Wet Basements in Connecticut Can be fixed: Basement Waterproofing must be licensed first!

The expert basement waterproofing company that I work for has been helping CT overcome their wet basements for over 25 years. Pioneer Basement has also been in Mass and Rhode Island, helping thousands of happy homeowners defend against having to live with a wet basement.

 

The basement waterproofing industry is loaded with unqualified and uninsured people and businesses. It’s important to also consider when looking for a waterproofing contractor what you’re protected against in the future.

 

Contractors who work with improper licenses subject you to little or no coverage against fraud and state protection if something goes wrong with the job they install. Make sure that your contractor is fully insured, not just with liability, but is also fully licensed with the state. Contractors who don’t keep up with their registration with the state are ether too lazy, understaffed, have had their license revoked, or have just never applied.

 

Make sure to contact your state’s department of labor to check that your contractor is suited to work on your home and to help you improve your conditions. Verify their license number that they give you and make sure that they’re up to your state’s standards for coverage. This information is free and open to the public at all times.

 

For basement waterproofing companies, make sure that they are included in your Better Business Bureau. Each state has their own, but if you’re using a contractor that’s licensed in multiple states check their BBB.org record against their home state. This will give you the most accurate and up to date information on where they generally stand with their customers. This information is also free and open to the public.

 

Also make sure to do a quick search on www.nawsrc.org (National Association for Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors) to see if they’re registered and meet standards of that organization.

 

Doing a little research first can save you mountains of headaches later. After that, the work is only as good as the crews and the products that are used.

 

 For help with your wet basement in ct, contact Pioneer Basement

Duel Float Switch: Best ideas for Sump Pumps

 

Duel Float switch by Glentronics

Switches are a key part to a sump pump working when you need it to.  Older versions of switches actually connected directly to the sump pump, so when they failed, the whole pump ether needed to be removed or serviced. It’s not the best thing to have to do while the water is rising in your basement.

 

Glentronics, an American Sump Pump company, is the only company that has designed a duel float switch that is not only separate from the pump but is adjustable, protected from debris by a cage, and is relayed to a control monitor box to help you determine the health of your switch and pump at any given time.

 

Pioneer Basement has installed countless duel float switches of this design all over New England including Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The idea is to give the customer a built in safety for the system. If the bottom switch fails, the 2nd kicks on, cueing the monitor to sound an alarm, which in turn, notifies the homeowner to an issue and the need for service.

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;”>The duel float switch and controller is a item that Pioneer Basement, Pioneer Home Basement Finishing and any other contractor in the GrateProducts Network of Authorized Contractors is proud to use, service and install.

Having an adjustable switch allows you to react to where the water actually is, rather than trying to move the pump, which can be heavy and awkward. By moving a pump you remove it from where it’s most efficient which is at the point of contact with the water.  If you wish to have your pump be more pro-active than normal you simply move the switch lower.  If during a period of time you hear your pump coming on more than normal, you can simply move the switch up, lowering the frequency of the pump turning on.  Pioneer Basement always recommends you have a service Technician do this to maximize the efficiency of the placement of the switch. Every basement is different and so is each basement’s fight against water. That’s why we use this versatile switch in every job that we install.

If you’d like to schedule an appointment to have your sump pump inspected, your basement inspected or just want more information on why we use these pumps in our basement waterproofing jobs, just simply visit Pioneer Basement’s Main site.  

 

For more reading on why the Pro-Series Sump Pumps are so amazing, visit this Sump Pump Article on DIYGuyCT.blogspot.com

Vapor Barriers and Why you do need them.

There’s a lot of talk circulating around forums and interest boards about basement waterproofing. A standard question comes up about this topic about Vapor Barriers: Do I need one and how do I install it?

 

Simple:

 

Traditional techniques dictate that the location of the Vapor Barrier should be placed outside of the studs, covering both the studs and the insulation. The drywall is then installed on top of the Barrier. It’s the right idea in the wrong order.
That style of technique is wrong because it allows any of the moisture that’s trapped from the barrier to sit behind it. If it’s coming in contact with regular fiberglass insulation you’re then adding that moisture to the fiberglass which can propagate mold and mildew. The second problem is that the barrier isn’t connected to a draining system. The water has no where to go. Typically the barrier sometimes doesn’t even reach the floor and won’t stop water from coming into the active living space. It allows the water to find the drywall and wick up the back of it to cause more damage.

 

A very simple solution can solve all this issue.

Place the vapor barrier ON the concrete wall, run it to a drainage system that can handle the water/moisture that the barrier traps.  Install BasementShield 1″-2″ away from the barrier and you’ll be completely protected and insulated properly from any style of moisture/vapor/water that could seep/leak/wick through the concrete walls and infect your areas.  

 

So: YES, you need a vapor barrier to keep moisture/V.O.C.s/radon/water out of your living space. You install it directly on the concrete.  You then need a drainage system to actually help remove the water from behind the barrier.  Next you need to install non-organic construction like BasementShield 1-2″ from the barrier in order to remove food for mold and mildew to feed on.  The barrier is for your health, to protect from water damage, to restrict the effect of radon and other V.O.C.s from affecting your air quality, and to protect the rest of the investment in the basement finishing that you’ve put your equity into.  

 

TAKE NOTE:

Most, if not all, 4mil vapor barriers are not fire rated.

 

The Vapor Barriers that are used by Pioneer Basement are all 6mil plus in thickness.  The most important thing is that Pioneer only uses Class A Fire Retardant barriers.  That means that the barrier won’t ignite in contact with fire, but will melt and smolder itself out. We then added anti-microbial to the barrier to greater enhance the effect it has on eliminating mold and mildew from growing as well as the creeping of Iron Bacteria up the vapor barrier