One of the rooms that most easily gathers clutter in your home is your basement or cellar. By its very nature, it's where you stick stuff that you rarely need. Basements are usually not as well maintained as other rooms of your home. They can often be VERY humid and go through wild temperature swings. This can cause huge damage to whatever is stored down there. If you're going to store things there, make the...

There are many things you can ignore and procrastinate.   A crack in your foundation is NOT one of them.  The very first thing you should do (without delay) when you witness a foundation crack, is to check your Homeowners policy.  If your policy covers this damage, then it's a "no-brain'r" to get the ball rolling as soon as possible on scheduling repair.  If your policy does not cover this damage, then there are potential other...

If your basement is damp or occasionally floods, chances are you have basement mold growing in it. Basement mold can damage your home and become a health issue for you and your family. To determine if you have basement mold growing in your basement there are a few things you can do. First, simply smell the basement. If it smells moldy, then you more than likely have basement mold growing. It is then just a...

How do you know when it's time to replace your sump pump? Some signs that your sump pump can't be repaired include: noisy units, it stops working completely and electrical problems. Noisy Units - If your sump pump is making a load noise the entire time it's running, either the impeller is bent or the motor is going out. Turn your unit over and remove the screen, using your screwdriver. Inspect the impeller. If it...

Do you have a leaky bulkhead? Every time you go to use the bulkhead exit from your basement do you notice the floor around the stairs is always wet, especially after it rains? Sometimes you notice water on the ground outside the bulkhead could this be it? Or maybe the problem is water is leaking through at the floor wall joint. How can this be fixed correctly and what if is there more than one...

If you have already lived through the dreaded experience of a flooded basement, then you know how much damage it can cause. Even one inch of water can take many hours to clean up and causes thousands of dollars in damaged furniture and carpets. Installing a sump pump in your basement is your best defense to prevent flooding. Basement flooding is most often caused by water build up in the soil that makes its way...

Basement Dehumidifiers are critical for ensuring that moisture doesn't seep into the basement area—even if you have insulated your basement with weatherproofing/waterproofing synthetic applications. Moisture seepage is the most prominent cause of basement maintenance issues like mold, surface peeling or invasive dampness that seeps inside the house. An effective dehumidifier guarantees dryness in the basement, helping to prevent proliferation of dust mites and mildew. Further, most contemporary dehumidifiers are sold with air filters that help...

If your basement has a dirt floor, cover the floor completely with plastic to slow down water vapor coming through the soil. Use ventilation fans in kitchens and baths to control moisture. Check to make sure ventilation fans venting directly outside. In some cases the vent fan may have been installed to vent into the attic or become disconnected or blocked. Your clothes dryer should be vented directly to the outside. Inspect the vent duct....

Why basement waterproofing is a good idea Do you have problems with a damp or leaking basement? You’re not alone. There are millions New England homeowners with the same problem. But, rather than ignore the problem and suffer the consequences, you can fix the problem, and here are three reasons why you should. Even if you don’t use your basement for anything other than storage, moisture will lead to mold and mildew. Toxic mold can...

Cleaning and Killing Mold Killing mold that is already visible is actually quite easy. A simple borax solution is enough to do it. Borax is a common cleaning material, but unlike bleach, it is capable of killing mold on porous surfaces. Additionally, borax does not give off harmful fumes, unlike bleach or many other cleaning agents. However, borax is toxic, so keep your children and pets away from it. Mix 1 cup of borax with...