Basement waterproofing and crawl space repair in GA

Does the Rain Keep You Awake at Night?

Thu, May 10 2012, 00:00:00 -500

If you have a dirt crawl space, do you lie awake at night every time it rains, hoping that water won't get into your crawl space or basement?

There are several ways water can get into a house. Groundwater seeps, leaks and even rushes into many crawl spaces or basements. It can enter under the footing, between the footing, and the walls, through the block walls, and through cracks in poured walls. After the water seeps in, it will just lay there in puddles, leading to moisture problems, wood rot, mold and musty odors.

These things can steal value from your home. Every time it rains, the problem can get worse!

Lowcountry Basement can permanently fix the problem and restore your home's value with the CleanSpace system. Call for a free no-obligation inspection and estimate 888-520-0550.

Ten Things to Look for When Shopping for a Crawl Space Waterproofer

Thu, May 10 2012, 00:00:00 -500

It can be confusing when deciding on who to call when you have a water or moisture problem in your crawl space or basement.

I 've heard of homeowners contacting their plumber, their home builder, a general contractor, and sometimes even their pest control company. Here's a list of ten things to look for when shopping for a crawl space or basement waterproofer.

TOP TEN THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN SHOPPING FOR A CRAWL SPACE WATERPROOFER

1. Do they specialize in crawl space waterproofing?

2. Will the solution address the 4 basic steps to completely fix your dirt crawl space?

3. Can the company provide references of satisfied crawl space waterproofing customers?

4. Will a fully transferable, written warranty be provided with the system?

5. How long is the warranty for the system– 5, 10, or 25 years?

6. Do they offer an annual maintenance program after your system is installed?

7. How much more marketable and valuable will they make the home after it’s waterproofed?

8. Do they offer financing options for your project?

9. Is the company an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau?

10. The Small Business Administration reports that 50% of contractors fail within the first year and 95% within the fist five years. Will they still be in business when the customer needs them?

Robert of Lowcountry Basement Completes Olympic Triathlon

Tue, May 1 2012, 00:00:00 -500

Robert Videon, owner of Lowcountry Basement Systems, participated in his first olympic distance triathlon of the 2012 season. He traveled to LaGrange, GA with four other FCAE (Fellowship of Christian Athletes Endurance) team members, for the West Point Lake Olympic Triathlon. The race consisted of a 1.5k swim, a 40k bike course with many rolling hills, and a 10k run. He completed the race with a finish time of 3:02. Way to go Rob!

Signs of Foundation Settlement

Fri, April 20 2012, 00:00:00 -500

There are several signs you can look for to determine if your home may be experiencing foundation settlement.

Exterior Signs

Stair-step or vertical cracks in brick or concrete block walls
Chimneys separating away from the home
Doors and Windows out of square
Cracks extending from the corners of doors or windows
Separation of a door or window from the framing

Interior Signs

Stair-Step cracks in basement concrete block
Vertical cracks in basement poured concrete
Cracks in the concrete floor slab
Drywall cracks off of the corners of doors and windows or cracks that follow drywall seams
Doors and windows that are un-level, don’t close properly or stick when opened or closed

Lowcountry Basement Systems, your local Foundation Supportworks dealer, can conduct a thorough FREE inspection of your home's foundation. We'll let you know what steps need to be taken to permanently stabilize your foundation and restore your home's value.

Call for a FREE Inspection 888-520-0550

We Work in Tight Crawl Spaces!

Tue, April 17 2012, 00:00:00 -500

Our Crawl Space Repair Team will go where no homeowner wishes to go!

Fixing your dirt crawl space is no easy job, especially here in the south where some crawl spaces leave only a 2-3 foot clearance between the ground and subfloor. Our team has their work cut out for them, between making sure the ground is properly sloped for drainage, hauling in and installing the drainage matting and CleanSpace liner and any additional units, such as sump pumps and dehumidifiers. But it's all worth it when the job is all done and the homeowners crawl space is dry...for good!

Crawl space repair is necessary work and something that our certified installers do every day. You can rest assured that our crawl space repair team can fix your home's dirt crawl space problem the first time!

Gaps and Cracks

Thu, April 5 2012, 00:00:00 -500

This home in Dublin, GA suffered from a settling foundation, causing the garage to separate from the main structure, gaps around the window, cracks in the brick and a sinking concrete slab.

The Lowcountry Basement Foundation Team installed six Low Profile Push Piers and filled the void to bring the foundation back to level again. Our team is awesome at what they do! The customer is also happy their foundation is now stabilized.

BEFORE- crack in exterior brick

AFTER

BEFORE-Gap around window

AFTER

BEFORE-sinking concrete slab

AFTER

Is your home experiencing any of these symptoms? Call today for a FREE Evaluation! 888-520-0550

New Construction Helical Piers in St. Marys, GA

Thu, March 29 2012, 00:00:00 -500

St. Marys is a beautiful area located in southeast coastal Georgia. The Lowcountry Basement Foundation Team was called in to install 21 new construction helical piers, in coordination with the home builder, to ensure a stable foundation for the new construction home located along the marsh.

Do Your Foundation Opeings Meet FEMA Requirements?

Tue, March 27 2012, 00:00:00 -500

The National Flood Insurance Program has established regulations, for buildings that are constructed in flood hazard areas, to protect them from damage caused by flood forces.

The regulations require that residential buildings constructed in A zones have the lowest floor (including the basement) elevated to or above the base flood elevation. Enclosed areas (such as crawl spaces) are permitted under the elevated buildings, provided the enclosed areas meet restrictions related to flood resistance, including use of flood damage-resistant materials and installation of openings to allow for automatic entry and exit of floodwaters.

Openings in Foundation Walls and Walls of Enclosures

If you are concerned about moisture and humidity in your crawl space and are considering an encapsulation system for your home that is located in a flood area, then insulated flood vents are your best option. Insulated flood vents seal off the outside air, allowing you to control the humidity in your crawl space and keep out unwanted pests and critter. They also automatically equalize hydrostatic flood loads on the exterior walls by allowing the automatic entry and exit of flood waters.

Insurance agents will also request that property owners provide documentaion as part of applications for NFIP flood insurance. This will be provided to the homeowner after the installation of the flood vents.

Contact Lowcountry Basement Systems for a FREE evaluation and estimate at 888-520-0550.

Foundation Repair in Warner Robins, GA

Tue, March 20 2012, 00:00:00 -500

This home in Warner Robins suffered from a sinking foundation, causing severe cracks and gaps in the foundation. The Lowcountry Basement Foundation Repair Team installed 12 push piers to stabilize and lift the foundation. The homeowner can now rest assured that their biggest investment, their home, is secure!

BEFORE 1

AFTER 1

BEFORE 2

AFTER 2

Lowcountry Basement Supports Ten Can Run

Thu, December 1 2011, 00:00:00 -500

Robert and Nancy Videon, owners of Lowcountry Basement Systems, participated in the Ten Can Run 5k event at Savannah Christian Church on Thanksgiving morning. Along with the race entry fee, each runner donated a minimum of 10 cans of food that will go to support the Lighthouse Food Pantry Ministry. Over 350 people participated in the Ten Can event!

There is a great need here in Savannah and many families are struggling. The day prior to the race, ninety-five families requested food assistance from the Lighthouse Ministry. The items collected during the race will help replenish the food pantry and provide food to those in need.

Wounded Warrior Project

Tue, October 11 2011, 00:00:00 -500

On Saturday, October 8, 2011, more than 200 people, including Lowcountry Basement owners Robert and Nancy Videon, took part in the first ever Savannah Unity Charity Ride which is raising awareness and money for the Wounded Warrior Project. The group pedaled 30 miles through the streets of Savannah.

The ride is also honoring Command Sergeant Major Soto, a pilot with the Third ID Black Hawk Helicopter Unit.

Team Completes Anabec Applicator Training

Mon, October 3 2011, 00:00:00 -500

Lowcountry Basement Systems' production team members, Josh and Russel, successfully completed the Anabec training program to become Certified Applicators. We offer this advanced remediation product to customers desiring extra protection from mold, after the installation of our CleanSpace Crawl Space Encapsulation System.

Anabec's X-70 Plus is a microbial barrier product specifically designed for application to unfinished building surfaces, including wood fibers, brick, block and unfinished drywall, among others.

When Anabec X-70 Plus is applied by one of our certified Anabec Applicators, following interior mold remediation with Advanced Cleaning Solution; The Anabec Systems company offers an industry leading 30-year written / transferable warranty against the return of mold contamination.

Want protection from mold in your crawl space? We have a solution! Contact us for a free evaluation.

What relative humidity means for your crawl space.

Fri, September 30 2011, 00:00:00 -500

Crawl Space Humidity Savannah, Georgia

Jason Simmons, Lowcountry Basement Systems

I’m sure that, if you’re like me anyways, most of you check the weather the night before or the morning of your work day. We probably all hear it again on the radio while driving into work. I’m wondering how many of us actually pay attention to what we’re hearing? Do we really understand what it means when the temperature is 74° and the relative humidity is 92%? Why should we even care?

If you have a vented dirt crawl space then you should be worried over these numbers. Let me show you why. When you have a vented dirt crawl space the air outside and inside your house is constantly being exchanged. Air carries moisture with it wherever it goes. The ground underneath your space also emits moisture to the tune of 5 gallons of water vapor per 1,000 square feet. When we heat or cool this air we change the ability of the air to hold moisture. Relative humidity is the amount of moisture in the air compared to what the air can "hold" at that temperature. The relative humidity of air goes down by 2.2% for every degree we heat it and up by 2.2% for every degree we cool it.

So let’s take our numbers from earlier, add a few more things in, and see what this equation equals for our crawl space. The average temperature we see in a crawl space is around 70°. The average floor joist and dirt floor temperature is around 67 degrees. If we take the outside temperature of 74 degrees and bring that air into our crawl space we cool it down by four degrees. 4 degrees multiplied by 2.2% equals an 8.8% rise in relative humidity. 8.8% added to 92% equals 100.8% humidity. At 100% humidity the air can do longer hold all of its moisture and it begins to fall out of the air in your crawl space. This causes condensation on all of the areas, especially the cooler ones, in your crawl space.

This high crawl space humidity in Hilton Head Island, SC and surrounding Georgia areas can lead to serious problems. The condensation build up on your HVAC ducts can cause mold problems on and around your duct work. Pipes that are not insulated can also begin to grow mold. Paper backed insulation that was installed in your crawl space may begin to hold moisture, fall, and mold. Your floor joists also may mold or begin to rot due to the high moisture content in the wood.

There are a few ways that we can take care of this nasty problem. First, we can seal up the vents to our crawl space. There are a few easy ways to do this yourself, but the humidity problem and mold still remain in your crawl space. Second, we can buy some plastic and place it down on the floor of our crawl space to block the ground moisture. The problem with this solution is that we build up moisture underneath the plastic, which grows more mold, and leaves the humidity and mold issues that we already have unaddressed.

There is a solution that will solve all of the issues with humidity, moisture, and mold. It’s called CleanSpace®. Our 20 millimeter think liner is laid down in your crawl space and blocks the ground moisture. Our liner is also antimicrobial, which means it won’t grow mold on the side against the ground. We deal with the moisture underneath and any water seepage problems by installing one of our SuperSump® or TripleSafe® sump systems to pump away the water. Next we seal the vents of your crawl space to lock out that humid outside air. Finally we install one of our awesome SaniDry dehumidifier units to keep the humidity in our new CleanSpace® under 70% humidity which stops most mold growth.

The CleanSpace® Crawl Space Encapsulation System® satisfies all of the repair criteria and transforms your crawl space into a healthy, useable space.

“Water does very little to ruin a home with a dirt crawl space. It’s the water vapor that kills the house.” Lawrence Janesky

“A vented dirt crawl space raises your heating and cooling cost 15% (to 25%) every month, and makes it very likely you’ll have a big expense for mold removal and/or rotted wood replacement.” ~Lawrence Janesky

Lowcountry Basement Systems is a member of the Basement Systems, Inc. and Foundation Supportworks Dealer Network. Information in this article is contained in Crawl Space Science by Lawrence Janesky. To schedule a free quote on crawl space repair in Georgia and receive a free copy of this book, please contact Lowcountry Basement at 912-927-7827 or visit www.LowcountryBasement.com

Robert Videon of Lowcountry Basement completes Augusta Ironman 70.3

Tue, September 27 2011, 00:00:00 -500

Robert Videon, owner of Lowcountry Basement Systems, is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Endurance Team, Savannah (FCAE). The team consists of adult Christian runners, triathletes and cyclists and those who support the athletics. Their goal is to unite people competing for a common goal and equip them for ministry within the endurance community.

On Sunday, September 25, 2011, Robert and other teammates participated in the Augusta Ironman 70.3. The race consisted of a 1.3 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13 mile run throughout downtown Augusta.

Way to go Rob, we're proud of you!

A Vented Dirt Crawl Space Is A Very Bad Idea!

Tue, May 31 2011, 04:07:44 -500

The building code allows for vented dirt crawl spaces…so why are they now telling me to seal it up and put down a vapor barrier? As building science has progressed, engineers, building scientists and government agencies have realized that traditional crawl space construction has become one of the biggest housing epidemics of our time. A dirt crawl space under a home is a very bad idea. The main issue with dirt crawl spaces is the moisture from the dirt beneath the home. Whether your crawl space suffers from groundwater leakage or not, the earth is damp. The natural airflow in a house is from bottom to top. This sucks the moist air, and everything in it, up into the living areas of the home. A damp environment is very unhealthy, destructive and can lead to wood rot, mold growth and poor indoor air quality. There are four basic steps to completely eliminating your vented dirt crawl space from having any negative effects on your home.

1. Fix the ground water leakage.

There are various ways water gets into a crawl space. It can seep or leak under the footing, between the footing and walls, through the block walls and through cracks or openings. If your crawl space leaks when it rains, or water pools in low areas, then you need to control the groundwater.

2. Isolate the house from the earth.

The main issue with dirt crawl spaces is the moisture from the dirt beneath the home. Whether your crawl space suffers from groundwater leakage or not, water vapor from the ground evaporates and moves upward into your home. This can lead to rotted floor joists, mold growth and poor indoor air quality.

There are a few criteria to deciding on which approach to use. The solution must:

Stop water vapor from flowing up from the soil.
Stop water vapor from flowing through or off of the crawl space walls.
Allow water to drain from the walls to the sump location.
Not get ruined when someone crawls on it.
Be durable, so it lasts as long as the house does.

3. Seal the vents and other outside air leaks.

Previously, the tactic was to add vents to a crawl space, which were supposed to allow the moisture to dissipate. These vented crawl spaces, instead of becoming less damp, end up being more wet for several reasons.

Through a process called the stack effect, a house’s natural tendency is to draw air in from the crawl space and lower levels, and then upward into the living spaces. This means that instead of letting moist air out, a house sucks more moist air in!

30% to 40% of the air that you breathe comes up through your crawl space. This is a proven fact!

Another problem with venting a crawl space is that it allows all kinds of bugs and critters direct access to a home. Spiders, centipedes, termites, small animals and mice (dead and alive) are commonly found in dirt crawl spaces. They can make nests and cause damage to duct work, wiring and insulation. We even discovered three copperhead snakes nesting in a homeowner’s dirt crawl space. No wonder most home owners never venture into their crawl space!

Ten Things to Look For When Shopping For A Crawl Space Waterproofer:

Do they specialize in crawl space waterproofing?
Will the solution address the 4 basic steps to completely fix your dirt crawl space?
Can the company provide references of satisfied crawl space waterproofing customers?
Will a fully transferable, written warranty be provided with the system?
How long is the warranty for the system– 5, 10, 25 years?
Do they offer an annual maintenance service after your system is installed?
How much more marketable and valuable will they make the home after it’s waterproofed?
Do they offer financing options for your project?
Do they have a variety of products to design a system specifically for your crawl space?
The Small Business Administration reports that 50% of contractors fail within the first year and 96% within the first five years. Will they still be in business when the customer needs them?

The biggest issue with adding vents is that it does not address the main problem – moisture from the dirt beneath a home – so venting a crawl space isn’t even addressing the actual problem.

4. Condition or dehumidify your crawl space air.

Even after you have encapsulated your crawl space, dampness can collect below a home. Houses naturally draw air in from the lower levels, bringing in air from the outside through your crawl space. This is a huge problem in the more humid summer months. Every degree that air cools, it raises its relative humidity by 2.2%, so when warm air is pulled into your cool crawl space the additional moisture will condense on your air conditioning ducts and floor joists. Wood and water are a bad combination, since all it takes is a little moisture on an organic material for rot and mold to take over. To add to the problem, that humid air is also drawn up and into a home via the stack effect – and brings any mold or musty smell up into living areas with it.

Mold, rot and fungus happen at 70% relative humidity.

The CleanSpace® System meets all the criteria for fixing your dirt crawl space.

We were experiencing flooring and moisture problems with a new home we had completed on St. Simons Island. Installation of CleanSpace on the home eliminated condensation with the HVAC duct system, which was causing the problem. Once the system was completed, moisture levels in the crawl space dropped below 50% [relative humidity] and the cupping of the oakfloors quickly subsided.”
- Doug S., Wexford Homes, LLC

“Robert offered a clear and concise plan to solve our specific problem. Others had not been able to do that.”
- Matt H. Statesboro, GA

Lowcountry Basement Systems is a member of the Basement Systems, Inc. Dealer Network. Information in this article is contained in Crawl Space Science by Lawrence Janesky. Schedule a free crawl space insulation in Savannah evaluation and receive a free copy of this book.

Basement waterproofing and crawl space repair in GA

Does the Rain Keep You Awake at Night?

Ten Things to Look for When Shopping for a Crawl Space Waterproofer

Robert of Lowcountry Basement Completes Olympic Triathlon

Signs of Foundation Settlement

We Work in Tight Crawl Spaces!

Gaps and Cracks

New Construction Helical Piers in St. Marys, GA

Do Your Foundation Opeings Meet FEMA Requirements?

Foundation Repair in Warner Robins, GA

Lowcountry Basement Supports Ten Can Run

Wounded Warrior Project

Team Completes Anabec Applicator Training

What relative humidity means for your crawl space.

Robert Videon of Lowcountry Basement completes Augusta Ironman 70.3

A Vented Dirt Crawl Space Is A Very Bad Idea!

1. Fix the ground water leakage.

2. Isolate the house from the earth.

3. Seal the vents and other outside air leaks.

30% to 40% of the air that you breathe comes up through your crawl space. This is a proven fact!

Ten Things to Look For When Shopping For A Crawl Space Waterproofer:

The biggest issue with adding vents is that it does not address the main problem – moisture from the dirt beneath a home – so venting a crawl space isn’t even addressing the actual problem.

4. Condition or dehumidify your crawl space air.

Mold, rot and fungus happen at 70% relative humidity.

“Robert offered a clear and concise plan to solve our specific problem. Others had not been able to do that.”- Matt H. Statesboro, GA

“Robert offered a clear and concise plan to solve our specific problem. Others had not been able to do that.”
- Matt H. Statesboro, GA