Air Quality

Air Quality in homes today is a subject that gets much discussion lately. When I tell people that I believe up to 40% of the air on the first floor of your home comes from your basement they look at me like I'm crazy. For many years people have been treating the basement as NOT part of the house. Out of site out of mind. Stack effect is at work in your home - which means that when you open windows or doors on the first floor, air is drawn up from the basement like a chimney.

Basements where the relative humidity is above 50% are possibly allowing mold to thrive and stack effect brings what is in the basement up to the first floor. I believe that since the 1970's energy crisis -when we started making houses more air tight , we added to the problem. When I was a child I can remember the curtains in our kitchen blowing in the morning. Houses prior to the 1970's were probably healthier. Any way you look at it, I am not saying to go back to the 1950's - just prepare your basements for the 21 st century. Even if you never plan to go in your basement, preparing it properly can add to the health of your home and more importantly your family.

Sometimes I get to feeling like no one is listening to me, sometimes I feel our industry will not change until it realizes the problems they are causing homeowners. Some contractors tell me "shhh... Steve" "Don't shake the tree." I am not afraid to say what I feel. My motives are pure and noble. I want a better future for my customers and their families. I do this work because of my love of helping people. It is true that for many years I installed opened backed drainage systems just like everyone else - but would you want me to continue doing something (just because every other company in my industry still wants to do it that way) I am not sorry for being discontent with the way things were. I am not sorry for having a desire to make thing better for all homowners.

In August 2006 when my local basement drainage company made a decision to require a closed sub floor drainage system, it wasn't long before some of my past customers asked me "what about me - you installed an open backed system in my home". I answered them honestly and said that prior to August 2006 - wall vapor barriers and closed systems were options. We offered such systems but found that left to themselves a lot of our customers went for what was "less expensive". We now offer these customers of ours an opportunity to upgrade their system by having us install a wall vapor barrier and Flexi-Flange. We do so for a special price for our loyal customers.

It is my hope that someday the basement industry will have best practices that includes requiring a closed sub floor drainage system. Also we need to educate everyone (including the guys on HGTV) that wood and organic materials should not be used in a basement environment. A micro environment behind a wooden wall could be the perfect breeding ground for mold to grow.

Radon and Basement Drainage Systems

Radon is an odorless gas that can enter the lower levels of the home (especially the basement). Make sure to install a closed drainage system with a sealed wall vapor barrier like the GrateDrain. Grate Drain System not only handles ground water but it will do so while protecting your family from radon. GrateDrain system is a closed system which does not promote radon entering the basement. In fact a basement drainage system like the GrateDrain will allow a radon mitigation system to work more effectively.

Don't allow any contractor to install an open backed system which can allow radon to easily enter the basement. Demand a closed GrateDrain System with HD TuffShield Wall Vapor Barrier. Don't just "waterproof your basement" but make it a healthy basement that will promote good health for your family.

Basement Sump Pump

The Pro Series Basement Sump Pump has a dual float switch. This is great because the number one reason why a sump pump fails is the switch. If the first switch fails the second one will kick on and operate your sump pump.

The Pro Series 3033 (1/3hp sump pump) comes with a controller which will send an alarm if something is wrong with the , pump, switch, or lose of ac power. It even has a connection which allows you to tie it in to the home security system if you wish.

Authorized Grate Products Contractors install the Por Series 3033 Sump Pump. You can locate your local contractor at www.grateproducts.com

Bulkhead Drainage Trench

Many basement waterproofing contractors will include as part of their drainage systems a Bulkhead Trench across the bottom of the bulkhead entrance into the basement. This I believe is a great idea. Todays technologies have advanced to the point that an air resistant bulkhead trench has been developed. This pre pitched trench drain directs water to a drain basket in the middle - when more than two teaspoons of water flows on top of this patent pending valve kit it will open allowing the water to drain below the basement floor. When the water stops flowing into the trench this valve will close so as to not allow moisture and ground humidity to enter the basement. Check it out at www.grateproducts.com

My local company Pioneer Basement has been installing GrateTrench now for over a year. Pioneer Basement is an Authorized Grate Products Contractor for Eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. GrateTrench is available to homeowners throughout the United States.

When People Say " My Basement Is Wet "

Do they mean it is flooded or do they mean it is moist? Most basement are damp and moist because that is the nature of being underground. Yet most people including contractors do not have a clue as to how to properly prepare a basement. In fact most homeowners treat the basement of their house as not really a part of the home - but it is!

Iron Bacteria - The Red Stuff

Well by now if you haven't noticed, I have become the voice in our industry proclaiming a war on this so called "rare problem". Let me ask you this waterproofing contractors and homeowners: If iron bacteria is such a rare problem then why do most all waterproofing contractors write exclusions in their warranty such as " While iron bacteria is a rare problem, contractor cannot be held responsible for clogging due to iron bacteria, iron algae, iron ocher or whatever they call it. I call it Red Stuff after my installers.

You see, I am Steve Andras, 30 years in this business. My hands held many a jackhammer in my time. I have been running a waterproofing company for nearly 25 years, I have run into this stuff many times and when we did we called it "red stuff".

I declared war on this stuff, after 25 years of fighting something I didn't even understand. My son, who is as passionate about basements as I am, and I decided to do research on what we were fighting. We now understand and can help anyone with this problem - some permanently cured - some never cured but manageable. That is why we created The GrateDrain System - the only basement drainage system that has adjustable corner ports and GrateDrain Outlet ports at the GrateSump. This way we can treat the drainage system with hot water (140-180 degrees) using a low pressure (300 psi) - the red stuff just washes away. You see sometimes when we treat the red stuff on a regular basis we believe we can in some cases reduce the problem by removing enough of the "perfect conditions" for iron bacteria to flourish. in most cases we can manage these worst case problem situations to a flush once or twice a year. For more information on this subject see also www.basementdepot.com/knowledgebase or www.grateproducts.com

Wood Sub Floors

I see these organic (wood) sub flooring advertised everywhere. I personally do not recommend them and this is why
1) organic material is a no no in the basement environment _ Mold Candy !!
2) water vapor still comes up from the seams in the tiles (I have seen many carpets where after several months the seams of those wood sub tiles show thru because of the moisture coming from the seams.
3) one plumbing leak and you will need to replace everything.

Anyone have any comments about this subject?