Fall Maintenance
Commercial and residential buildings will benefit from early maintenance before cold weather arrives. Clean gutters and downspouts. Reseal exterior woodwork- fences, pergolas, sheds, and trellises should be inspected and included in the process. Check for pest infestation and associated damage- small animals, e.g. mice and...
Basement Mold and Water
Exposed dirt floors in basements and crawl spaces are problematic due to the moisture rising on convection driven air flow. Moisture can reach the upper levels of building through utility chases, voids, and stairways via stack effect http://www.epa.gov/iaq/largebldgs/pdf_files/sec_2.pdf transporting indoor air contaminants with it. Including the...
Drying Books and Documents
The Northeast Document Conservation Center publishes a protocol for drying wet books and documents. The recommended recovery is applicable to damp items as well as wet ones. There is hope for salvaging records and documents stored in wet basements and water damaged attics. Freezing may...
Moisture Control Guidance
The EPA publishes Moisture Control Guidance for Building Design, Construction and Maintenance. Site Drainage is fundamental to effective moisture control. There is a pdf. section devoted to construction methods in basement and crawl space condensation control. Basement waterproofing and crawl space repair can restrict condensation...
Spring Maintenance Checklist
Commercial and residential buildings will benefit from early maintenance before summer weather arrives. Clean gutters and downspouts to be sure water flows freely away from building foundations. Reseal exterior woodwork- fences, pergolas, sheds, and trellises should be inspected and included in the process. Check for pest infestation and...
Prepare for Spring Weather
The NOAA website has a fresh, new, look with a lot of reliable information....
Basement Waterproofing
Wet basements and wet crawl spaces present problems for the entire building. The key to improving basement moisture is controlling relative humidity. Moisture vapor rises from dirt floors, on convection driven air-flow, to upper levels. Water that has penetrated foundations will also increase relative humidity and...