We’ve said goodbye to summer in all of its warm and sunny glory. We’ve ushered in fall, viewed the stunning leaf-show, and watched them let loose from their tree hosts one by one. We notice the dead branches and heave a sigh; winter is coming soon. Continue reading →
Mold. Yuck. No one wants to hear about it anymore and certainly no one wants to encounter it. We’ve heard a great deal about mold in recent years, but, unfortunately, it’s not something that is just going to go away. It comes from moisture; in fact, without moisture in some form, mold cannot grow. In order to know where your mold is growing, or hiding, you’ll have to become a mold detective and discover where the moisture is coming from that is giving life to your mold. Continue reading →
Just as a person does, a house will settle as it ages. When you think that your home is just a tiny bit uneven, it’s just a simple matter of life and often times, nothing to worry about. It’s the bigger issues that you might come across that you’ll want to check and double-check in order to determine if you have a problem that requires the attention of a professional. Continue reading →
Why is my basement damp? This is a question that no homeowner wants to ask themselves. Unfortunately, if the question has to be asked, the best thing you can do is to find the answer; pronto! Below are 4 reasons why you may be wondering about the dampness along with some solutions on how to combat the troubles if they affect you. Continue reading →
A home is only a strong as its foundation. When you decide to build the home of your dreams, take care to hire a contractor who will care as much about pouring the foundation to your house as you do. Look for references, talk to people, and call the better Business Bureau. You want to be sure that your foundation is strong, sturdy, and can take you and your family through a lifetime of happiness and harmony in a shelter that is strong. Continue reading →
They say that when it rains, it pours and residents of Maryland are certainly no stranger to that epitaph. As rains and storms have worked their way across the country in recent days, residents face heavy rain and tides that are higher than usual, resulting in coastal flooding. For this reason, some of us might be in trouble when it comes to our basements, or our man cave. Continue reading →
You know that moldy food can make you sick. We throw away moldy bread and we don’t even open last month’s leftovers when we see the tell-tale fuzz growing inside the old container. Mold has been associated with spoilage since the beginning of time. There are some molds that are good, though, such as that which ripens certain types of blue cheese and that which is used in penicillin. However, those are very specific molds that are handled in a controlled environment by specialists who know their molds. And this is most definitely not the same mold that grows in your home when dampness occurs. Continue reading →
It’s no secret that wet basements can lead to bugs and even rodents. It’s bad enough when you run into many-legged creepy crawlies like centipedes, silverfish, and beetles outside in your yard. But it’s doubly bad when these unwanted insect critters show up inside your home. Maryland’s rich ecosystem allows a variety of such creatures to thrive in all seasons. However, in colder weather these insect pests are notorious for sneaking into the dark, damp, and hidden recesses of your home. This is especially true if there are cracks or crevices in your home’s foundation, which represent an easy way in for a variety of opportunistic house “guests.” Continue reading →
Every home is different, with its own set of problems and advantages. When it comes to basement drainage solutions, every home has its own set of needs and requirements. If you suspect that you may have a drainage problem in your basement, don’t try to diagnose or correct the problem on your own. Properly identifying and eliminating basement drainage issues takes a level of experience and expertise that only a professional will possess. For this reason alone, it is best to hire a professional service to combat your home’s drainage issues and offer you the most effective long-term basement drainage solutions. In the end, trying to go it alone or DIY your basement drainage solutions will only result in hefty repair costs down the road. Continue reading →
Radon is a colorless, odorless element which seeps slowly but surely through solid rock, clay, soil, and concrete, although it prefers to move through cracks, joints, and open air. Radon is a radioactive noble gas, and although this seepage is best measured in picocuries per liter – a picocurie being one trillionth of a curie – breathing in as few as 4 pCi/L of radon on a regular basis has been directly linked to lung cancer. And throughout hundreds of counties all across the United States, 4 pCi/L is the least you should expect. Continue reading →
