Thinking Long-Term Safety & Health With Proper Foundation Structural Repair & Basement Waterproofing
I recently saw an article in Consumer Reports that served as a good reminder to homeowners about some of the home care issues that need to be addressed. With today’s economy, it’s easy to justify repairing a slippery crack in a basement wall because it doesn’t seem to pose an immediate threat, except for a slight inconvenience.
Problems related to the structural stability of the foundation or indoor air quality require immediate action. Such issues are primarily threatening the health and overall safety of the family: not tomorrow, or a year from now, but now.
Areas of Concern
While bad news for homeowners, such issues are good for basement waterproofing and foundation repair contractors – their services will always be needed. The Consumer Reports article lists some of the issues that homeowners should be concerned about – the growth of mold and mildew and cracks in foundations. As a business owner who works with the basement waterproofing industry, these are two areas of concern that I am well aware of.
Affected Areas
Mold and mildew can develop indoors for a variety of reasons. The most prominent areas are basements and crawling areas, where excessive humidity is guaranteed unless the necessary steps are taken. Concrete walls are prone to water vapor – water leaks from cracks in foundations or floors exacerbate the problem. Basements and crawling areas provide an ideal environment for trapped moisture that eventually turns into mold eggs and mildew.
Concrete cracks
Concrete cracks in the foundation walls are usually caused by shrinkage or settling around the foundation. Cracks in concrete shrinkage are not usually a structural hazard, yet they can be a headache for the homeowner when they start leaking.
Whether the foundation cracks are structural or not, it is best not to leave them exposed for too long, as it has to do with indoor air quality. These cracks, as well as in concrete floors, can provide an opportunity for the release of dust gases. In addition to the infiltration of dust gases, the growth of mold and mildew can be enough to create a nightmare of indoor air quality. Bad air circulating inside the basement and crawl space affects the whole house – 50% of the air circulating in the whole house comes from the ground floor of the house.
Concrete cracking is inevitable. Properly addressing them as soon as possible will reduce further road problems. Further concerns about indoor air quality can be addressed by applying appropriate waterproofing and sealing techniques to the entire basement and crawl space. There are many qualified contractors available to serve such jobs throughout the United States and Canada. You can’t put a price on the long-term stability of the home and the health of the family.
