This week we have an interesting call from a homeowner in Chelmsford, MA. The customer told us that she wanted to have her yard excavated around her house in order to have two nonstructural foundation wall cracks repaired and damp proofing (not waterproofing material) installed. We asked her where she learned that in order to install damp proofing material and repair the cracks she needed to excavate and tear up her landscaping. The homeowner told us she saw it on YouTube.
We chuckled and told her that in our 16-plus years of experience, we've never seen anyone have to go through the financial inconvenience of excavating her yard as she saw on YouTube. After speaking with the customer further, we determined that the foundation wall cracks could all be repaired from the inside the home as they were approximately 1/4 of an inch wide and pretty typical. For the waterproofing/damp proofing, we are able to apply a water-based crystallization product specifically designed to permanently block moisture and vapor transmission in concrete or masonry applications. The crystallization activity of the system is continuous while moisture is present and becomes inactive during dry conditions and is fully reactivated when moisture or moisture vapors are present. The unique “reactivation” is the key in providing permanent waterproofing protection for any concrete or masonry substrate. She was so happy that we could not only save her thousands of dollars in costs, but also allow her to enjoy her yard for the rest of the summer!