piles, an odd workbench, or even maybe nothing at all.

But when you pose the question of “what do you WANT?” then a whole other side of many homeowners comes out: The Creative/FUN side.

Pool tables, fancy storage, a real creative place to paint or make furniture, recording studios, movie rooms, bathrooms, game rooms, bed rooms, toy storage, gyms, Jacuzzis, computer rooms, home offices, hobby rooms, you name it people have thought it up.

And the great thing is: Any of it can happen with a little planning and some proper design.

Basement Waterproofing is insurance for Basement Finishing

You might wonder, “What does waterproofing have to do with finishing your basement?” however, waterproofing your basement protects your remodeling investment.

Home improvements of all shapes and sizes cost money and the last thing you want to do is to jeopardize the longevity of that project. Not waterproofing your basement and installing moisture control can have serious long-term effects on your finished product.

A typical basement finishing project can run anywhere from $25,000 to well over $100,000 depending on floor plan, details, amenities, and difficulty. There are many different “finishing systems” out there that claim to be “waterproof” or “removable in case of flooding” but what’s the point of spending money on walls in a basement if you have to remove them in order to keep them dry?

Lets say you choose do have wood studs and regular styled drywall in the basement. Both are organic materials that easily soak up moisture and water. Mold and rotting wood are the next logical steps if a flood happens or a small leak gets out of control. You spent $25,000 on that project and you’re going to have to spend at least 1/4th of it just to repair it. Bringing your total project cost to now $30,000.

You wouldn’t buy a car and not protect it, don’t finish your basement without defending against moisture and flooding.

What if you could spend $25,000 to not only have moisture control, dehumidification, air circulation, water and flooding protection, have it all warranted, and have your basement finished? Wouldn’t that be smarter? Having it all done with mold and moisture resistant materials with the look and feel of your first floor is easier than you think.

You would actually be buying a finishing system that has your basement’s health in mind. You would actually be truly finishing your basement. You’d be transforming your basement from a moisture zone to a controllable, healthy, comfortable environment.

With waterproofing your walls, your floor, your whole finished area would be protected. With the proper finishing materials and design your finished space will be exactly what you dreamed it could be, and it’ll all be well protected from flooding and moisture.

Call Pioneer Home Basement Finishing today: 1-800-439-0788
Or visit us online: www.homebasementfinishing.com

Basement Waterproofing News

BostonWaterproofingBoston.com
post on foundation repair and basement waterproofing in boston, why it's important and what you can do after your prepare your basement the right way.

The Perfect Basement Finishing System.

There are so many systems out there that transform your basement into livable space. The sad thing is that not many actually protect the space too.

Pioneer Home Basement Finishing’s BasementShield system is the combination of both the waterproofing industry and the basement finishing industry. With both focused on protecting the investment and the family, the products and style of construction are more in tune with the cry for healthier construction practices in your homes.

The perfect combination of materials for finishing a basement weren’t hard to put together. It was the drive, the need and the desire of our customers that helped us to find the right path. The key to a successful finishing project with long-term protection is to first waterproof the space properly, provide air circulation and to build the finishing elements, walls, floor, and ceiling, with non-organic and mold resistant materials.

By installing solid fixtures, insulated walls, anti-sag ceilings, recessed lighting, and other amenities, you have a durable, decorate-able, paint ready area in which to enjoy. These non-organic materials help to resist mold, mildew, and are designed with the waterproofing system in mind. As it works to protect your space against the moisture and water of the outside, the dehumidifier is circulating and filtering the air on the inside. Protecting the walls from moisture damage drastically minimizes the possibility of mold and mildew while providing an amazing finished surface to hang shelves and paintings.

Your whole basement will be treated, not just covered over. The idea is to keep the walls up, allow the system to work for you to protect your space, so you don’t have too. At Pioneer Home Basement Finishing we want to provide you with your dream space while protecting and promoting a healthy basement environment.

Call us today to set up an appointment with one of our Project Managers who can walk you through the design phase. : 1-800-439-0788

If you’d like to see more options of what our BasementShield system can become, please visit our web site and browse the gallery of images of some of the completed projects.
www.homebasementfinishing.com

Info on FHA 203K for Home Improvement needs

Everyone I've met in the past few months have asked about financing, do I do it, can I do it, who do I use and etc. That's all well and good but even financing can't cover everything.

I give all the resources that I can and now I've been looking into government backings.

This lady Jane Anne (I admit I just started reading) posted throughly about the FHA203K home improvement Loans.

It's very informative, non-biased look at this loan is a very important additive to your Arsenal. It covers basement waterproofing and other home improvement needs.

here's a sample of what it could help you cover!:

1. New freestanding appliances
2. Bathroom remodels
3. Master bedroom remodel
4. Upgrading HVAC
5. Adding energy efficient improvements
6. Wells and septic repair and upgrades
7. New siding
8. Interior painting
9. Exterior painting
10. Attic build-outs
11. Waterproofing the basement
12. Creating a media room
13. Adding a 2nd floor

Some of these improvements can of course be built into the basement, after the basement was waterproofed. So theoretically you can use this loan to totally finish your basement off. Hope!

Give it a read, take it into consideration.

Organic Vs. Non-Organic Construction in Basements Remodeling

Recycling, green building and renewable forms of energy are all amazing steps in America today. It has been a long time coming. There is a new appreciation for Organic farming and produce, helping people to eat better, eat locally, and support their farms and farmers. But there seems to be confusion when discussing construction material for home improvements. People are so use to seeing “organic” and associating it with “good”. When building below grade in a basement different construction practices need to start happening rather than “traditional” space construction. In this case Non-Organic can be associated with Good, and help to protect and support the green building on top of it.

Non-Organic construction simply means that the things that are used in the construction are man-made and can’t be broken down by natural bacteria or fungi, such as mold. Typically, they are items that can’t be food sources for mold such as wood or standard Dry Wall. These products can however be made from recycled items, such as car tires, plastics and other materials. They are all designed specifically for applications in the basement so as not to contribute to the existence of molds or mildews in your basement space.

If you plan to use a renewable resource such as Bamboo for a flooring option, good for you! You’re helping the environment by buying into a resource that doesn’t strip away eco-systems. However, to be on the safe side, because it’s an Organic product, simply putting a FloorSheild™ can help to separate that brand new bamboo flooring from coming into contact with moisture on your basement floor. Typical vapor diffusers work, for the most part, but they aren’t designed to allow for air flow below the floor needed by the dehumidifiers to do their jobs properly.

I whole heartedly support Organic and renewable resources. When designing in the basement, always be aware of matching Non-Organic with Organic to create a protective layer that can defend the interior space from moisture damage.

More Links

Find out more about the need to Prepare Properly in your Basement

More Options for Non-Organic Flooring

Prevent Damage to your Organic Materials in your Basement

I'm continuing the discussion both:
DIYNetwork Message Boards
and on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums

Basement Waterproofing in Pennsylvania (PA)

Finding quality basement waterproofing professionals in Pennsylvania is easier then you think. You might get bogged down by the number of results on Google or your local search directory, but there is one thing that search engine results won’t tell you: the quality that your project(s) will be.

Pennsylvania is a historic state, with historic houses, and sometimes basements that reflect their age. Basements come with leaks, cracks, foundation issues, all allowing water and insects into your space. The good thing is however, is that you can take care of all these problems with a local, trustworthy, and technologically advanced basement waterproofing company. Tri State Services Inc, (http://www.tristatebasementservices.com/) is a locally owned company which deals in crack repair and basement waterproofing. What better combination!?

Fixing the cracks adds stability back into your foundation. Waterproofing your space allows you block out water from entering your space without subjecting you to radon and insects.

Tri State Services is a health oriented Basement Waterproofing company that supplies its clients with quality sump pumps, vapor barriers, and duel channel closed system drain systems. Battery back ups can also be installed which can open you up to the world of power-outage protection. But it doesn’t end there.

Basement finishing is something that we can all use to expand our living space in this tight economy. Adding more bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, or storage areas can help you to stay on top of your growing needs. Finishing a basement space can ad value to your home as well as square footage.

Any foundation wall, any size project, no project to large or too small for Tri-State Service Inc. to handle.

Serving: Berks, Bucks, Lehigh, Montgomery and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania

Crack Repair, Backup Pumps, Sump Pumps, Basement Drainage, Basement Waterproofing, Basement Finishing: Provided by Tri-State Services.

Tri-State Services Inc. Pennsylvania (PA) 215-679-3550

A Basement is an important part of your home; it’s the groundwork for the rest of the house. A healthy basement can help you have a healthy home.

Pioneer Basement TV Commercial

Indoor Air Quality; Affected by Basmenet

General studies suggest that over 40% of the air that we breathe in the rest of the house comes from the basement. In a cascading effect called Stack Effect. The air joins the rest of the air circulating in the home and eventually finds its way up and out.

However, having an untreated water issue in your basement, or uncontrolled moisture in your basement space can invite more serious matters to affect your Air Quality.

Using quality materials in moisture and water mitigation is so critical now, more than ever. Whatever you do in your basement can have health ramifications upstairs. And if you're subjected to a poor choice by someone who just wanted a check, it can harm you over a long period of time. Open back systems can actually increase the amount of Radon in a home. They can also invite bugs and other small animals to come, eat, live and defecate. Insanitary conditions this day'n'age are totally avoidable and you don't have to live with a bad choice off of someone else's ignorance.

Closed systems don't have any of these effects. There is no open aspect to them. They don't allow moisture or water through, and having a full concrete floor over the drain, small animals and insects can't find their way through. Now that you have full control over your basement moisture and water, a dehumidifier will run more effectively and efficiently. This will save you time, effort, and money, not only down stairs, but upstairs as well. Having less moisture cascading up into your living space will enable your air conditioners to work better.


Your air conditioner actually has to heat the air it takes in, which allows moisture to be removed, and then it cools the air and pumps it back into the house. The less moisture it has to remove from the air, the better it can drop the degree in the room. All of the energy can go into actually cooling the space rather than having to deal with removing moisture first. That's what makes a solid dehumidifier so important to a moisture control system in your basement. You're not only taking care of the space in the basement but minimizing the ramifications of that moisture on the money you're spending on heating and cooling the house upstairs.

A SantaFe Dehumidification Unit is a key element in any basement waterproofing or basement finishing project that you want to have done.

New Corner Port Blog on Pioneer Basement

Grate Drain Corner Ports @ Pioneer Basement.com Forums

Thought you'd like to know. It deals in a little more depth about the use of the corner port in the GrateDrain System used by Pioneer Basement in Waterproofing basements.