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basement waterproofing

How to Choose a Basement Waterproofing Contractor

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As life gets back to normal for most of us in the DMV/Washington D.C. Beltway area, we have had time to notice and investigate any home maintenance issues and repair or seek out a contractor to do the repairs. 

My basement waterproofing company has received a number of calls, even during the COVID-19/Coronavirus. * They have seen the red flags of basement water damage and foundation issues as we have discussed in previous blogs. 

If you have seen foundation or basement issues, you need to contact a basement waterproofing contractor. Here are several criteria to consider: 

  1. Was a thorough inspection of my home ever conducted?: Look at your home purchase documents and see if an inspection was made of the property. If there was an inspection, reread it to see if the inspector made any citations concerning the foundation. If so, show this to the basement waterproofing contractor that you eventually 779 buy enanthat 250 in online shop hire. 
  2. Find reputable basement waterproofing contractors in your area: A local contractor is the most beneficial one to hire. They have a reputation and will have referrals from local citizens. Ask your friends to see if they have used this contractor. 
  3. Professional courtesy: Any reputable contractor will be professional, efficient, and courteous. If you detect any difficulties or unprofessionalism, you may want to consider other contractors.
  4. Ask for licenses and certifications: All reputable basement waterproofing repair firms will have the licenses and certifications that are required by the location(s) in which they work. Ask them to make copies of the licenses/certifications/bonding/insurance if necessary. All should be up-to-date. If they are reticent to show you their licenses and certifications, this is not a contractor you should hire.    
  5. Detailed estimate: The contractor should submit a detailed estimate following the home foundation inspection. The inspection should include issues and solutions. It should be given to you the date of the inspection or within five (5) business days afterward. 
  6. Required deposit: Good contractors should require a percentage of the cost upfront. Some ask for one-third (1/3) or one-half (1/2) of the fee upfront. Never pay them the entire amount upfront, even if they have a good reputation. You should inspect their work when completed and make sure they did everything in the contract. Once that has been confirmed, then make the final payment.  
  7. Contract: The detailed basement waterproofing repair contract should include starting and ending dates, permits that need to be secured, costs and payment arrangements, and a “Notice of Right to Cancel” which allows the homeowner or contractor to cancel the project within three (3) business days. 
  8. Reviews on social media and websites: Following the project, review the contractor on social media such as Google my Business, Facebook, Yelp, NextDoor and other venues. Let the public know how the contractor did and include photos.  

Your basement waterproofing contractor’s work is crucial to the health of your home and family. Do the necessary preparation before you hire a firm to do the work. Too much is riding on it to do any less. 

M Taylor Enterprise basement waterproofing contractors can do a consultation in Prince George and Silver Spring, MD area. If you are worried about your home foundation or need structural repair in Maryland call (301) 649-3406 or matt@mtaylorenterprise.com and protect your home so it can protect you.

*For more information on Maryland reopening phases and other COVID news click here.

Foundation Repair

Concrete Repair: Slab-Jacking a Home Foundation

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Home foundations take a beating. 

Heat, cold, rain, snow, sun, animals, humans and time all contribute to it cracking, leaking and breaking. All of these elements contribute to their deterioration. 

Once a homeowner has seen cracks in the foundation, water stains on walls or windows and doors that won’t close, they need to contact a home foundation repair contractor. The home foundation repair contractor will then do an analysis of the foundation and make a recommendation. (See our blog on this topic.)  

They may recommend “slab-jacking” to repair the home foundation. It is a rather complicated method of repair which goes like this: The concrete slab of the home is lifted to one side and releveled. 

Actually, this does not only apply to home foundations. It also can be done for concrete slab patios or driveways which are sunken or tilted.

Slab-jacking is installed using several different methods: 

  1. A group of holes, about a ½” long each, are drilled into the concrete slab. 
  2. Then, sand, ash, water, and gravel are funneled into the holes. 
  3. The slab begins to rise. 
  4. Then the holes are plugged. 

If the home is built over a crawlspace or basement, they will do the following:

  1. A cement mixture is injected into the holes, raising the foundation.
  2. Slab jacks are installed.

Slab-jacking is done for portions of a home, not for the entire home. So, the home foundation should not be completely bad, only a portion of it. The same goes for the patio, sidewalk, driveway or garage floor.

Many home foundation repair contractors are also using Uretek. It is a polymer resin that does not require lifting the slab. Instead, the polyurethane in the Uretek compound lifts the foundation on its own. While it is convenient and quicker, it is also more expensive than the other methods. 

The equipment used for slab-jacking are the following:

  1. Grout Mixers: While these are high-maintenance and time-consuming, grout mixers provide maximum air circulation.  The grout has to have a consistency which permits a consistent flow of substances under the slab to help spread the grout and even lift it.
  2. Grout Pumps: These are air-operated, double-diaphragm pumps; or hydraulically operated progressive cavity pumps. They have an output of up to 110 cubic feet per hour and a 180 cubic feet per hour output from dual-cylinder models. 
  3. Rock drill/Coring machine: The rock drill prevents excessive dust and breakout at the bottom of the slab. It has four points on the drill bit. It is gas-powered using a 2” diameter bit. It can go at a speed of 60 GPM.

The materials typically used, as mentioned above are:

  1. Sand: 5mm and silt-free
  2. Cement: between 5%-20% of dry-weight materials.
  3. Bentonite: for lubrication and not exceed 12% so strength is compromised
  4. Cement Fondue: rapid set (if required) 
  5. Expanders: compensate for shrinkage

Slab-jacking is not that simple but it is an effective and quick method of repairing a home foundation. Have your licensed home foundation repair contractor to inspect and analyze your foundation to see if this is the best way to repair it.

M Taylor Enterprise is an experienced and licensed home repair foundation contractor. We can inspect, analyze and repair your home foundation correctly and efficiently.   We serve the counties of Prince George and Silver Spring, MD area. Call us for a consultation at (301) 649-3406 or email us at matt@mtaylorenterprise.com.    

 

Foundation Repair

Foundation Repair Using Carbon Fiber Strips

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Cold weather has arrived in Central Maryland. The Farmer’s Almanac, a trusted weather resource for many years, is predicting a very wet and frosty winter for us.  

So, while the snow or ice are falling on our area, some homeowners are going to walk downstairs to their basement to get the snow shovel and sand, they may see something that they have not have noticed before: their basement walls have bowed by as much as two inches!  

When you see your basement walls bowing, you have serious home foundation issues that need to be remedied-fast! There are many reasons for these things to happen:  

  1. Tree roots growing close to your home that press against your walls.
  2. Heavy rains may be saturating the soil around your home thus becoming heavier and stressing your basement walls.
  3. Pipes that are leaking can saturate the soil also causing walls to bow.
  4. Lawns that slope can channel heavy soil onto your foundation.  
  5. Heavy construction on your foundation such as patios, pools, and driveways can add pressure to the foundation. 

A home foundation repair contractor can repair this type of damage by using a carbon fiber strip. This strip is easy to install and will not disrupt the landscaping. 

A carbon fiber strip accomplishes several things when repairing the basement walls: 

  1. It’s lightweight.
  2. It isolates movement in the basement walls.
  3. It repairs the cracks and bowing in the walls.
  4. It is more affordable than other repairs such as braces or anchors, as it is less labor-intensive. Strip installation takes less time and is more efficient.
  5. It does not require any excavation of the home foundation.
  6. They can also be painted to resemble the wall color, so they fit in well with the original appearance.

Once these carbon fiber strips are installed, the homeowner should do the following to make sure the basement walls don’t bow again:

  1. Keep the gutters clean.
  2. Avoid pouring any new concrete or brick patios or walkways on the foundation.  
  3. Remove trees planted near the foundation.
  4. Keep plumbing maintained.

When someone thinks about any home foundation repair they fear spending an incredible amount of money to get it done. This is not the case at all. Once your carbon fiber strips are installed, your basement walls and home foundation should be solid again. 

M. Taylor Enterprise has experienced home foundation repair contractors who can install carbon fiber strips to your home efficiently and affordably. Call us at (301) 649-3406 for an appointment. We will do an assessment on your basement and foundation to see if a carbon fiber strap is needed. We serve  Montgomery County, Howard, and Prince Georges County, MD areas.

As the latest Farmer’s Almanac said, it will be a brutally cold winter in Maryland, so make sure your basement and home are protected.