3) A French drain is that small channel about 1/2 inch that’s open and collects water around the perimeter of the floor. This is called a hydro-gap. When the home was built, the builders installed this type of flooring to channel water to a sump pump in most cases. However this method does work and water just sits in the gap and causes more harm than good. With water just sitting stagnant in the floor it creates humidity and bacteria-which then causes MOLD.
Basement Remodeling
For over 20 years, Rightway Waterproofing has been eliminating basement moisture, black mold and mildew in the Delaware Valley. Our goal has always been to provide the highest quality basement waterproofing, basement finishing and mold remediation services to our clients.
Commonly, wet basements occur in homes that lie in low-level areas at the bottoms of slopes or hills, but the everyday shifting or settling of your home may also cause leakage. Other potential causes may be poorly-mixed foundation concrete or improperly designed drainage systems. New swimming pools or home additions (whether in your yard or a neighbor’s) may also cause problems.
-There are many causes of basement leakage: 1. Cracks in walls and floors due to structural changes such as settling 2. Insufficient runoff due to improper landscaping or gutters. 3. High water table
1) The French drain was developed in France because the homes there did not have roof drainage (gutters) so an open trench of perforated pipe and crushed stone would direct the roof water away from the foundation.
Siding
The top of a home’s foundation should extend at least a few inches above ground level, but over time, many homeowners tend to raise the surrounding landscape and add non-porous surfaces like concrete or asphalt. Doing this allows water to seep through brickwork or siding, and over the top of the foundation into the house. The top of your foundation is also at risk if your home is situated in a low-lying area, or if a neighboring property is sloped toward you.
When a mold remediation and basement waterproofing company farms out its work to subcontractors, it makes the channels of communication more complex, adding a layer of insulation between itself and the customer. When you hire Rightway, there’s only two sides to every equation from the inspection to the mold cleaning: You and us!
Masonry
Water can seep into your basement through cracks in the walls or floor, but there are plenty of other places it can break through. Look for weak spots around your basement, such as mortar joints (spaces between bricks or concrete blocks) tie rods that reinforce masonry, the junctures where the walls meet the floor (known as a “cove joint†), the top of your home’s foundation, or window wells. Water can also come from leaky plumbing.