The dreaded nightmare sinks in, you have a basement leak!

What now?

While it may seem like a daunting task, keeping a dry basement may not be as hard as you think. There are some simple steps you can take that will keep your basement dry and comfortable.

Outdoor Water Spigots

While it may sound simple, many a person has been embarrassed when an inspector found that their outdoor water spigots were leaking and a simple repair would have prevented their problem. Even a slight drip can develop several gallons of water per day, running down the foundation wall.

Your drainage system needs to be clear and maintained.

This system consists of:

Gutter and downspouts-keep them clear of all debris and check for any damage that would prevent water from flowing properly through them. Rainwater spilling out on a concentrated area can create low places in your grade and allow water to concentrate against your foundation wall and in time can deteriorate the concrete or concrete block joints. It will also start seeping through cracks in your basement wall and cause a basement leak.

Where the water exits at the bottom of the downspout is a critical area. It must be allowed to flow away from the foundation. This can consist of a simple splash block or a drain pipe as needed.

If your home has been built since about 1995, it should have a foot drain or strip drain. Unfortunately, you have no way of knowing whether they were installed correctly. Repair of these systems can be quite costly. Excavation is required even for inspection.

Make sure the grade around your house slopes away your foundation wall. Sometimes that is not an easy task, but is a must to keep the drainage water away from the foundation. Any depressions found next to your foundation should be filled and graded away from your foundation.

Fix any plumbing leaks as they happen. This may seem like a no-brainer task, but in some cases, these leaks are really hard to notice. Discoloration of flooring is sometimes the only indication of a possible leak.

We all know that water entering the home can damage the drywall, structural members, insulation, carpet, furnishings, and anything else that it comes in contact with but it also can cause a health hazard in the form of mold.

A roof can leak for a number of reasons, but the most common is substandard installation of the roof. Over half of all roof leaks in typical residences are the result of improper flashing around roof vents and in the valley where the roof lines meet. Storms are the second-leading cause of leaks, since strong winds can rip shingles from the roof and force water underneath some types of shingles.  It areas of the country, where ice and snow are a common occurrence, a lack of installation or poor installation of ice and water shield can be a contributor of a roof leak.

 There are many things that can go wrong with the roofing system, including, cracked tiles, shingles that curl, shingles that get blown off, flashing can be damaged or bend. All of these will lead to a serious problem and that is a roof leak. You may not see the damage coming. Water may be seeping in, but you won’t see it in the house until water is coming into the interior of the home. At that point a lot of damage may have already occurred. In some cases, the first visual hint of a problem will be the appearance of mold.

It is fairly easy for the average home owner to do a visual inspection of your roof. Check for cracked or missing tiles or shingles, bent or damaged flashings, cracked or damaged roof jack covers around roof penetrations like bathroom vents. Also check your gutter systems to make sure that they are clear of any debris and are not damaged. If you have a steep roof or you feel uncomfortable climbing on your roof, you may need to call in a professional.

If it appears you may have a problem, now is the time to call in a professional. In many cases, the repairs can be relatively inexpensive. If you have an older roof, replacement may be required. Repairing an older roof is usually just a Band-Aid with short-term effect and can lead to further damage and be a lot more costly to not only replace the roof, but repair the consequential damages.

There are situations where you can remediate, or halt the mold growth on your own.  What is remediation? It is removal of contaminated and/or hazardous materials from your home.  If the problem is small, a good dousing of bleach can stop the mold infestation.  If the invasion is less than ten square feet, you can most likely attack it on your own and do the repairs.

One thing to remember. Even though bleach can kill mold, once the spore is dead it can still release harmful toxins into the air.  And the fumes in  bleach chloride are not the healthiest things for your lungs.  The bleach you buy in the stores is watered down.  It has to be or it would be a public hazard to handle. And what does mold like? Water. So, while bleach can do some good, it is not the most reliable method of remediation.

Antibacterial are effective. They are a retardant, but will not prevent dried (even dead) mold spores form floating in the air, releasing toxins and causing health problems in some people. However, once the mold and its’ source are removed, antibacterial gels can be a good  deterrent to future infestations.

But,  the question remains: did you get it all? Mold and mildew can seep into microscopic cracks and porous materials.  There are a lot of places in your house that are porous- concrete slabs, drywall, wood and brick to name a few. It may be worth it to call in the professionals who handle this everyday.

Both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Center of Disease Control (CDC)  have explicit standards and instructions on how to remove mold.  A respirator  ( N-95 dust mask) should be worn at all times in the presence of mold per the EPA.  If the spread is over thrifty feet square, the regulations state it is your choice to call in a professional or to let a cleaning agency or maintenance man handle the job. Over that, and the professionals must be contacted.  

The real trick is to not only remove the mold, but to stop the entrance of moisture into the home. If you can keep the mold from growing back, the battle is won. The EPA has registered chemicals and even biodegradable substances specifically for mold remediation . These are contained in anti-bacterial sealants that professionals are registered to handle and  trained to use.  The agent may use methods of sanding or other abrasive techniques to help the sealant stick.  Let them. Be wary of agents that just want to spray a filmy substance before the moldy or dirt laden surfaces are cleaned and treated.  Invasive versus non-invasive treatment. Treat or tear it all out. How would you know what is best?  A mold remediator should know.

So how do you pick a mold remediator?  Make sure they are using EPA approved equipment, chemicals and HEPA filtration devices. Check their permits and references.  With the mold scare, unfortunately there are flim-flam artists out there ready to prey on worried home owners.

1. A passive solar design

This is useful for natural heating and cooling of the house. Make sure there are not any skylights or greenhouse rooms in the house because that would mean too much heat gain in the building and will be very hot.

2. Attic spaces ventilation

Attic spaces can also accumulate heat, especially in hot climates, thereby causing the house to become very hot. On the other hand, moisture will remain in these attic spaces which are not ventilated, causing the wood to rot and smell.

3. Use of recycled or renewable materials

Since you are getting a green home, you should ensure that the materials used to build the house are not damaging to the environment. Some examples are using waste wood to build decks, use materials that are locally produced and can be renewed easily or recycled wood for the flooring of the house.

4. Use of safe materials

Products that are water based, non-toxic and biodegradable are more environmentally friendly so these should be used to build the house. Ensure that there are no materials that contain ozone depleting chemicals which are detrimental to the environment.

5. Site protection

The surroundings of the house is equally important, thus, ensure that the natural vegetation and animal habitats are protected from any unnecessary harm, especially if you need to do any additional constructions to the estate.

Search Texas Home Builders and Green Home Builders today.

However, if you aren’t trying to sell your home right now, and have been putting off a remodeling job this might just be the best time to tackle the project.  Why you ask?

Just as the cost of homes is dropping,  the cost of remodeling is dropping- including building materials and contractor’s fees. And while it may be difficult to think about spending money on your home when the values are falling- taking advantage of lower remodeling costs could be a great investment if you are not planning on selling your home anytime soon.

As disclosed in a study by HousingEconomics.com, the number of building permits in the United States has decreased in 2008 by 41% from 2007. This means less people are building, which can be good for a consumer trying to get competitive pricing from a contractor.

Not only can your contractor charge less for materials (because they are paying less) but they are also willing to charge less for labor in order to secure more work.

Even DIYers can save money on renovations right now just by saving on materials. For example, according to the National Association of  Home Builders (NAHB), framing lumber prices are the lowest they have been in 4 years.

The trick, of course, if you do have a home sale anywhere in your future, is to assess the current value of your home  and the value that your remodel will add to your home. When you sell,  you will only recoup some of the value in your resale so you want to make sure you are not investing too much more than what you may get in return. For a good idea of national remodeling costs and recouped costs, visit Remodeling magazine’s cost vs. recoup report. Note: If you do hire a contractor, make sure they have insurance to cover them in case they are injured on your property, otherwise, check your homeowners insurance policy to see if you have enough.

Carrie VanBrunt
http://HomeInsurance.com

What is the common dream which motivates people to boost income? Undoubtedly, to live a comfortable life in a lavish house with an aura of opulence all around. So they aim at furnishing their nest in a manner that would set it apart from the rests. A ranch house could be the ultimate image make-over of a house. A ranch house is simplicity at its best. It is a one-storey building in a picturesque backdrop. This particular type of house serves two purposes at the same time: it adds up to the beauty of the house and looks after the utility aspect as well. But before setting up a house, one needs to know why he or she needs a ranch house and if it is necessary or not.

Before going deep into the details, the basic idea of ranch house and its renovation should be apparent enough. The mandatory components of a ranch house are several bedrooms, cooking area, washroom, a drawing area and rooms for guests. Cellar and conjoined parking area with an entrance into kitchen are other basic features of this kind. So, if you want to renovate a ranch house, fence the terrace, add a gallery or erect a partition to divide a big room and you are sorted.

Before venturing you must be focused about your demand from this remodeling. Its sole intention should not be only to beautify the house but also to utilize the area properly and enhancing it. A little planning beforehand helps a lot. You can start with tracking down the drawbacks of the prevailing house and correct it as soon as possible. A wooden deck or something unique can be added to complement the rest of the decoration. Even a new and extra structure can be added to the main one. But it must be in accordance with the design of the rest of the house and serve the purpose of spending free time.

Even if you are happy with the look, space enhancement could be a necessity. In that case an additional library or bedroom can be spaced out. It will change the exterior look too. It will be good change in favor of the restoration. If the planning does not go down well with the present interior due space scarcity, the cellar can be divided to increase the area.

The general use of cellar is that of a storehouse, launderette and hot water reservoir. If you surrounded it with walls with enough room spared, the extra space can be transformed into children’s recreation room or for relaxation of your entire family. So, the ranch house increases the value and utility of the house.

Harry Blackwell has been an avid design enthusiast for years. You can read his reviews on Curtains & Drapes, as well as tips on how to choose from high end as well as discount curtains…