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.

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.

Pioneer Basement WBZ Boston Podcast!

Pioneer Basement "Ask Steve" WBZ Podcast

I wanted everyone to know. That way you can subscribe early in order to keep up with the new content that is going to be published on that.

Sump Pumps Going Green is the Standard!

Glentronics created by Alan Schulman is responsible for 80-85% of all the battery back up sump pumps sold in America. With water being a natural resource Alan felt that not only battery back ups should use surface water, and not drinking water to flush out a discharge line, but primary sump pumps as well. So, being the entrepreneur he is, he’s created one.

He is currently asking legislators for help. Glentronics thinks that is just bad business to be, in some cases, using our own drinking water to cool some pump units. Putting a strain on a very valuable commodity, especially during drought seasons, isn’t a good idea.

Besides conserving water, Glentronics has also pioneered the Pro-Series pumps which are proven to use from a third to one-half less electricity then ordinary sump pumps. They also only come into contact with surface water, not water that has been filtered for drinking, but its naturally occurring in the soil.

“What if all the sump pumps in the United States where energy efficient?” Schulman asked Diana Newton of www.Pioneerlocal.com. “..customers recognize that it’s good for them and the world…” (taken from “Local inventor pumps it out” by Diana Newton, 1/22/08, www.pioneerlocal.com, Chicago)

With the push to become less dependent on foreign oil, with natural energy resources coming to a very expensive bottle neck, it’s nice to know that something that is designed to keep you safe is also designed to save you money and save energy.

The Pro-Series 3033 is a true 1/3 horse power pump that Pioneer Basement, Grate Products LLC, and all the contractors associated with the Pioneer Home Basement Finishing network use every day in thousands of installs a year. The pump’s impeller shaft is balanced on both the top and bottom with ball bearings in order to assure that it stays vertical, doesn’t touch the sides, and decreases the amount of friction while spinning. The whole unit is designed to be cooled off the water that it pumps out. That means no oil, no oil clogs, no oil maintenance and that means that it doesn’t need to use the same oil that’s causing financial situations all over the world. The more important part, the energy specific part, is the split capacitor motor (PSC) which holds the charge of 4amps of electricity. This allows the pump to continuously use 4amps of electricity when in use. It won’t spike and surge as other units can and do, which will save you money in the long run. When used periodically over the course of a year, it has the possibility of saving you over $55 dollars in comparison to other pumps on the market.

Being American born entrepreneurs ourselves at Pioneer Basement, we’re very proud to help to support an American company with safety and energy efficacy in mind.