Foundation Repair Company in North Carolina, South Carolina & Georgia | Basement Waterproofing in Asheville, Greenville, Spartanburg & Nearby

CleanSpace

2023-02-14T10:08:10.05Z

A previous customer needed more work done, and needed waterproofing in their crawl space. The customer also needed a pump, and a dehumidifier.

Encapsulation in East Flat Rock, NC

2022-05-20T09:23:42.05Z

To solve this problem our All-Dry of the Carolinas team had to tackle the situation from different angles. To begin, the mold needed to be removed from the area. Our team used Mold-X, which kills mold and also prevents future growth. Our team then placed CleanSpace in the crawlspace, wrapping it around the walls, floor, and piers. CleanSpace is a 20 mil tick liner that is laid across the crawlspace floor and wrapped around walls and piers. This liner works as a barrier to keep moister that is produced from the ground out of the crawlspace. In addition to the CleanSpace a SuperSump was added to the crawlspace as a way of pushing excess water that enters from outside. The SuperSump has a WaterWatch system which is an alarm to let you know if water has reached the top of the pump. The SuperSump works in coordination with the Aprilaire 1850, a dehumidifier which is used to collecting extra moister that is produced under your home. The SuperSump has a dehumidifier drain that connects the two machines to fully expel water from the crawlspace. From the machines, the water is pushed from the crawlspace through a drainage system to the LawnScape outlet.

Full encapsulation done in Tuckasegee, NC

2022-05-20T08:52:08.05Z

When our All-Dry of the Carolinas crew made it out to Tuckasegee, NC they started their job by removing all trash and insulation that was littering the crawl space. The crawl space underwent a total encapsulation with CleanSpace, TripleSafe Line with remote, vent seals, and a Aprilaire 1820 dehumidifier. CleanSpace was installed which is a 20 mil thick liner that works as a barrier to keep ground moisture from the crawl space floor out of the air. The CleanSpace is then wrapped around the floor and piers of the crawlspace. Once the crawl space is encapsulated an Aprilaire 1820 dehumidifier is added to the crawl space to remove excess moisture from the air into the TripleSafe where it is then flushed from the area. Interior sealed vents were the last part of the crawl space encapsulation; they were placed over all vents to keep out air and pests.

Our team took another approach when tackling the crawlspace area, water had been seeping into the space through the cinder block walls. To solve this problem, our All-Dry team installed WaterGuard and another SuperSump Pump. WaterGuard was installed around the perimeter of the garage so that when any water seeps up from the ground it is caught in the drainage system and then sent to the TripleSafe Pump. The TripleSafe then flushes all water collected out through the LawnScape outlet into the yard. Together with all of these products, this crawl space is now all dry!

Monster Crawl Space Saved

2020-07-27T15:54:01.05Z

This crew led by crew foreman Ray Petry, first started by digging a hole for the Triple Safe Sump Pump in the lowest part of the crawl space. This type of sump pump is the best and biggest sump pump that can be bought. It is designed to keep the homeowner’s mind at ease when it comes to flooding. The TripleSafe pump contains three pumps that work together to keep water out of the crawl space. If pump A cannot keep up with the water then pump B will kick on to help out. Pump C is the UltraSump Battery backup system which will kick on in the event of a power outage. This TripleSafe pump is the most reliable pump to have in a basement or crawl space that takes in a lot of water.

Once the TripleSafe pump was installed the crew installed CleanSpace. This crawl space had 1,440 units of CleanSpace to be installed. Our crew placed it on the ground, walls, and wrapped the piers of the crawl space. Installing CleanSpace works to keep any water or ground moisture that accumulates in the crawl space from getting into the air. This works like a Band-Aid that is used to cover sores, yet this covers moisture. Any water that gets under the CleanSpace will be directed to the TripleSump Pump where it is flushed from the area.

Once CleanSpace and sump pump were installed into the crawl space an Aprilaire 1820 was installed to remove any moisture that’s in the air. You might think, “I thought CleanSpace was supposed to keep moisture out of the air,” which is true, but not all moisture in a crawl space is from the ground. In the crawl space of a home there are pipes that produce heat; this heat will create moisture in the air. Along with the home’s pipes, moisture can also seep in through the tiniest of holes. The crawl space was sealed with the airtight Everlast door and airtight vents. This works as a method of keeping the outside air out, but having a dehumidifier is always a good route to go when it comes to removing moisture completely from your crawl space.

This was a big job for us at All-Dry of the Carolinas. The crew foreman on this job Ray Petry, an employee that has been with us for almost three years and has performed over 200 jobs for the company. His crew took four days to tackle this monster crawl space and was able to make it look new with the white CleanSpace! With the help of our crew and design specialist this crawl space was now waterproofed and the relative humidity rate began to fall to normal levels.

Encapsulation in Greer, SC Basement

2020-07-22T16:03:05.05Z

To begin with, our crews had to clean out the crawl space and remove all debris. All large rocks and other sharp objects just are removed so that the CleanSpace can lie evenly without chance of tearing. Once the crawl space was cleaned out, a trench was dug around the perimeter of the crawl space so that drainage tile, which is drainage tubing, could be installed. The tubing in placed into the trench and then covered with gravel so that the system is steady. These trenches are placed in the low parts of the crawl space so water will flow downhill and into the drainage system. Once the water is in the drainage system, it then flows to the lowest part of the crawl space where a SuperSump pump is waiting to flush the water from the space.

After the drainage tile is placed into the crawl space, the CleanSpace liner is then placed in the space. It is placed on the floor, walls, and wrapped around piers in the crawlspace for maximum coverage. CleanSpace is a vapor barrier that works to get moisture from leaving the crawl space floor and getting into the air.

The final piece of this crawl space encapsulation to be added is the SaniDry CX dehumidifier. The SaniDry is used to remove excess moisture from the air. This moisture in the air typically comes from the pipes under your home or any place within the crawl space where air can seep in. The SaniDry will remove the moisture from the air and drain it into a condensate pump where the water is then flushed from the crawl space.

Together with these products, this basement was able to stay dry and moisture free!

128 Feet of WaterGuard added to basement in Clyde, NC

2020-07-22T14:24:05.05Z

David Listovitch quoted this family a mixture of waterproofing products that would result in a dry basement. WaterGuard, a SuperSump, and an Aprilaire were placed into this basement to fix this problem.

The basement was first jack hammered around the perimeter of the room so that the WaterGuard drainage system could be added. These homeowners decided to place WaterGuard around the entire perimeter of the room instead of just where the water was getting in. This is what we at All-Dry of the Carolinas recommend when placing WaterGuard into the basement. When you place the drainage system around the entire perimeter of the basement it works as a protectant for the entire basement instead of just one wall, that way there is almost no chance that you will have a leak problem in the future.

WaterGuard is placed into the trench around the basement and leveled sloping slightly in the direction of the SuperSump pump that is in the lowest spot of the basement. Once the WaterGuard is place in its trench and connected to the SuperSump Pump, it is flood tested by our crew to ensure that any water that is caught by the system will flow correctly. Once the system is in place it is covered with cement to make the drainage system invisible. The SuperSump Pump that is in the lowest corner of the basement is accessible by the top of the pump liner, this way it is able to be checked, cleaned, and serviced. The WaterGuard also has inspection ports installed in various sections of the drainage system so that it can be cleaned, flood tested, and serviced as needed.

An Aprilaire was added to the basement as well to remove moisture that is in the air. Excess moisture that is in the air was a threat to the already existing jack system that was in place to keep the floors level. The great thing about the Aprilaire is that it is energy efficient. It is equipped with a sensor that is able to detect the amount of moisture in the air, once it reaches an acceptable level the fan will shut off.

Our crew led by crew foreman Jose Najera, was able to install with system that consisted of 128 feet of WaterGuard, three WaterGuard inspection ports, one SuperSump Pump, and an Aprilaire, in three days. Since this system was installed there hasn’t been any problem with water intrusion into the basement. The homeowners can now use their basement as needed.

WaterGuard installed in Asheville, NC Basement

2020-07-14T14:48:37.05Z

WaterGuard is the most effective and reliable way to solve wet basement problems permanently. This is a piping system that is made specifically for basement to resist cogging from the dirt under the floor. WaterGuard intercepts water at the perimeter of the basement and drains the water unseen into whichever sump pump is placed in the basement. WaterGuard is installed by jackhammering around the perimeter of the basement down to the footing and creating a trench for the WaterGuard to be placed in. The piping system has a 3/8 inch wall flange that is designed to be pushed against the wall to catch water that comes down the wall. Once the WaterGuard is in the trench it is covered with gravel to stabilize the drainage system and then covered with concrete to make it invisible. The WaterGuard is connected to the SuperSump pump at the lowest section of the basement; the SuperSump is also under the ground like the WaterGuard. The SuperSump Pump is one of the best pumps on the line and is able to pump up to 2,650 gallons of water an hour. It is also equipped with a Water Watch Alarm system that sounds off if water rises above the point of where the pump should turn on. The SuperSump pump then flushes out the water into the yard through the LawnScape outlet.

Together with these products our All-Dry of the Carolinas team was able to make this basement dry again for the family. They could now use their basement as a storage space without fear of anything getting damaged.

Basement and Crawl Space waterproofed in Greenville, SC

2020-07-13T13:45:32.05Z

This project was scheduled to take ten days since so much work was needed to waterproof this basement and crawl space. Our crew led by crew foreman, TJ Tumlin, started their work on this project on May 28^th 2020. To begin the crawl space needed to have all debris moved from the area, which included old wiring, fallen insulation, rocks, and pipes. Once the crawl space was cleaned out, a trench was dug around the perimeter of the crawl space so that drainage tile, which is drainage tubing, could be installed. The tubing is placed into the trench and then covered with gravel so that the system is steady. These trenches are placed in the low parts of the crawl space so water will flow downhill and into the drainage system. Once the water is in the drainage system, it then flows to the lowest part of the crawl space where a SuperSump pump is waiting to flush the water from the space. Drainage matting is then place on the crawl space floor which is dimpled matting that sits on the dirt and directs water into the drainage tile. Once the matting is down, CleanSpace is placed in the crawl space on the floors, walls, and piers. The CleanSpace works to keep the ground moisture from entering the air and to guide all wall and ground water to the SuperSump Pump. CleanSpace creates an airtight seal around the sump pump lid so that all water will be pushed into the liner of the pump instead of pooling on top of the liner. All crawl space vents and doors were sealed with our interior airtight vent seals, which keeps outside air and moisture from entering the crawl space. That concluded the crawl space waterproofing section of the job.

Once the crawl space was finished the basement was the next section to be tackled. The perimeter of the basement was jackhammered down to the footing of the basement. WaterGuard, which is an interior waterproofing drainage system, is then installed in the trench that had been created by the jack hammer. WaterGuard is placed into the trench, with its 3/8’ wall flange against the wall, and angled in a downward slope so that water can flow towards the SuperSump pump that was placed in the basement. Once in the correct position, the WaterGuard is covered with gravel to keep make the drainage system stable. CleanSpace Wall is then tacked on the wall and tucked in behind the WaterGuard wall flange so that any wall water seepage will be pushed straight into the drainage system and into the sump pump. Once the CleanSpace wall is in place behind the WaterGuard, the WaterGuard is then covered with cement which evens out the floor and makes the system invisible. An Aprilaire dehumidifier was added to the basement as well to remove all moisture that is produced from under the home.

The cracks in the wall, due to moisture affecting the foundation, were covered with Carbon Fiber Strips on the cracks to stabilize the walls. Carbon Fiber Strips stabilize the foundation walls and stops inward movement at the top of the wall. The strips are secured to the walls with heavy duty anchor bolts and brackets at the top and bottom of each wall. These strips work as a big permanent Band-Aid in keeping the wall from separating further.

After the ten long days of our crew working on this home in Greenville, the basement and crawl space were completely waterproofed. This home now meets its initial goals of moisture control, mold prevention, energy saving, and keeping the space All-Dry!

Encapsulating flooded crawl space in Pauline, SC

2020-06-19T11:31:26.05Z

Our All-Dry of the Carolinas crew led by crew foreman, Ray Petry, began work on this crawl space by removing all the trash, rocks, and debris that was sitting in the crawl space. The crawl space has to be cleaned because we want the CleanSpace vapor barrier that is installed to be sitting on a smooth surface to prevent any tears.

Once the crawl space was cleaned out, a trench was dug around the perimeter of the crawl space so that drainage tile, which is drainage tubing, could be installed. The tubing in placed into the trench and then covered with gravel so that the system is steady. These trenches are placed in the low parts of the crawl space so water will flow downhill and into the drainage system. Once the water is in the drainage system, it then flows to the lowest part of the crawl space where a SuperSump pump is waiting to flush the water from the space.

The final piece of this crawl space encapsulation to be added is the Aprilaire dehumidifier. The Aprilaire is used to remove excess moisture from the air. This moisture in the air typically comes from the pipes under your home or any place within the crawl space where air can seep in. The Aprilaire will remove the moisture from the air and drain it into a condensate pump where the water is then flushed from the crawl space.

This job took a total of five days to complete, but once our crew was done, this home in Pauline, SC had a crawl space that was protected from water and moisture.

Total Encapsulation in Hendersonville, NC

2020-06-17T12:18:15.05Z

The crawl space was cleaned and any debris and old insulation was removed by our All-Dry crew before they began to place in the waterproofing products. CleanSpace was then placed on the floors, walls, and wrapped around any piers in the area. CleanSpace is a 20-mil-thick liner that is designed to keep ground water or moisture from getting into the air. This liner is white, which also makes the crawl space bright and clean, and also makes it easy to notice if any pest or mold begins to take up a home in the crawl space.

A TripleSafe sump pump was added to the crawl space as well, to flush any water that comes in from the crawl space. The TripleSafe liner is one of the best sump pumps on the line. It consists of two pumps that work together to flush out any and all water. Typically only one of the pumps will run, although if the first pump fails or is unable to keep up with the intake of water the second pump will kick in to out help out. In the case of a power outage, the TripleSafe pump also has an UltraSump installed in it. The UltraSump is a battery backup pump that turns on when power is lost to the main pump.

An Aprilaire dehumidifier was placed into the crawl space to keep excess moisture that is produced under the home from lingering around. The moisture is removed from the air and then drained into the sump pump where the water is then flushed from the crawl space.

To finish off the encapsulation of this crawl space our crew installed interior seal vents and an Everlast door. These products are used to give the crawl space an airtight seal so that no outside air enters under the house. Keeping outside air from entering the crawl space will help keep moisture levels down and with the help of the encapsulation and dehumidifier, there will hardly be any moisture. The crawl space was completely waterproofed by our All-Dry crew within two days by our crew led by crew foreman Ray Petry.

Basement and Crawl Space Waterproofing in Greenwood, SC

2020-06-17T11:21:11.05Z

Since the crawl space was the initial point of water seepage, it first had to be fixed so that water would no longer flow into the basement. This problem was fixed by placing drainage tile, drainage matting, and a SuperSump pump into the crawl space. Drainage tile is placed into the crawl space by digging a trench and placing the tile, which is tubing, into the trench. The tubing is then covered with gravel to keep it in place. The drainage matting works a buffer between the dirt of the crawlspace floor and since the matting has a dimple design it helps water quickly flow to the drainage tile system. Since all the water that is collecting on the floor of the crawl space is being directed into the drainage system, the system must have a way for water to exit the crawl space. So the drainage tile leads to a SuperSump pump where the water is flushed from the crawl space.

Once the crawl space was waterproofed, the basement had to be tackled. To fix the water intrusion of the basement, our team added WaterGuard. WaterGuard is like a French drain although it is installed inside of the home. This interior form of waterproofing is more likely to resist clogging with silt or plant roots. WaterGuard catches wall and floor seepages before it reaches the floor in its drainage pipe where it is then sent to the sump pump. This basement also had a SuperSump pump installed so that the water from the WaterGuard could be drained from the basement.

Once all of these products were added to this home it was protected from water that enters the crawl space. The products that were added to the crawl space are designed to keep water from getting to the basement, but ground water comes in in mysterious ways. So to prevent the basement from being subject to water if the crawl space system fails or if it is over flooded, the basement has its own waterproofing system that will keep the interior of the home dry. Together with these products our team at All-Dry of the Carolinas were able to protect this home from water and high moisture levels.

Getting rip of humidity in Woodfin, NC basement and crawl space

2020-05-27T13:52:45.05Z

To solve this problem of moisture and humidity would be to install a dehumidifier that pulls moisture out of the air and flushes it from the area. We at All-Dry of the Carolinas offers one of the best dehumidifiers on the market, The Aprilaire 1850. This brand of dehumidifier can cover up to 3000 Square feet of area. These dehumidifiers are created for long term protection and come with a 5 year warranty.

Take it a step further to protect your home from moisture by encapsulating the entire space. Encapsulation works as a seal for the basement or crawl space to keep moisture that is coming from the ground out of the air. At All-Dry of the Carolinas we offer a product called CleanSpace which is our 20 mil-thick-liner that is placed on the floor, walls, and piers of the basement or crawl space. CleanSpace works to lower humidity, mold growth, heating, and cooling prices.

The Aprilaire 1850 and CleanSpace work together to keep humidity and moisture from damaging your home.

Circular Basement In Easley Gets WaterGuard

2020-05-15T11:36:08.05Z

We sent out our design specialist Jonathan Geddie to this home to check out the problem and to offer a solution. When Jonathan got there he noticed that water was seeping up through the floor where the wall meets the floor. This ground water was starting to leave mold and to avoid it spreading further they decided to waterproof their basement. Jonathan quoted them a job that consisted of WaterGuard, CleanSpace, and a SuperSump pump.

The perimeter of the basement was jack hammered out so that the WaterGuard could be placed in the space. Since this is a circular basement and WaterGuard is typically cut into straight sections, our crew let by crew foreman Will Harris, had to take a different approach to solving this issue. Cutting the WaterGuard into small sections, our crew placed tiny slits into the WaterGuard so that it would curve like an accordion. These slits are then covered with our waterproof tape so that when it is covered with concrete it won’t enter the WaterGuard. But before the WaterGuard is placed into the trench, the CleanSpace was added to the wall. CleanSpace was added to the wall to direct any ground water that seeps in down into the WaterGuard drain system. CleanSpace is added before the WaterGuard so that the drainage system can be installed against the plastic. It is harder to tuck CleanSpace behind the drainage system once it is installed.

The SuperSump Pump is placed into the ground and has the WaterGuard connected to it. The WaterGuard is leveled so that any water that enters it will be drained into the SuperSump Pump. There is a three inch pipe that connects the WaterGuard to the SuperSump liner. The SuperSump would then flush any water it takes into the LawnScape outlet that is located in the yard.

Once all the parts of the system are installed, they are cemented over so that it is invisible. Our crews wash down any and all forms of dust and muck that might have formed during our work so that your basement looks better than when we arrived.

Once this basement in Easley had its system installed it stopped the intake of water into the space. The homeowners were able to start placing in the wood floors again without fear of them being ruined by water.

Swannanoa, NC Encapsulation

2020-05-11T15:41:47.05Z

Our crew led by crew foreman Ray Petry, started working on this crawl space by cleaning out all trash, rocks, and other items that weren’t supposed to be there. CleanSpace is then added to the crawl space, covering the floor, walls, and any piers. CleanSpace is a vapor barrier that is made out of multi-layer polyethylene. This type of vapor barrier is designed to last, being made with polyester cord reinforcements that make the CleanSpace almost impossible to tear. It works to keep ground moisture from entering the crawl space and direct any water to the sump pump. This owner had the TripleSafe Sump Pump system installed into their crawl space for their pump option. TripleSafe is the world’s most reliable pump system, operating with three pumps. Pump A is the one that works all the time, if pump A ever fails or cannot keep up with water, pump B will activate to help out. In case of power failure, the TripleSafe Pump also had an UltraSump Pump added in it which is a battery operated pump. The TripleSafe system is designed to keep the crawl space dry under any circumstances. An Aprilaire 1820, which is a dehumidifier, was added to the crawl space as well to remove any moisture that would be produced from the pipes under the home. The dehumidifier is able to absorb any moisture in the air and drains it into the TripleSafe Sump through a discharge tube. To finish up the encapsulation, our crew sealed the crawl space with interior vents and an EverLast door which gives the crawl space an airtight seal. Making sure that the crawl space has an airtight seal in important because moisture comes from the air. If you keep the flow of outside air out of the crawl space it will decrease the chance of moisture.

Once our crew had installed all of these products, the crawl space looked like an entirely different space. Moisture levels began to drop and the mold smell went away!

Waterproofing in Laviona, GA home

2020-05-11T11:12:18.05Z

To begin with, our crew installed drainage tile around the crawl space. Drainage tile was placed around the crawl space in the area where water had made trenches. The drainage system is then covered with gravel to secure the drainage system in place. The drainage tile leads to the SuperSump Pump so any water taken into the tile will then be drained into the pump. In typical situations, drainage tile isn’t used for moisture control; this product is being used to manage the flooding water into the crawl space. The drainage tile is covered with CleanSpace which is a vapor barrier that prevents ground moisture from getting into the crawlspace. An Aprilaire dehumidifier is place into the space to remove any moisture that is produced from the pipes under the home. The crawl space is then sealed with interior sealed vents and an EverLast Door which provides an airtight seal. These products work together to prevent, reduce, and remove moisture from the crawl space that will cause damage to the home.

These products, especially the drainage tile, will work to keep the water out of the finished section of the basement. The homeowners will no longer have to worry about their floors or belongings getting water damage again!

A Full CleanSpace Encapsulation is like a......Cake?

2017-11-07T00:00:00.05Z

Our high school English teachers would be so proud, because what we have here is a huge simile. Not smile, but simile. This blog post will explain how our full CleanSpace encapsulation system is just like baking a cake. Cake does not take too many different or complex ingredients, but when they are put together they make something amazing! This is just like the CleanSpace encapsulation that we do in most crawlspaces that we work in.

Let's start with the basics. To make a cake you need a few key items like; eggs, flour, milk, and baking powder. When all of these are put together, we get a nice foundation for the cake. For our system, the "ingredients" are products like 3-inch drain tile, drainage matting, getting vents sealed, and sump pumps. These are all very crucial parts of the system, however, they sometimes get hidden or overlooked because they are not usually seen in pictures. While we are not mixing all of these together, you certainly aren't seeing how effective these products are.

What do you do to a cake after you have pulled it out of the oven? That's right, it's time for the frosting (or icing, whichever you prefer). If you have looked at anything else on our website, you may already know what the icing on the cake is...the CleanSpace liner! The CleanSpace liner really seals everything up. It acts as a barrier between the ground and the crawlspace. Just like the ingredients to a cake, the icing is another key part of the whole thing. CleanSpace is an extremely important part of this full encapsulation system.

Last, but certainly not least come the decorations like candles, or dinosaurs, or whatever your heart desires. Again, another extremely important piece of the whole, because no one wants a boring cake. The decorations for our encapsulation are a little different, and include products like dehumidifiers and LawnScape outlets. While these are not always key parts of the system, they certainly help everything work better, and work together. The exception to this is the dehumidifier, which is almost always a must in a full encapsulation. The dehumidifier keeps the relative humidity level below the level that mold can grow.

While this may have been a strange connection to make between our system and baking a cake, I think it is something that really makes sense and is an easy way to look at how our system works and interacts with itself! Thank you for reading!

Award Winning at Convention!

2017-10-04T00:00:00.05Z

Earlier last month, a few of our employees made a trip up to Connecticut for the annual Basement Systems Convention! All of our employees who went were from different areas of the company and all learned a lot of new things while at convention, which we are all grateful for. Our Systems Design Manager and a couple of our Systems Design Specialists learned a lot of new tactics to use during their inspections, in order to be even more precise and efficient in their analysis of the home. Our Human Resources Manager also learned a lot about setting company goals, and for employee motivation. They were even able to bring back some information to me (the marketing intern)!

What our company is also excited about were the awards that we won for the "Widget Contest" that Basement Systems was running. The entire Basement Systems network was able to participate in this contest, so there was a lot of competition! There were several different categories for the different "Widgets" like photo galleries, Before and After photos, Job Stories, and Case Studies. We were able to win first place for the Most Testimonials uploaded! We were also able to land the runner-up position for Best Case Studies!

No matter how much work our employees put into their activities and the company, none of this could happen without YOU. The reason that we won the Most Testimonials is because of all of our kind customers who wrote us back to tell us how we did! Thank you for everything that you have done for us!

What to Expect: Installation Day(s)

2017-09-14T00:00:00.05Z

Now is the moment of truth! You have talked to our ladies in the office and scheduled an appointment, one of our Systems Design Specialists have been out to your home, and you have already taken all the proper steps to ready your home for the installation crew to put in your system! It's installation day! Our crew will be coming to your home for a day (or maybe a few).

As per the usual, this is what you should expect. The first thing that will happen, is a few days before your installation date, you should receive a phone call from the office. This phone call is to remind you of the installation date in case you had forgotten, which is actually pretty common. We try to have your installation as soon as possible, but sometimes during the year, our calendar gets booked up quite far, sometimes a month or more. This is just a quick reminder that lets you know the date of the installation, as well as what time the crew should be there to install the system!

After that, the next time you will hear back from us is when the crew gets to your home! You definitely are not required to be at the home during the installation process, but we do ask that if you are not there, that you provide us access to the area in which we are working in. This includes basements, crawlspaces, and areas around the home that the crew may need to access during the installation process. Another scenario to think about is if you live in a gated community that requires approval. The crew will arrive as early in the morning as they can (travel times vary), however, they crews are usually on site around 9-10 am and on an average day will work until 5 or 6 in the evening. Before they leave at night, the crew will clean up the area as best as they can (of course sometimes this is impossible), but they do their best to "hide" as much as possible. Now since the average job is between 3 and 5 days, more than likely the crew will be coming back at least a couple days in a row. They will complete this process until the job has been completed. The crew often needs to stay later on the last day of a job, because the work can be finished that day, it just may take a few extra hours.

After the crew has finished the job, from start to finish, then you're almost done! Well sort of, there are still a few little things to get done. We invite you to check out the system and ask any questions that you may have. Our crews, especially the foremen, are extremely well versed in the systems that they install, so they should be able to answer any questions without a problem! The last step is to collect the rest of the payment from you. Now if you are paying with a check or cash, we ask that you give the crew foreman that. However, if you are financing or paying with a credit/debit card, that will be taken care of through the office! You can call us if you'd like to, but don't worry, someone will give you a call the day that the work will be done for a few reasons. One to let you know that the crew will be finishing, but also to collect the payment.

While this is pretty much the end of the process and series as a whole. I will be writing one more, short, blog about a few miscellaneous things that will/could happen after your system has been installed. So stay tuned for that!

What to Expect: Pre-Installation Work/Electrical Standards

2017-08-24T00:00:00.05Z

I have some good news and some bad news for you. I always like to end on a good note, so I'll give you the bad news first; this is probably going to be the time where YOU have to put in the most work. However, the good news is that it usually is not that much work! See, it could have been much worse! The rest of the blog post will be all about the responsibilities you have as the homeowner, and what we will be doing in order to make your installation as smooth as possible.

Payment

There are basically two options when paying for the service. The first one that we will go over first is just straight payment. This is relatively simple, which is why we are discussing it first. So, when you sign your contract, we require a 20% down payment for the project, however, you can put down as much as you would like at this point, even paying for the entire amount. This is so that we are able to purchase some of the materials for your project, to have them ready to install! The rest of the payment for the installation of our products is due upon completion of the installation.

The other way to pay for our services is through a financing firm that we are partnered with called Enerbank. You can find other information about the financing options once the project is scheduled and Enerbank gets back to you after filling out an application. We have this option as well so that even if your home is in dire need of our system, but you don't have the "cash" up front, you are still able to get the system installed. Both Enerbank and our office are huge helps in getting you through this process!

Electrical

The electrical component of our installations are actually pretty important to your system. There are very specific guidelines and requirements that must be met to ensure that our products can work correctly without fail. Another important part of having the correct electrical setup is so that your warranties are not negated.

Fortunately, we have a flyer that we will give you that specifies exactly what you need to have installed! you don't even necessarily have to understand exactly what you need, but you can show your electrician the flyer so that they will know exactly what they need to do for you. Again, I can't stress the importance of getting this right, because it could void your warranties. Another note is that plugging your products into an extension cord will negate any warranty on a pump or dehumidifier. This means that the outlet must be installed very close to the sump pump or dehumidifier.

Electrical Requirements

TripleSafe Pump System

We recommend 2 outlets on different circuits.

Pump#1 - 9.7 amps

Pump#2 - 9.4 amps

Charger - 3 amps

SuperSump Pump System

9.7 amps (13 amps with Charger)

SmartSump Crawlspace Pump System

9.7 amps (13 amps with Charger)

SantaFe Edge 2 Crawlspace Dehumidifier

5.7 amps

SantaFe Element Mini Crawlspace Dehumidifier

5.1 amps

SantaFe Elite

6.4 amps

Condensate Pump

1 amp

Miscellaneous

There are not too many other things that we would ask you to do before coming to install the system, but sometimes there are smaller requests. One of the biggest things that we ask for (especially when installing WaterGuard) is for the homeowner to move everything at least a few feet back from the wall. Some other requests may move certain objects or parts of structures (like stair steps to work under), or to remove flooring like tile, wood floors, etc.

What to Expect: Systems Design Specialist

2017-08-11T00:00:00.05Z

The very first part of your free estimate with one of our System Design Specialists happens several days before you'll meet with them and probably before you even talk to them. After your phone call with someone at the office, we immediately prepare a pre-mailer, which is basically a packet of information on some of our products, as well as an informational booklet about crawl spaces/basements/foundation issues (depending on your reason for calling, of course).

After the pre-mailer is sent out and received by you, our prospective customer then comes the moment of truth, you get to meet one of our great System Design Specialists. The only other thing that probably will happen before they arrive at your home is a phone call from them. They often do this the day before or earlier in the day, just as a reminder to the estimate.

This next part is where all of the magic happens, the Specialist has arrived at your home, and ready to meet you, determine your problems, and give you a reasonable, effective solution. Now, these inspections can take awhile, between an hour or two, maybe more if the home/business needs a lot of work and different products. The Specialist will go under/around the home and begin making notes and measurements of the home, measure humidity levels, and anything else that he needs for the estimate.

After figuring out exactly what your needs are for the work, the Specialist will have a presentation prepared for you. In the presentation, he will show off some of the products, as well as how they work. Some of this information will be a review if you've read the books that were sent to you. However, the Specialist is there to answer any questions about the system/products, and any further technical questions you may have. At this time, the Specialist will actually show you his proposal on what is needed to fix the problem, as well as price, and anything else that may come with the proposal.

This certainly will not be the last time you hear from our Specialist, they are almost always available to answer questions that you may have. After you have met with the Specialist and have seen the estimate, it is then up to you whether you decide to choose our company or not. Once you call the office, we will set up an installation date for your project to be completed.

What to Expect: Initial Contact

2017-08-03T00:00:00.05Z

So, if you're still trying to figure out which contractor you should contact for an estimate, want to know more about our company, or just want to know what to expect when dealing with our company; you've come to the right place. I'm going to be writing several of these, basically spanning from the first time you call our office to the installation of your system, and even after that!

We're going to start off at the very beginning, our first contact together. This will happen one of two ways (you'll probably never guess); you will give us a call, or we'll give you a call! That was a tough one, but I think we're getting through this pretty easily. Now, for you to call us, you've probably spent a lot of time on our website; looking over our countless photos, before and afters, and other content. We hope that you have even read up on our Service Design Specialists, and we know you have looked at the products we provide (although you may not understand them, that's okay!). After you've done all your research, you give us a call and one of our lovely office employees will answer your call. More than likely it will be Karen, Shannon, Brooke, and if you draw the short straw you'll get me (Braden). Now pause for a minute while I described the other way.

So if you'd rather have us call you back, you can fill out a contact form for a free estimate here. This form allows us to collect some basic information (name, address, and the reason for contact) so that we know who and what we are dealing with. Once we receive your form, we will give you a call to set up your free estimate and get a little more information about you!

Alright, now that we've made contact, one way or another, it is time to schedule your free, no-obligation estimate. While on the phone with someone from our office, they will get some information from you including; name, address, email, the reason for calling, and a few others. After finding out a little more about you, and answering any questions that you may have for us, we move on to scheduling a date for one of our Service Design Specialists to visit you for the estimate. This is a relatively painless process and usually only takes a minute or two of figuring out which Specialist is required for the type of work you're in need of, your location, and the date that you would like to have the estimate done on.

That pretty much sums up the initial contact that you are likely to have with our company. All of our customer service representatives here are very nice, polite, and sweet ladies, I promise they won't bite! Now that I've walked you through this process (probably in too much detail), give us a call at [[phone]]! Thank you for reading, keep on the lookout for the next few "What to Expect's"

GFCI Breaker or Receptacle?

2017-07-26T00:00:00.05Z

Many people, whether you are knowledgeable about commercial electricity, how it flows, and different types of circuits or not, have probably at least heard of a GFI/GFCI, which stands for “Ground-fault Circuit Interrupter” (you may have learned something already!). You also probably already know what these are used for, they’re installed in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. However, unless you’re an electrician or have researched this before, the way they work may be unknown, let’s start there.

A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), also known as a ground fault interrupter (GFI), is a device that shuts off an electric circuit when it detects that current is flowing along an unintended path, such as through water or a person. In layman’s terms, a GFCI keeps people from getting shocked or electrocuted by shutting off when the circuit is interrupted by water or from a person. The way that it does this is through constantly measuring and comparing the output and returning currents, when the currents do not match up, the GFCI trips and must be reset. The photo below shows a pretty simple illustration of how a GFCI works.

There are three main types of GFCIs, but only two that we will focus on in this post. The one that will not be discussed is the portable GFCI. Think of this as a short extension cord (hence the “portable”) that can serve as a GFCI. The main two, as you may have guessed from the title is the GFCI outlet and circuit breaker. A GFCI outlet is exactly what it seems, it is an outlet that is “GFCI protected”, meaning that it will do exactly as described above. A GFCI circuit breaker is very similar, except that it is installed in the breaker box, rather than as an outlet. Another big difference is that a GFCI circuit breaker protects a whole circuit, rather than just one outlet. So instead of having 4-5 different GFCI outlets, the home could just have one GFCI circuit breaker.

There are pros and cons to both of these options, whether going with a GFCI outlet or a GFCI circuit breaker. However, because we are a basement and crawlspace waterproofing company, we are going to focus on the application of this different GFCIs in these areas. The answer without a doubt is to go with a GFCI circuit breaker in basements, and especially the crawlspace. The reason is not a very complicated one and is more of a convenience than anything. The word convenience is thrown out, because, in reality, a GFCI outlet and a GFCI circuit breaker are almost the same thing, and definitely perform the same function.

A little background may be needed to understand why this is more of a convenience for basements and crawlspaces. If a customer is having a product that needs to be plugged in, they are required to provide a dedicated outlet; these products include sump pumps, dehumidifiers, and condensate pumps. I’m sure you’re able to make this connection relatively easily, but we are a waterproofing company, meaning we are dealing with wet areas daily. Since GFCIs are set off by water, it is pretty common for an outlet to be tripped in the areas where our products are installed.

We often get service calls about our products not working/running/etc. Every once in a while, the product is defective, but a lot of times it is as simple as a tripped GFCI outlet. Now some people realize this and will go into the crawlspace to see if the GFCI was tripped, but there are two problems with this. First, it can be a real inconvenience for the homeowner to have to get in their crawl space just to see if this is the problem, whereas, with a GFCI circuit breaker, all they have to do is to check their breaker box. Another issue is that we have a lot of older customers who aren’t actually able to get to their crawlspace, so a GFCI circuit breaker is imperative for them.

Overall, because a GFCI circuit breaker and outlet perform the same function, the convenience of the GFCI circuit far outweighs the benefits of the GFCI outlet, especially in our line of work in dealing with basements and crawl spaces!

Why Do I Need Basement Drainage?

2017-07-17T00:00:00.05Z

You may be reading this saying, "Of course I should be getting drainage, it's just too expensive" or "I'll do it soon" or maybe you're thinking to yourself that basements are scary places and it is just a fact of life that basements are dark, scary, and damp places. Well, hopefully this blog is able to change each and every one of your minds because having a finished basement can add a lot of value to your home, and provides you with extra space to enjoy or use as storage.

There are several different scenarios in which you may need to look at having a basement drain installed (although personally, I think it is better to be safe than sorry)!

It seems to be more common than not that people believe that the problem is not actually a problem, but more of a minor inconvenience every few months. People don't mind spending a hundred bucks here or there to fix the problem temporarily, but are less likely to shell out a little more for a permanent solution to the problem.

We see this when people will call around or talk to friends (as you should do) and many people hear solutions like cleaning gutters, landscaping options, exterior drainage, and others. The problem is that these solutions will work, but often not for long. But because the solutions work temporarily, people believe that the only problem is that their gutters aren't clean or that the soil around the home isn't sloped correctly, which may all be true. These aren't the problems to the underlying issue, which is that of the basement. Unfortunately, the materials we use in a building aren't perfect, so we have to come up with solutions like the ones that we use here at All-Dry. These are interior drainage products that don't pretend to keep the water from getting into the home (because this is very difficult), but rather products that if (but more likely when) water gets into your basement, will collect the water and keep it from damaging your home.

This picture is from a recent job in Maggie Valley. This homeowner had WaterGuard drainage system, as well as BrightWall installed.

As mentioned earlier, some people just believe that basements are kind of supposed to be these dark, scary areas. This is definitely not true, as you can see if you check out some of our basement pictures in our photo gallery or before and afters! Finished basements can be a huge blessing and add a lot of value to your home; imagine you have a 1,000 square foot, one-story home with a basement, by finishing your basement you have almost doubled your livable square-footage of the home. These places don't have to be scary, unusable places, but can be transformed into dry, fun, and livable areas!

If you still aren't convinced about finishing your crawlspace, or at least getting drainage to keep it from becoming damp and moldy, then maybe this last reason will help you out. This is more of a practical benefit, but it is still true and very important. It is pretty likely that at some point you will be selling your house, whether your family is getting bigger, maybe smaller, you're moving because of a new job, or maybe you're retiring! The fact is, you're going to be selling your house, and there are two ways that your damp, wet, and/or moldy basement can go for you; your potential buyer may love the home, but then see the crawlspace and either immediately back out because it isn't an issue they want to deal with or you may end up having to pay for a solution anyways. If you're going to be paying for it anyway, why not do it sooner? That way you can actually enjoy the benefits too!

I won't go through all of the different ways that you can use your newly finished basement, but I'll give you a lot! Here's a short list of different things to do with your basement: a playroom, bedroom(s), home gym, home theater, wine cellar, and many, many more! I hope this post has enlightened you to why you should get basement drainage and finish your crawl space, there aren't really any negatives to this process!

Call us with any questions you may have about getting work done to your basement! Our number is [phone], we look forward to hearing from you!

Terms of the Trade: Basements

2017-07-05T00:00:00.05Z

For this post, we're going to start outside and work our way inwards, so first we will start by going over the outside items.

Grade
- This refers to the ground level a home is on. It also refers to the angle of which the ground is at. Generally, the most favorable grade around a home is a downward-sloping grade, so that water runs away from the home.
Virgin Soil
The soil around the home that has not been disturbed when the home was built. Essentially when a home is built, a large "bowl" is dug out, where your foundation is laid. After the foundation is laid, the builder then fills the bowl back up.
Backfill
- This is the soil that that was replaced by the builder after the foundation was laid. This soil is usually pretty loose and "unsteady", a common cause of settlement.
Exterior Footing Drain
- This is also referred to as an exterior drain tile and is placed on the footing or bottom of the walls. These drains are placed to drain off any water around the foundation walls and footings. These are usually large plastic pipes with slots/holes in them to allow water seepage. The problem with these drains is that they are often installed incorrectly which leads to a number of different problems.
Sub-Slab Soil or Floor Backfill
- This is soil/rock/etc that is placed after the foundation has been poured, but before the basement floor/slab is poured.

Now onto the actual home and foundation itself. For this section, we will work from bottom to top.

Footing or Footer
- These are on the edges of a home and help to spread out the weight of the home on more ground. This is important to do because a home (and everything inside of it) can weigh a lot, these footers help to bear that burden.
Basement Floor/Floor Slab/Slab
- This is a pretty self-explanatory term, this is a slab of concrete that serves as the floor for a basement.
Foundation Wall/Basement Wall
- Another self-explanatory term, this is part of the foundation, but it is also that wall of the basement. Since it is part of the foundation, it holds up the majority of the home's weight.
Floor/Wall Joint
- Another easy one! This is where the floor slab and the foundation wall come together. The reason that this is important, is since it isn't a single slab, it leaves a gap between the two. This gap is a perfect area for water to come through and cause problems.
Footing/Wall Joint
- Another area in which a gap is created by the two different slabs being poured separately. In this case, this is the joint, or area where the footing (or footer) meets with the foundation wall.
Sill Plate
- This is a board that is laid horizontally around the top of the foundation (walls). This sill plate is basically used to construct the home off of. What I mean by that is that the studs and eventually walls are fastened to the sill plate for a more sturdy foundation.
Rim Joist
- A rim joist is essentially the cap on the end of the floor joists. It gives the floor joists an anchor and holds everything together.
Floor Joists
- These are the boards that run across a home, essentially creating the foundation for the floor of a home. These floor joists are also the ceiling for a basement.

While many of these you may have already known or could have guessed, with the upcoming blog posts about the basement, I thought it would be best to list out all of these "key terms" for basements, so that they won't have to be explained in detail in the upcoming posts. I hope you learned more about basements and foundations!

Social Media and You!

2017-06-26T00:00:00.05Z

Instagram, Twitter, Facebook! You name it, and we might have it! We're on all of the major social media and social networking sites! This includes; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Google+.

All-Dry of the Carolinas has recently brought on a dedicated marketing person! My name is Braden, and I am the marketing intern for All-Dry! I won't make this too much about myself, but I would like to give a little background on myself. I'm a senior at Lander University, pursuing a degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in marketing/management and finance. I started here in March, and have been pretty busy ever since!

Now enough about myself, and more about our social media! Most of our social media accounts (excluding Facebook) are relatively new. Our Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn have all been created in the last three months that I've been here. While our social media is very important to us, I focus a lot on posting content to our website, like this blog! I write most of the content that gets posted on the website including; before and afters, photo galleries, and case studies.

Now let's talk about where you can find us on social media, and a brief overview of what kind of content is posted on each (although the content is relatively similar).

Facebook
This is our "main" social media outlet. It is where we have the biggest presence and audience. Anything that gets posted to other social media, will more than likely be posted here as well. There are a lot of different types of content posted here, from photos to website content, and even interesting, short articles.
Twitter
- Our Twitter has a very small following, but maybe you can help with that! If you know about Twitter, then you know the content here is much shorter. Usually just random tweets about "National Holidays" like National Doughnut Day, with the occasional website content or testimonial thrown in!
Instagram
- Our Instagram is brand new as of today! The content on here will more than likely be more "behind the scenes" content; office life, celebrating those funny "holidays", and other things of this sort.
LinkedIn
- Since this is a more professional site than say, Facebook, I try and treat it as such. On this site, the content is usually more about job postings, but also has content from the website as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post and I hope you all follow us on our different social media channels! If you have any questions or suggestions, please send a message to us on any of these social media sites, or shoot me an email at alldrymarketing@gmail.com.

Here is a list of all of the social media handles:

Twitter-@AllDryCarolinas
Instagram-alldrycarolinas
Facebook-All-Dry of the Carolinas, Inc
LinkedIn-All-Dry of the Carolinas
Google+-All-Dry of the Carolinas

Solutions to a Failing Wall

2017-06-14T00:00:00.05Z

Congratulations! If you're reading this, you've made it all the way through the foundation blogs! It is no surprise to you how this blog will be set up, so we will hop right into solutions for wall failure, or rather solutions that (don't) work, and move our way to reasonable options!

This first option is something that we've talked about in another blog, so we won't go into too much detail; total foundation replacement. Total foundation replacement is essentially where a house is completely raised off of the ground (foundation) and then has a new foundation poured. While this seems like a good option, it is actually one of the worse ones. Total foundation replacement is extremely expensive and does not tackle the issue at hand -- the soil. If you're having issues with wall failure, this is one of the last "solutions" you want to do!

This is going to get confusing but bear with me on this. This section is going to be talking about carbon fiber straps. Now, carbon fiber straps can be a somewhat reliable option, especially if you have the correct type, but others are very stiff and are not great for helping to fight against wall failure. We'll talk about the types that don't work first. There are two types of carbon fiber straps that don't work very well, the first type being laminates. These are very strong products but are also extremely rigid. So while the may have the strength to support the wall, they may not have the flexibility to attach to the wall correctly. The other type of carbon fiber strap that don't work well are called grid systems. These grid systems don't have nearly as much or tightly woven carbon fiber strips as the laminate systems and therefore aren't nearly as strong, even though they are flexible.

So why can't you just combine the best of both worlds? Well lucky for you, Foundation Supportworks has done this with their CarbonArmor and ArmorLock System. This carbon fiber strap is both flexible and extremely strong, 10 times stronger than steel. Everything about this system is great for basement walls. Not only are the straps themselves strong, but the epoxy and the ArmorLock anchorage system are extremely tough and well-designed.

On to the next, steel I-Beams. These I-Beams can sometimes be an option for a homeowner, especially when there is limited space between property lines or other obstacles. However, since these I-Beams take up a lot of room and run floor-to-ceiling, they aren't recommended if you want to eventually finish your basement or if it is already finished.

An even better option than I-Beams is the PowerBrace system. These PowerBraces are even better than I-Beams because of their ability to be tightened over time. This means that not only can the wall be stopped from getting any worse, but it can actually improve the condition of the wall over time.

One of the most popular ways that we use to handle wall failure is wall anchors. Simply put, wall anchors consist of three separate parts, 2 plates, and a rod. A hole is dug several feet away from the home, where one anchor plate will be installed. A hole is then drilled through the basement wall, all the way to the Geo-Lock anchor that is installed outside. The actual wall anchor plate is installed on the basement wall and the entire system is tightened. These really are one of the best and most effective solutions that we offer. These walls have the best opportunity to straighten the wall over time and the only downfall is that you must have a few feet outside of your home to install the outside plates.

As always, I'm including a table from FSI's "Foundation Repair Science" book!

How to Fix a Home's Sagging Floors

2017-06-05T00:00:00.05Z

We always like to save the best for last, so we are going to start this blog out by telling you solutions that some companies may try to push on you. While some of these solutions do work, they are often temporary or can sometimes cause more problems than before.

The first solution that doesn't work are concrete columns. These concrete columns are basically just a concrete footing, with concrete blocks stacked on top of them, with shims put inbetween the concrete blocks and the girder. While this seems like a good solution and something that you've probably seen before, it doesn't actually tackle the real problem (does that sound familar?). This is not a reasonable option because the soil is the problem, so by just putting new columns without addressing the soil, the same issue will arise again when the soil keeps settling.

The next solution that only provides a temporary solution is additional shimming. Additional shimming is very cheap and extremely easy to do. This is eseentially taking wedges of wood and pushing them in between the girder and the existing column. While this may be cheap and easy, it is a very temporary fix and you are going to have to keep repairing and putting more and more shims in. With this solution, you get out what you put in.

Another solution that you definitely should not do is to install a light-duty jack post. This is essentially a smaller, weaker version of the SmartJack that we install. This is more than likely a DIY project taken on by the homeowner. There are a few problems with using light-duty jacks. The first problem is that these jacks can't really support the weight of a home, even installing several of these won't keep them from collapsing or failing. The other problem, as with other "solutions" is that it doesn't address the underlying issue-the soil.

We can finally move on to the one solution that can repair sagging floors, a SmartJack Stablizer or SmartJack. SmartJacks are similar to the "light-duty jack posts" except much, much better. They are able to hold over 60,000 pounds, which is much more other jacks. Not only can the SmartJacks hold more weight than other jacks, but the way that they are installed actually tackles the underlying problem, not just the issue with the sagging floors. When SmartJacks are installed, a small cube of soil is dug and and filled with concrete or crushed stone. This new base is much stronger and will not settle like the rest of the soil around and under it. SmartJacks are really the only solution to sagging floors that is permanent. Not only is the product strong and adjustable, but it also is the only solution presented that addresses the problem soil.

I am including a chart below that shows the pros and cons of each of these solutions. This chart is actually the chart from Foundation Supportworks's "Foundation Repair Science" book. As always, feel free to call us or message us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn with any questions!

We Are Foundation Settlement Problem Solvers at All-Dry!

2017-05-24T00:00:00.05Z

This installment in the "Foundation Repair series" is going to be a little different than the other two blogs about foundation problems. Since there is so much information and different solutions for each of these problems, there will be at least two different blogs talking about the solutions for the different foundation issues. This one will only go over foundation settlement solutions.

Foundation Settlement

First we will start off with the solutions that do not work, then go into the ones that do. One option you have when you foundation is settling is a total foundation replacement. This is exactly what it sounds like, the dirt around your home is excavated like a archeaological dig site, your home is raised above the ground, and then a whole new foundation is poured for your home, and the dirt is replaced. This seems like a good plan, right? If the foundation is broken, we should just replace it. While this kind of makes sense, it is a flawed way of thinking. This is because even though the foundation is broken and settling, it is not the problem. The issue is the soil around and beneath your home. So this solution is only temporary, even though the cost is huge. This is definitely one solution that you don't want to try.

Another solution that you should be wary of is concrete underpinning. This may be something that you've never heard of so we'll go over exactly what it is. This solution starts off similarly to the last, the crew begins by excavating the soil around your home, then pours larger footings beneath the existing ones. The soil is then put back into place. The reasoning behind this method is because the footings are meant to hold the weight of the home, therefore if the footings are larger and cover more area, the weight of the home will be more spread out. This method generally does not work because the new concrete footings are not poured outside of the "active zone" (the active zone is the area around the home in which the soil is still settling). This again, does not address the underlying of the issue and will only cost more when it needs to be repaired.

We still have one more bad "solution" to go over, concrete piers. These piers are pushed into the ground and held together by a wire. A shim is then placed on the top of the tower of concrete cylinders in order to hold up the home. This is not the worst solution out there, but it does not work too well because of how wide the pillars are. It is very difficult to push down these concrete blocks through the soil, and concrete is known for breaking and cracking when under immense pressure (like holding up a house) and during temperature changes.

Now onto the real solutions! The first actual foundation settlement solution is to install steel push piers. If you have checked out any other content on our website, you have probably seen these push piers. The push piers are are steel rods that are driven deep into the soil to either bedrock or a stable soil layer. While these push piers can be installed both in-and-outdoors, we generally only install them outside the home. These piers are attached to a large, steel bracket that is secured onto the base of your foundation. After all of this is taken care of, the push piers attempt to lift the home back towards its original position, raising the home and closing gaps in and outside the home. The reason these push piers work is because it helps to solve the actual problem, the soil. The piers are driven much further than the still-settling soil until it reaches a stable soil layer. This means the weight of the home is transferred from the "loose" soil around the home, to the sturdy soil deep beneath the home.

The last real solution are helical piers. Helical piers are a very similar concept to the steel push piers, except the are a little more versatile. The helical piers have helix shaped blades on the shaft of the pier, which provide more support and easier installation. One thing that helical piers do that are much better than the normal push piers are that they help to stabilize lighter structures (like decks or stoops), as well as homes and other buildings. The table included below shows off exactly what each of these methods are capable of.

As previously mentioned, this is part one of the "foundation repair solution" blogs. Look out for more parts talking about the solutions for sagging floors and wall failure that will come up soon!

What Causes Foundation Problems?

2017-05-15T00:00:00.05Z

Well, this was going to be named "The Science Behind a Broken Foundation" but there is not too much science behind why foundations need to be repaired. The main scientific principles that deal with foundation issues and repair deal with force, pressure, and water. Since there is not too much science to talk about in foundation repair (at least on a simpler level) we are going to go through the causes of foundation repair. We will, as in the last blog, break down this blog into three main parts, each part going over the causes of each different type of foundation problem someone may encounter.

The first foundation problem someone may run into is foundation settlement. Settlement is basically the movement a home experiences when the soil below your home shifts and moves because of the weight of a home. Conveniently, there are three different causes of foundation settlement; drying and shrinking of soil, wetting and softening of soil, and the compression of poorly compacted fill soil. Drying and shrinking of soil is pretty self-explanatory, but is commonly caused by a few different things. The two main ways that drying and shrinking of soil happens is through drought and maturing trees. A drought is, of course, a lack or percipitation. This lack of water begans to slowly dry out the soil, which causes the soil to begin to shrink. Maturing trees are a big one because the more trees you have and the bigger they get, the more water they all need. This again dries out the soil and when the soil shrinks, it creates an open space for your home to settle in.

The next cause is quite the opposite, being the wetting and softening of soil. There are, again, two different ways that the wetting and softening soil occurs; heavy rain and flood conditions and poor drainage. The first obviously can cause a lot of problems, if there is an excess of rain or flooding, the ground becomes soft and easily manipulated. Another cause of the softening of soil is poor drainage. Your area may not be getting a lot of rain, but if you don't have the correct drainage or you drainage system has malfunctioned, the water that pools next to your home can cause the soil around your home to get soft. This soft, pliable soil allows the home to sink down into it.

The last cause of foundation settlement is the compresssion of poorly compacted fill soil. Basically what this means is that when a neighborhood is being constructed, dirt is moved around or brought in to help make the whole area more level. Sometimes this soil is not compacted well enough, it has room to compress, especially when it has the weight of a home on top of it.

Sagging floors are a huge foundation problem, that many homeowners face at some point in their lives. The three main causes of sagging floors are: existing columns being spaced too far apart, weakened floor joists and girders, and the settlement of existing columns. The first one causes sagging floors because there is not enough support for the floor. When the columns are too far apart, the beams are overloaded with the weight of the home and everything in it. Weakened floor joists/girders are usually caused by excess moisture and humidity. The moisture penetrates the wood and begins to soften it. With the weight of the home on the wood, it can easily start to be damaged and cause the floor to sag. Last but not least, sometimes existing columns will begin to settle. The columns will settle for any of the same reasons as mentioned above, however when these columns sag, the floor joists and girders (which are supported by the columns) tend to go with it.

Surprise, surprise! There are three main causes for bowing walls in the home which include; frost, expansive clay soil, and the most "exciting" one, hydrostatic presure. You could probably guess what each of these mean and why they can be detrimental, but as always, we will still go through them. Frost can cause basement walls to bow because of what happens to water that freezes....it expands! This increased pressure on the outside basement walls can cause them to bend and bow. The most interesting one is the clay soil. Clay can hold a lot of moisture which is not necessarily a bad thing, however because it can constantly dry and get wet, it can begin to put more and more pressure on a basement wall. One of the more common ways that walls begin to bow in homes is through hydrostatic pressure, which sounds really cool and maybe even dangerous. That being said, besides the danger it can bring to your home and basement walls, it is actually pretty simple. Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by a fluid due to the force of gravity. So basically what this means in relation to your home is that, as water begins to build up in the soil around your foundation, more and more pressure will be exerted against the wall.

Hopefully all of this made sense to you and you now understand why such strong and well-built homes can be so easily damaged. Wait for our next installment of the foundation series, how we can help you fix all of these problems!

Do You Live in a Broken Home?

2017-05-10T00:00:00.05Z

We will start off by first identifying and describing the three different types of foundation problems: foundation settlement, sagging floors, and wall failure.

Let's start with foundation settlement. First off, what is it? Essentially settlement means that the soil around your home is moving and settling into place from when your builder/contractor initially built your home. Homes are not just placed there, the area around your home is often excavated and after the foundation is laid, the dirt is put back. Since this soil is not packed in very tight, over the years it will start to settle and shift, along with the soil, your home will settle and shift.

We'll start outside and work our way in. Some of the common outside problems include: stair-step cracking, detached/separating chimneys, and cracks around outside windows and doors. Unlike crawlspaces and basements, foundation issues are usually pretty easy to notice, but if not taken seriously, can be overlooked. Stair-step cracking is very simple and is exactly what it sounds like. It goes from brick to brick up (or down) your wall, and as you may have guessed....it looks like a staircase. Cracks around windows and doors generally are stair step cracks, but because the wall is weaker around windows and doors, cracks will often appear here first. If your doors and windows don't seem square, you have cracks from the corners of your doors or windows, or there is separation from window/door to the wall, then you probably have some underlying foundation issues. Last, but not least is the chimney. This is dramatic and sometimes the most obvious sign of foundation problems. Since the chimney on many homes are built on their own small foundation, they will settle even easier and start to completely separate from the home. Signs of foundation settlement inside your home include drywall cracks and "sticky" doors. Drywall cracks often at the top corners of doors and windows inside the home, or cracks that follow drywall seams. "Sticky doors" may also be a sign of sagging floors.

Below are two examples of the types of cracks that often occur in homes that need foundation repair.

Onto the next...sagging floors! This issue is pretty obvious and does not need much explanation at all. Sagging floors are when your floors start to bow, get lower in some areas, and may even seem bouncy at some points. There are several different signs of sagging floors. Sloping floors are often the most obvious, and if it happens near to a wall, sometimes there is actually a gap between the floor and interior walls. Another sign, similar to the outside of the home are cracks in interior walls, as well as gaps around door frames. Another good way to check is to check out the crawlspace. If you look at the top of the columns in your crawlspace (which are supposed to hold up your home) and they have spaces between the column and girder, you may have some foundation issues.

Last, but certainly not least, we have wall failure. Wall failure is much more common in homes with basements because there is a larger area and a lot of pressure on these walls. However, there are several different symptoms and signs of wall failure in a basement. The first sign is horizontal cracking, which is exactly what it sounds like. This is a horizontal crack in the wall that may start off small, and slowly began to widen. These cracks generally begin to form around the ground level or toward the middle of the wall. Another sign, as with the other types of foundation issues, stair step cracking is another big sign of wall failure. These cracks generally start at the corners of the wall. The next two are very similar, pushing in at the bottom of the wall and sliding in at the top of the wall. These can be pretty serious signs of wall failure. All of the pressure from the outside earth causes enough strain on the wall to actually move the wall and create gaps.

All-Dry of the Carolinas Awarded during 2013 Team Basement Systems Convention

2013-09-11T12:32:49.05Z

All-Dry of the Carolinas was recently honored at the Annual Team Basement Systems Convention, a gathering of dealers from across the United States, Canada and the UK.

The annual convention is held each year at Basement Systems headquarters in Seymour, Conn. and the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, Conn. The three day event brings together dealers in the international network for training, seminars, networking, vendor and team building events, and a celebration of achievements.

This year, All-Dry of the Carolinas was proud to receive two awards at the Team Basement Systems International Convention.

Out of 221 active dealers, All-Dry of the Carolinas was awarded:

Top 50 Basement Systems Dealers by Purchases
Top 25 CleanSpace Dealers by Square Footage

The high-powered event featured best-selling author and motivational speaker Aron Ralston. His book, Between A Rock And A Hard Place, was turned into the critically-acclaimed movie titled 127 Hours starring James Franco. Ralston moved the crowd with his inspirational story of survival and posed for pictures afterwards with attendees.

Google also had a presence at this spectacular event. Two Google representatives delivered a behind-the-scenes peek at how to best utilize the search engines tools for successful business results.

Close to eleven hundred people attended the annual Basement Systems Convention this year, which is the highest attendance to date. The flagship event is held each August in Connecticut.

About All-Dry of the Carolinas

All-Dry of the Carolinas is an award-winning company and has been the area’s experts in foundation repair, basement waterproofing and crawl space repair since 1991. They have installed thousands of custom solutions for wet basements, damp crawl spaces, and damaged foundations. As the area’s authorized Basement Systems dealer, they provide local service backed by national resources. They offer free, no-obligation written estimates for all of their below-the-home services. All-Dry of the Carolinas is a five-time winner of the Gold Star Award from the Upstate South Carolina Better Business Bureau. They are a member of the Western North Carolina Better Business Bureau, the Homebuilders Association of Greensville and the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce.

About Basement Systems, Inc.

Basement Systems, Inc. is the leader in the development of products used to provide a dry, below-grade space. These waterproofing solutions are delivered through a network of trained, experienced dealers. Basement Systems is a network of more than 300 dealers throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Ireland. Each dealer receives comprehensive, on-going training at company headquarters in Seymour, Connecticut. All Basement Systems dealers have the same goal: to provide a permanent solution for healthier basement environments.