Humidity Meter: Basement

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2012年9月15日星期六

How to Successfully Complete a Basement Remodel Project and Protect Against Mold

You could easily add up to a third extra living space to your home by completing a basement remodel project. Most families will find this extra living space a great boon and it will also add quite a bit of value onto your property; that is if you get it right. If you try and cut corners with your basement remodel project you could end up with something that is going to detract from the value of your house and end up costing you a fortune to put right; it could even lead to illness in your family. Some half-hearted attempts at a basement remodel end up creating the ideal conditions for mold to grow and become a problem.

To prevent your dream turning into a catastrophe you will need to do all you can to protect against mold. The reason that a basement remodel project can make things worse in regards to this fungus is that it can create the type of environment that mold just loves; for example, if you put some wood paneling down there and combined this with a new basement shower. Most of the materials used in a basement remodel are made up of wood and this dead organic material is exactly what mold loves. In order for mold to grow it also needs moisture so the condensation from a shower in the basement could provide plenty of this. What you have is wood soaked with water and you will soon have mold on your hands; if this is behind the paneling then it could go unchecked for a long time.

In order to protect your basement remodel project from turning into a nightmare you will need to consider how best stop this room from being mold-friendly. You can do this by not allowing moisture to build up. If you are going to install a shower down there then make sure that you have a vent to remove the condensation. Make sure there is not too much humidity in the basement; you can purchase a humidity meter to check this. If there is a problem then you can get a dehumidifier to deal with this. If you have any leaks allowing water into your basement then these will need to be sealed. It might also be a good idea to put some heating down there as this can reduce the amount of moisture on surfaces by keeping it in the air.

Charles Boday is a Certified Mold Inspector and Contractor, graduate from Certified Mold Inspector & Contractors Institute. He has worked with some of the countries top scientists seeking alternative poison-free mold remediation techniques. He has testified as an expert foundation witness and is the Author of the books, The Ultra Dry Basement.

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10 Tips to Protect Your Basement from Mold Growth

Does your basement ever flood? Is your basement ever damp? If so, you may need to inspect your basement for mold, and possibly remodel it to remove the mold.

You may suspect hidden mold if your basement smells moldy, but you cannot see the source. You may know there has been water damage, but not think there is mold. Mold may be hidden in places such as the back side of drywall, behind wallpaper, or paneling, the top side of ceiling tiles, underneath carpets and pads, etc.

Mold could also be hidden around leaking pipes, or pipes that are constantly covered with condensation. Heat and air conditioning ducts also can hide mold that can affect your family.

You may want to hire an experienced professional when investigating in your basement for mold, because sometimes when looking for mold, spores can be released that are dangerous for your health. You would be amazed at how many mold spores can be released when pulling off basement wallpaper.

Conventional construction materials used in basement remodeling and basement construction in the past are perfect for mold growth. Since they frequently contain wood and paper based products, they provide a great food source for mold, as well as soaking and holding water for long periods of time.

Here are some tips for preventing mold growth in your basement:

1. Control mold growth by acting quickly when water leaks or spills in your basement. Make it a goal to have any basement leaks or spills to be completely dry in 24-48 hours.

2. Make sure the ground outside your home slopes away from the building, so water is directed away from the house instead of collecting and leaking into the basement.

3. Purchase a humidity meter at the hardware store, and keep basement humidity below 60 percent.

4. If you see a lot of condensation on your basement pipes or basement windows, work fast to reduce humidity and dry those surfaces. Lots of condensation can be a sign of high humidity in your basement.

5. Run a dehumidifier in your basement. It will do wonders to pull moisture out of the air, preventing mold growth.

6. Make sure clothes dryers are vented outside of the basement, not inside. The moisture from drying clothes stays in the air and can encourage basement mold growth.

7. If you have a shower in your basement bathroom, install an exhaust fan to pull moist air out of the bathroom while the shower is running.

8. Cover cold surfaces like cold basement water pipes with insulation to prevent basement condensation.

9. Increase the temperature of your basement. Hot air can hold more moisture without causing condensation on basement surfaces.

10. Use fans to keep the air moving. A well ventilated basement will be less likely to become moldy.

If you are considering basement remodeling or basement finishing, did you know you can create your new basement out of mold resistant materials? Breakthrough technology has created mold resistant basement finishing systems so you never have to worry about mold again. Visit our Basement Remodeling Website for details.

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2012年9月14日星期五

Preventing Mold In the Basement

The basement is one of the areas in the house where molds usually grow. Aside from the fact that is usually dark in the basement, households seldom find time to actually clean the basement. Most water leaks also go directly to the basement which can primarily cause molds in the said area.

Preventing molds in the basement can be done by eliminating water sources in the said area of the house. Below are some instructions on how to avoid and eliminate molds in the basement:

Monitor the level of humidity in your basement. You can use humidity meter to do this or install dehumidifier. The level should be lower than 45 to avoid molds in the basement. It will help to still use dehumidifier to maintain the humidity level and to lessen the air moisture.

Inspect your basement if there is water leakage. Check the faucets (if any) and sink holes and other water sources. If there is a water leak problem, have it repair immediately. And make sure to keep your basement always dry and clean after repairing the damages.

Seal or cover the cracks and holes with cement to avoid water spillage. Make sure that the cement has water proof element to prevent water from absorbing in and prevent cement to have moist.

Clean your basement and organize the clutters. This will help for proper air circulation in your basement. If this happens, moisture can be prevented as well as molds. Make sure that your basement has enough ventilation and install fans when needed.

As much as possible, do not store newspapers, old furniture, clothes and appliances in your basement. Molds may grow in these materials as well as pests. If you really need to store them in the basement, cover them and place them away from the walls. Place them on top of tables or chairs or shelves and avoid putting them on the ground.

Check the surrounding outside of your basement. Inspect the gutters, soil or ground, trees, and many others. Make sure that the surrounding is clean and the soil is healthy. Make sure also that the spouts do not go directly to your basement or home.

Install exhaust fans especially if there is bathroom in your basement. This will avoid moisture inside and molds too. Wipe the floor and clean the bathroom even if you are using it or not.

If your outside slope is directing to your basement, repair it right away and make sure that it goes away from your home to avoid water from going to your basement.

Do not use carpet in your basement or do not store one in the basement.

Make use of metal or plastic cabinets in your basement for storage purposes. Since molds grow on woods, you may want to avoid them to avoid molds too.

Allow air access to items in your basement. This will prevent moisture to your items and to your basement. Check your items in the basement once in a while to make sure that they are still free from molds.

Molds are frequent in the basement because it is usually damp and dark in the basement. Mold and mildew are fungi and they grow fast in moist and humid areas. Once it started to grow in your basement, it can be difficult to eliminate them. Molds may cause asthma, cough, infections, congestion, allergies and skin rashes.

One way to prevent molds in the basement is to avoid putting plants in the basement. Plants in the basement may serve as food for molds and pests as well. Grow plants where it is accessible to sun light and air. Growing plants in the basement will only cause mold problems.

You can call for professional help to help you in controlling molds in your basement. Once you are secured that your basement is free from molds and that water does not enter your basement, ensure that you maintain it to avoid molds. Existing molds can be removed by soap and water. Even if you have cleaned and totally removed the molds, if your basement is still open for water build up and moisture, molds will still come back over and over again.

Mold remediation is very important for those people that have had flood water in their home. Go to honorguardpest.com to find out more about this vital service.

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2012年7月12日星期四

Preventing Mold In the Basement

Preventing molds in the basement can be done by eliminating water sources in the said area of the house. Below are some instructions on how to avoid and eliminate molds in the basement:

Mold remediation is very important for those people that have had flood water in their home. Go to honorguardpest.com to find out more about this vital service.

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2012年5月2日星期三

The Benefits Of Hiring A Professional Basement Waterproofer

Why Hire A Waterproofing Contractor To Fix Your Wet Basement?

1. Regain A Floor Of Space In Your Home

Whether you're using your basement as storage or are planning on finishing it into additional living space, waterproofing the space will help you reclaim a substantial amount of usable space.

If a basement is worth having, then it's certainly worth it to make the space into a usable area. Basement flooding can lead to a series of expensive problems over the years, as appliances, utilities, and everything in the area is gradually destroyed by flooding water.

Conversely, a complete waterproofing system can be installed in a single day. When it's provided complete with a battery backup system, your space becomes reliably dry and ready for storage. The installation crew can do all the work, remove all the debris, and provide you an annual service plan - so you know your system is maintained in working order.

2. Create A Healthier Living Space

Moisture means humidity, and humidity means mold. As mold grows on everything in the space, it will damage personal property and create an ugly space.

More importantly, this mold will release allergenic and potentially toxic spores into the air, which will then be carried upstairs via the natural air movement in the building (commonly referred to as the "stack effect"). All mold spores are allergenic - even dead spores - and can hang in the air for days.

In extreme cases, thousands of mold spores may be present in a single cubic centimeter of air. A human breathes in 10-12 cubic meters of air each day, and it only takes 2-3 mold spores to cause an allergic reaction.

What is the likelihood of a resident having a mold allergy? Approximately 50% of homes have at least one resident with allergies - and 90% of individuals with allergies show mold spore sensitivity.

They key to eliminating mold is to dry the space out - mold needs relative humidity levels of 60% or higher to thrive. Waterproofing, sealing, and dehumidifying the space is a surefire way to address a mold issue and keep it under control in the future.

3. Restore Value To Your Home

Nobody wants a wet basement! And while you're stuck with your basement, home buyers have a choice. To entice them to consider the purchase, a homeowner will generally have to discount the home by 10% of its value or more.

In less common cases, a realtor may arrange a waterproofer to visit the home and write a proposal for the work to be done. In this case, the seller will often either agree to discount the home by the value of the waterproofing system, or will offer to waterproof the home before selling it to them. This is a great compromise all around.

However, if this is your plan, why not just waterproof the space now, and enjoy the benefits of a waterproofing system in the months, years, or decades before you sell your home? Many waterproofers offer a written warranty that can be transferred to the next homeowner at the time of sale - so you'd still have that selling edge.

When you're ready to look into a professional waterproofing job, be sure to consider Larry Janesky's Connecticut Basement Systems. Their experts serve throughout the state, as well as providing basement waterproofing in Westchester county, NY. We're standing by to help you transform your basement into dry, usable, valuable space!

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2012年2月13日星期一

How to Stop Sweating Pipes in the Basement

Do you have puddles of water on your basement floor due to sweating pipes? If you are inconvenienced (to say the least) by this situation, take heart because you are not alone with this problem. Sweating pipes in the basement is a very common predicament experienced by most homeowners.

The truth is, pipe sweating is just an indication of extreme dampness or humidity in your basement. Even when there are no leaks in your basement, large amounts of water vapor can enter it, and, eager to become water again, latches on to any cold surface around. You guessed it right...water pipes are the easiest targets. Your cold water pipes need to "sweat out" or condense the moisture out of your damp basement.

But enough of the lecture, and on with the solutions. What steps can you take to stop sweating pipes in the basement? Here are five common solutions to your problem:

1. Use a dehumidifier. Continuously running a dehumidifier in your basement will can help a lot in lowering the humidity of your basement. The less humid your basement, the less likely your pipes will sweat. Removing the access dampness in your basement can also get rid of the unhealthy air, allowing you and your family to breathe in better air.

2. Use foam insulation. By wrapping your cold pipes, you get right to heart of the matter - not let moisture reach them in the first place! Home improvement stores carry foam-pipe insulation that can easily slip right over your pipes. This material is available in various lengths and can be easily cut with a pair of scissors. You don't even need to wrap all fifty meters or so of pipe in your house. Just do it for those easy-to-reach pipes and you will see a significant improvement.

3. Get rid of all leaks in the basement. Like I previously mentioned, even without leaks, moisture can get in. Just imagine how the situation can worsen if you do have cracks or openings in your basement. For minor leaks, waterproofing compounds will do, while hydraulic cement is best for actively leaking areas. Make sure also that all plumbing problems within the house are taken care of. Dampness can come from both outside and inside the house.

4. Check your house's foundations and exterior walls. If you have a problem in your house's foundations on top of having cracks in your basement walls, this will compound your moisture problems. For instance, an ineffective gutter system or the lack of one, can let all the water pool at your home's foundations right outside your basement! Make sure rainwater is directed away from your house not towards it.

If the ground around is sloped towards the foundations of your house, that could be also another cause of moisture problem in your basement.

5. Apply waterproofing compound on walls and floors. To further prevent any unwanted moisture from coming inside your basement, you can use waterproofing compound on walls and floors even before any leaks are detected. Choose a high quality waterproofing that will effectively stop any water from coming in the basement, and not just one that will protect from surface moisture as a sealer does. Also, use a waterproofer that is suitable for sealing walls under water pressure.

Keep in mind that if you do just any one or two of these steps, the improvements can be felt already. Used together, the effects can be tremendous.

If you are looking for a handyman in Minnetonka, MN be sure to visit the Minnetonka handyman directory for a list of contractors that can help you with your home repair needs.

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2011年12月24日星期六