Top 5 Crawl Space Waterproofing Tips

Spring time in Indiana is known for bringing some big rains, which can also bring some big headaches for Indiana homeowners who live above a crawl space. Waterproofing your crawl space is one of the most important things a homeowners can do. A wet crawl space can have an extreme negative effect on a home. Water in your crawl space can lead to expensive structurally wood damage, foundation failure, musty smells, and mold growth. All of which can lead to an unhealthy environment in the upstairs living area. This is because much of the air in the upstairs living area comes from the crawl space itself. This air moves up from crawl space and into the living area, carrying with it moisture, musty smells, and mold spores. A dry, waterproofed crawl space will protect your home from costly repairs and create a much healthier living area. Below are some of the more important steps to maintaining a dry, healthy crawl space.

1. Gutters - Spring time is a great time to make sure your gutters are cleaned from all debris. Clogged gutters will prevent water from your roof to flow freely through them. When gutters are clogged the water from your roof has no where to go but over the gutters and down right next to your crawl space foundation. This allows excessive amounts of water to run down next to your homes foundation increasing the chances of foundation issues and/or water in your crawl space.

2. Down Spouts - After the gutters are check and working properly, it's very important to make sure the down spouts from these gutters are installed far enough away from your homes foundation that the water from your roof is not dumping right next to your homes foundation. On a 1200 sq.ft. roof every 1" of rain will produce about 750 gallons of water. That is an extreme amount of water to just let dump right next to your homes foundation. Extending down spouts away from your home can help prevent costly foundation issues and unnecessary amounts of water in the crawl space.

3. Grading - Negative yard grading or yard grading that slopes toward your house instead of away from house can also lead to a wet crawl space. Ensure that your homes yard is graded in a way that any water runoff will run away from your homes foundation.

4. Sump Pump/Drainage - In many cases a homeowner can do all 3 steps listed above and still have a problem with standing water in the crawl space. These can be caused by a high water table and the type of soil around the house. In Indiana this is an all too common problem. To help reduce the chance for standing water in the crawl space a sump basin and sump pump may need to be installed along with proper drainage in the crawl space. If your crawl space has a sump pump, it's a good idea to check it multiply times throughout the year to ensure its working properly. If your sump pump is very old but still working, it may not be a bad idea to have it replaced anyway.

5. Vapor Barrier - A properly installed vapor barrier is also key to reducing excessive moisture in your crawl space that can lead to costly problems. Even if the crawl space has no signs of standing water, a vapor barrier is still a must. Moisture is consistently escaping up out of the dirt floor of your crawl space. A properly installed vapor barrier on the dirt crawl space floor will greatly reduce the amount of moisture coming up out of the dirt floor and into the living area.

For more information on maintaining a dry, healthy crawl space click here or visit www.swaincollc.com

Wet Basement Problems In Indiana

Waterproofing your basement in Indiana can be tricky at times, but there are also many great benefits to having a dry, waterproofed basement.
If you have a basement and live in Indiana than you more than likely already know the kind water problems that a basement in Indiana can have. This is even more true in the spring and summer months when Indiana tends to get more rain that at other times. Because of this, many basement homeowners end up with an unusable basement due to the fact that every time it rains, the basement gets water. And worse than that is a finished basement that starts to get water. Water in a finished basement tends to ruin just about everything, from mold issues in the dry-wall to wet carpet in the living area. There are numerous reasons for why a basement gets water. Ranging from older drainage systems that no longer work, to water seepage through the foundation wall. That being said, Indiana basement homeowners should understand that it is possible to get and keep your basement dry permanently. This can be done by various basement waterproofing methods. To get a better idea on which methods would work best for your basement water problems, a basement waterproofing inspection is needed. At SwainCo. Crawl Space and Basement Repair, we provide free basement waterproofing inspections for Indiana homeowners. This allows us to inspect and evaluate your situation and provide you with the best possible solutions to keeping your basement dry forever. If your basement gets water than now is the time to schedule a free basement waterproofing inspection by clicking here. We can help you transform your wet basement into a dry, usable basement. To find out more visit www.swaincollc.com or call 317-407-1868 to schedule a free basement waterproofing inspection.

Crawl Space Vapor Barrier Waterproofing Indianapolis

A wet crawl space can be a very big problem for Indiana homeowners. Water problems in your crawl space not only effect your crawl space, but also effect the living area above the crawl space. Water or even excessive moisture in your crawl space will eventually lead to mold growth, wood rot, and musty odors coming for the crawl space. Many times a standard 6mill plastic or vapor barrier is used to help keep moisture from escaping out of the ground and into the crawl space. These types of barriers only address a small area of concern when dealing with water or moisture in your crawl space, not to mention they are easily torn or moved by crawling on them. Excessive moisture in your crawl space not only comes from the dirt floor, but also comes from block seepage and from the foundation vents. Vents allow outside air into your crawl space. During the warmer months, this outside air can carry a high amount of moisture in it. Allowing that type of air into your crawl space will only add to the moisture that is already there. The most effective way to eliminate excessive moisture in your crawl space is to have the crawl space sealed off completely from the outside environment. This is done by completely encapsulating the crawl space. A proper crawl space encapsulation system needs to be thicker than a 6mill plastic. At SwainCo. Crawl Space and Basement Repair we install crawl space encapsulation systems using a tough 20mill waterproofing membrane. So tough we back it with a lifetime warranty on rips and tears. This crawl space encapsulation system is installed along the dirt crawl space floor and up the foundation walls, being permanently attached to the foundation itself. All foundation vents are then sealed from the inside as well to prevent excessive moisture coming into the crawl space from the outside air. If your crawl space has problems with standing water, than a lifetime warranty crawl space drainage system may need to be installed as well. To find out more information about how to transform your problem crawl space into a dry, healthy crawl space click here or call SwainCo. Crawl Space and Basement Repair-Indy's Original Experts at 317-407-1868

Basement Waterproofing Contractors Indianapolis

Basement waterproofing is usually not a high concern for most Indiana homeowners during the winter months. But this winter is just a bit different. Indiana homeowners have seen much higher than normal rainfall in the past few weeks, with really no end in site. This has started to cause some basements in Indiana to experience water problems that are usually seen during the spring and summer months. Basement water problems can be a real headache for Indiana homeowners, especially if your basement is used as a livable space. Searching for an honest, trustworthy basement waterproofing contractor in Indiana can also be a headache for homeowners. At SwainCo. Crawl Space and Basement Repair we pride ourselves on being one of Indiana's most trusted waterproofing contractors. We are considered by many to be Indy's original experts in this industry. At SwainCo. we have the experience and knowledge to permanently fix your basement water problems once and for all. If you have a wet basement or have basement water problems, call SwainCo. today at 317-407-1868 or click here to visit us online for a FREE basement evaluation.

Indianapolis Storm Safe Rooms And Shelters

SwainCo. Custom Crawl Space Shelters can provide your family protection and safety during an emergency situation. We do this by utilizing the existing crawl space area of the home and transforming it into a custom, reinforced safe room. Installing a storm shelter or safe room in the your homes crawl space has many advantages over other common methods. It allows for a much easier and faster access to the shelter when time is not on your side. It provides Indiana homeowners the ability to custom design the room to whatever length or height needed. Our custom crawl space shelters can be completely hidden by installing them below the crawl space dirt level. We also go to extreme measures to safe guard our customers privacy before, during, and after the installation of a custom crawl space shelter. To find out more about our custom crawl space shelters for the Indianapolis area click here. If your interested in a free custom crawl space shelter evaluation call 317-828-7897 or email us at crawlspaceshelters@swaincollc.com

Indiana Crawl Space Encapsulation

Protecting your home against mold growth, wood rot, musty smells, high moisture levels, and high energy cost starts with your crawl space. And the best method to accomplishing this is with a crawl space encapsulation system. Indiana homes that have a vented crawl space can be problematic. Vented crawl spaces can lead to higher than normal moisture levels in your crawl space, which in return can lead to mold growth, wood rot, and musty smells in the living area. This is even more true in the summer months due to the excessive amounts of moisture in the air during hot, humid days. This hot, humid air increases moisture levels in the crawl space and makes it harder to cool your home. A crawl space encapsulation system seals off the crawl space from the outside environment. Creating a clean, healthy, energy saving crawl space. To find out more about crawl space encapsulation systems in Indiana click here or call 317-294-5278 for a free Indiana crawl space encapsulation estimate.

Indianapolis Storm Shelters, Panic Rooms, Safe Rooms

Whether you are worried about the unpredictable severe weather in Indiana, or in need of a panic room or safe room, SwainCo. can transform your crawl space to a custom storm shelter, panic room, or safe room. Utilizing your crawl space for these types of rooms is an extremely effective solution. If its a storm shelter your looking for, transforming your crawl space into one allows for a much easier access from inside the home and eliminates precious time from having to access a shelter located outside the home. If it's a panic room or safe room your after, installing a custom room in your crawl space not only gives you the comfort of an easy access, but allows for a much more discreet location and installation. Rooms installed in the crawl space can be custom fit to whatever your needs are. They can installed and covered back over to give your crawl space the same appearance it had before the room was installed. SwainCo's custom storm shelters, panic rooms, and safe rooms are installed below the dirt floor of your crawl space and consist of high strength reinforced concrete walls, floors, and ceiling. Our custom rooms can include ventilation, surveillance systems, and reinforced entry doors. Utilizing your crawl space for these rooms gives you the advantage of customizing your room to your needs and wants. Allowing you to determine the size, length, and shape. SwainCo. also understands the need for your room to be discreet, secure, and private, both during installation and after. SwainCo. goes to extreme steps in accomplishing this privacy. If your in need of a custom storm shelter, panic room, or safe room call 317-828-7897 for a confidential evaluation or email us at info@swaincollc.com