Basement Waterproofing and Crawl Space Repair in VA

Basement Waterproofing: not a DIY job.

Your basement the foundation of your home, in other words, the very structure that supports your house and everything in it. As a result, everything you do to it will have an impact on the whole house. It will have an influence on your home's market value, its energy consumption and indoor air quality, not to mention on the very structural safety of the house.
For that reason, you want to make sure that everything done in your basement is done by someone who is knowledgeable, and uses the best materials and processes.

Consider that most waterproofing DIY methods and products, such as sealants and cementitious compounds, are not made to handle hydrostatic pressure for the long run. They will eventually loose the ability to keep water from seeping in to the basement. Even though they are easy to apply, they are temporary solutions.

The other alternative consists in digging out the foundations, installing an exterior perimeter drainage system, such as a French drain, and damp proofing or insulating exterior walls. Tasks that many handy (or daring) DIY inclined homeowners would take upon themselves. However they are messy, disruptive, expensive jobs, also known to fail overtime, even if done properly. Conventional French drains are known to clog with mud and debris.

The technologies and products we use at Evergreen Basement Systems were developed based on over 20 years of hands-on experience on the field, and cutting edge building science and research. They are state-of-the-art, award-wining waterproofing solutions, proven to keep your basement dry for as long as your house stands. We represent the world's authority in foundation waterproofing.

You cannot find any of our products in a hardware store, being sold for DIY projects for a number of reasons.

The best product in the world will not work as expected nor as long as needed, if it is not installed, handled and consistently serviced by experienced, trained professionals.

Every member of our service staff is consistently trained and kept updated with the latest technical advances throughout the years. Therefore, they are able to offer unparalleled service and expertise in waterproofing. We are prepared to offer the kind of service that will literally "wow" you because are aware that for every waterproofing job we accept, we are creating a life long relationship with the homeowner that will endure years after the job's completion and we need our service to be as good as our products. This is the only way we can honestly stand behind everything we do and honor the commitments we've made for the years to come.

Award-winning products and "WOW!" service. This is what we are all about.

How to avoid being a victim Home Improvement Scams in VA

Scammers and swindlers are everywhere. If there is a chance for them to profit from someone's ingenuity or lack of information they will be there, using their dirty tricks to get their hands on your hard earned money.

The home improvement industry too, has its share of crooks posing as contractors, gaining the homeowner's confidence, getting their money and then disappearing without finishing the job or finishing it poorly, with cheap materials and unskilled labor.

The vast majority of these scams target the elderly which makes the whole matter even more sordid. They pray on people that they know might have some money put away, and they perceive as gullible.

That is why it is extremely important that, before hiring any contractor, you check his references, background and information, from every possible source.

In Virginia, the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation website offers tips and resources to help you detect and avoid possible scams, as well as information on how to denounce suspected scams.

Please, don't let yourself or someone you care about be scammed. Do your homework. The information you need is just a click away.

Avoiding foreclosure in Virginia

In addition to an emergency foreclosure law that went into effect July,1 giving homeowners facing foreclosure some room to breathe with a 30-day extension to work on a payment plan, VA state government instituted a Foreclosure Prevention Task Force.

The goal is to help homeowners who are struggling to keep up with their mortgage payments to save and keep their homes. There is help out there and the Task Force is encouraging people to seek it.

The Task Force website offers tons of valuable information, such as tips on how to negotiate with lenders and a list of Certified Housing Counselors to help and walk them through the process.

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Energy savings through crawl space encapsulation

With the rising fuel costs, energy rates at a record high and no short term end in sight for the crisis, homeowners are looking for alternatives to make their homes more energy efficient.

Did you know that an encapsulated crawl space can provide up to 35% savings on energy bills?

Energy losses caused by dirt and/or vented crawl spaces can be a real burden on your utilities bill. If you have ducts running through your crawl space, such losses can be as high as 50%.

If you have a dirt or vented crawl space, contact us for a free estimate and have it sealed as soon as possible. When you add up the overall benefits from having an encapsulated crawl space, you'll realize that the energy savings alone will pay for your investment.

For more information consult Basement System's Crawl Space Learning Center

French Drains: everything you need to know

When you have a leaky basement, it is really difficult to sort out between the different available approaches used by the industry to solve the problem.

For many years, the conventional basement waterproofing method consisted in installing an external perimeter drainage tile, known as "French Drain". And for many contractors, unaware of new technologies, or just unwilling to consider them, that is still the norm.

After all, if French Drains have been working for centuries, why change?

The truth is that French Drains are known to cause problems overtime. They will eventually clog with mud and debris, and loose their function. Clogged French drains are usually the reason why some previously dry basements, suddenly begin to leak. The repair and replacement of French drains is usually costly and messy, because it involves digging out foundations, disassembling decks and porches, ruining your yard.

Basement Systems' award-wining WaterGuard perimeter drainage systems, replace faulty French Drains with many advantages. WaterGuard is easily installed internally, along your basement walls. It will intercept any water seeping through the walls and the wall/floor joint and divert it to a sump pump system. It can be maintained and serviced as needed without disrupting your life and ruining your yard with messy, unsightly excavations.

If you have a leaky basement, contact us for a free estimate and let one of our representatives guide you through the many other benefits and advantages offered by our waterproofing products. You will see for yourself why Basement Systems is the leading provider of basement and crawl space waterproofing solutions.

For more information: French Drain or Drain Tile