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Top General Contractors in Scotch Plains, NJ
Thanks for the connection. We'd be happy to recommend your business. Thanks, Jeff www.abceldercare.netRead More…
I'm so happy with my new roof and gutters, what can I say, they came on time and when they promised , the price was right, very professionals,they took care of everything ,and left the place clean....Read More…
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Sovereign Home Remodeling
5.0
By JamesW01 June 25, 2014
Sovereign was pretty easy to deal with. The job started about two weeks after the original start date however, I know there was a change in ownership or something. Apparently Jason bought out his partner/partners. Either way, well worth the wait. We are very satisfied with the work & the over all experience ...read more
Wagner C W
1.0
By canary closets and cabinetry June 24, 2014
we serve the needs of builders, contractors, architects, and interior designers.We invite you to surf canarycc.com and find it helpful. ...read more
Wagner C W
1.0
By canary closets and cabinetry June 24, 2014
we serve the needs of builders, contractors, architects, and interior designers.We invite you to surf canarycc.com and find it helpful. ...read more
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Why Do Basements Leak?
This is a simple question to answer. It is caused by three distinct factors: A high water table. The basement floor is made of porous concrete. The basement floor is located below the frost line. A High Water Table Most people know that the water table has something to do with ground water. The word table provides an image of a flat surface, like the surface of a tabletop. It may be visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials (sediment, gravel and clay) that are saturated with groundwater in a given geographical area. There is also a general understanding that in times of drought, water table levels may drop. The water table lies underground and is the level at which the soil and gravel are completely saturated with water. There is often some seasonal change in the water table, due to rain or drought. A high water table is especially common in areas where the soil is not well drained due to high levels of clay. The level of the water table varies greatly due to amount of rainfall, time of the year and type of soil that surface water drains through. The water table is generally higher in areas with high density soil related to clay content. The denser the soil is, the slower the movement of the water (percolation) of the water through the soil occurs. The rate at which the high water table descends is related to the percolation rate, which is related to soil density. Water tables can become elevated when they receive more water than they drain off. This can be from unusually high amounts of rain, or excess water from higher elevations. High water tables are often above the level of basement floors or crawlspaces. This almost always causes flooding in these areas. Concrete is Porous Most homes have a basement floor that is made of concrete. Concrete is acompositeconstruction material composed primarily ofaggregate,cement, andwater. Concrete is porous. Water is a primary ingredient of concrete from the beginning. As the concrete cures the evaporable water, water that can evaporate away, does so and is lost. As the water evaporates it leaves the pores in the concrete that were saturated with water empty. These empty pores make the concrete porous. The Basement Floor is Below the Frost Line Snow melts, rain falls. Much of this moisture is pulled deeper into the frost line by gravity. The frost line is the depth in the ground in which the water NEVER freezes. This is important in a building’s construction because if a footing and foundation wall are built above the frost line, the chances of that basement heaving will occur go up. Heaving occurs when the soil expands and contracts due to freezing and thawing. When the soil expands and contracts it can cause damage to a building’s foundation. This is why a footing for a basement is placed below the frost line. Because this seepage is constantly moving beneath the frost line, you should expect water related problems year round. Times of extreme seepage occur usually in early spring and late fall. Of course a catastrophic event like a Nor’easter or a Hurricane can happen at any time. Should I get my Basement Inspected? A-1 Basement Solutions gives free basement health inspections to New Jersey homeowners. Contact A-1 Basement Solutions at 908-322-1313, orinfo@A-1Basements.comfor a free in-home inspection and detailed quote. A-1 gives full service guaranteed work and competitive pricing every day. We do everything for you. By taking care of all the details, A-1 Basement Solutions makes the job worry free. Our motto is No Problems…Just Solutions. Knowledge is power. Learn everything you need to know about your basement: Subscribe to our blog and get ourFREE E-BOOK“Basements 101” ...read more
By A-1 Basement Solutions February 05, 2013
A-1 Basements Introduction
In case you don't know who we are or what we do! A-1 Basement Solutions makes basements dry and healthy year round. When there is a basement issue, from a musty smell to actual flooding, we are here to offer a complete permanent solution to give homeowners peace of mind. We give free estimates to solve your basement problems from patching cracks to installing French Drains and Sump pumps. Our water powered emergency sump pumps work without electricity so you will be protected even during a power outage. At A-1 Basement Solutions, we take care of all the details so you don̢۪t have to. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY9mOfu0924 ...read more
By A-1 Basement Solutions January 10, 2013
Instant Home Mold Test for New Jersey Basements
Why are you reading this? Because you have seen something or smelled something that you think might be mold. If you think you have a mold problem…you probably do. Having a musty smell in your home is a giveaway that something is wrong. Unpleasant odors in your basement and throughout your home are indicative of a mold problem. Some common signs of mold in a home include a musty odor and the discoloration of surfaces. Mold can cause surfaces to change color to white, green, or black. It is important to pay attention to these warning signs since molds produce allergens. How Mold Affects Your Health All of us are exposed to some mold every day with no bad effects. We may breathe in mold spores that are present in the air or eat foods in which mold has begun to grow. People with mold allergies, however, may have a reaction if exposed to too much of the fungus. Mold spores and bacteria cultures that form on wet surfaces can expose serious health problems to you and your family. The elderly, the allergic and those with weak immune systems are vulnerable to a variety of illnesses due to mold spores and bacteria caused by a damp crawl space. How does Mold Occur in the Home? Uncontrolled water, moisture and humidity can allow nature to take a foothold in your crawl space. Mold is a fungus that reproduces by creating small spores that work like seeds. Every home has mold. Hopefully you have power restored by now and have the water out of the basement. What about the moisture and humidity that the water left behind? Water enters your home in two ways, through actual water intrusion such as ground water, and through humidity. The residual effects of the water intrusion, such as wet carpeting and water soaked moldings are having all this humidity releasing in your homes’ indoor atmosphere. This is now the perfect environment for growing mold. 10% of Mold you see… 90% of Mold is Microscopic 90% of the suspended airborne particles are too small to see; yet small enough to be respired (breathed into the lungs) which causes damage and disease. These invisible particles are a serious health risk concern. It is widely documented that these particulates and poor IAQ contribute to the development of chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and sinusitis. The best way to remove these harmful invisible particles is to properly ventilate your home through the use of a high quality ventilation system such as the E-Z Breathe. Mold Stick Testing Method http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTC9OBvg-ko&feature;=player_embedded The test is a simple but effective one. It’s done with what I call a mold stick – it’s a plastic tube that encases a cotton swab. At the top is a plastic vial in a bulb shape. The user bends the bulb to crack the seal, and then a chemical wets the cotton swab, turning it green. The user rubs the swab on the suspected mold. If the swab stays green, it’s not mold. If it turns gray, it’s dormant mold. If it turns purple, it’s active mold. These mold test sticks are available on Amazon. Should I get my Basement Inspected? A-1 Basement Solutions provides free basement health inspections to New Jersey homeowners. Contact A-1 Basement Solutions at 908-322-1313, or info@A-1Basements.com for a free in-home inspection and detailed quote. A-1 gives full service guaranteed work and competitive pricing every day. We do everything for you. By taking care of all the details, A-1 Basement Solutions makes the job worry free. Our motto is No Problems…Just Solutions. Knowledge is power. Learn everything you need to know about your basement: Subscribe to our blog and get our FREE E-BOOK, “Basements 101” Was this information useful? We would like to know. We welcome your thoughts and comments. ...read more
By A-1 Basement Solutions December 12, 2012
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