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List of Frequently Asked Questions |
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| Q. | Does a little or occasional basement leakage cause foundation problems? |  | | A. | Not necessarily, but it may over time. Occasional leakage may be caused by a combination of weather conditions and poor drainage around your house. Take some time to implement some of the simple solutions outlined throughout this site to see if you can correct the problem. If you still have water in your basement after applying these solutions, then it's probably time to consult a professional waterproofer. A wet basement left unattended may cause considerable structural damage over a period of time. Hydrostatic pressure against your basement walls can cause cracking, bowing, even collapse in severe cases. Additionally, any type of basement water problem impacts very unfavorably on the value of your home, to say nothing of its livability. Generally speaking, occasional wetness is a sign of a more serious problem and most small water problems progressively worsen over time. |
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| Q. | The yard around our home has been graded so water flows away from the foundation. The outside walls are waterproofed and drain tiles installed on the outside along side the footer. Our basement still leaks! | | | A. | Unfortunately, waterproofing can be a difficult to achieve under certain circumstances. The methods you have described are standard building principles that work for most homes, but not all. If you're home is located in a high water table area or in a drainage site from higher ground, these methods often fail. You should consult a waterproofing professional for guidance.
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| Q. | Should the outside of our basement walls be re-sealed? | | | A. | Generally speaking, No. This work should have been done when your house was originally built. In addition, the sealing of basement walls is generally not a permanent solution in wet areas and disturbing the settled land around your foundation can cause more problems than it solves. Your professional waterproofer has a variety of solutions that work regardless of water tables, slope of terrain, or normal soil conditions and whether your problem is leakage from the cove, floor, walls, window wells or all of these.
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| Q. | Does waterproofing enhance home value? | | | A. | Absolutely. Money spent for a permanently dry basement will pay off in an immediate increase in the market value of your home greater than the money spent. The investment you made in a home should dictate that you protect your investment. It also makes sense to effectively utilize the square footage of your basement - It's the least expensive area for you to improve.
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| Q. | Should a home be waterproofed during construction? | | | A. | Absolutely. In fact, you should insist on it. You should speak with your contractor and with other homeowners in the area and find out if basement wetness or dampness is a problem in the area. If it isn't, then you probably do not need to worry about it. However, if others in the area are experiencing any form of basement humidity problems, it is best that you solve them before the home is built. It is better to be safe than sorry - a wet basement in a new home is one of the most serious disappointments you can face. Insist that your contractor, or yourself, contact a professional waterproofer to determine how to permanently prevent a wetness problem before it ever occurs.
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| Q. | How can I be assured that I can find a reputable contractor and get what I pay for? | | | A. | Unfortunately, in every field, there are "less-than-reputable" individuals waiting to prey on the consumer. The bad apples of the home repair industry have made it hard for the consumer to figure out the "good guys" from the "bad guys". Most of us are just too busy these days to take the time to acquire all the important information that is necessary when deciding on a major expenditure such as basement waterproofing or structural repair.
Likewise, you do not have the time to thoroughly check out a contractor. Fortunately, when dealing with basement waterproofing or structural foundation repair, the consumer has the National Association for Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors. While we are a trade organization of the industry, we do more than just look out for the industry - we look out for the consumer as well.
All NAWSRC-member contractors are required to uphold the Association's Standards of Practice and Canon of Ethics, which insures the consumer reliability and reputability of any NAWSRC-member contractor. These standards are so rigorous and consumer oriented that they have been used as consumer protection guidelines in other industries. If you hire an NAWSRC-member contractor, you are hiring with confidence. | |
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| Q. | What if the NAWSRC-member Contractor has complaints filed against it with the Better Business Bureau? | | | A. | It is very difficult for a company to remain in business for any length of time without having at least one complaint filed against it. It's not the number of complaints that's important, but rather how the company handled these complaints. If you pay close attention to what the B.B.B. tells you, you can often determine the validity of the complaint as well as how and if it was resolved. So, don't look only at the number of complaints, but determine how the contractor handled each complaint. In addition, the NAWSRC takes its Standards of Practice very seriously, and if the BBB and/or the NAWSRC recieve complaints about a member contractor, we will investigate it. If the contractor does not resolve the matter and "clean up his act", his membership is revolked. Therefore, if the NAWSRC-member contractor is still a member of the NAWSRC, I would not be terribly concerned with a few complaints. | |
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| Q. | Will I save money going with the lowest price? | | | A. | Be very careful choosing your waterproofer or foundation repair contractor based on the lowest price. Common sense economics dictate that you cannot offer a superior product or service at a greatly reduced price. John Ruskin summed it up clearly when he said:
"It's unwise to pay too much... but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money... that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do.
The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better".
To be sure that you are getting a quality product or service at a reasonable price, hire a NAWSRC-member contractor. | |
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| Q. | Can I save money waterproofing my basement myself? | | | A. | On minor waterproofing jobs, this may be possible. But generally speaking, the answer is probably no because most homeowners cannot effectively deal with an undertaking the scope of basement waterproofing. What starts out as an attempt to save money can turn into a costly, and often painful, experience. According to statistics, less than 20% of these do-it-yourself jobs work out. This is mostly due to lack of experience on the part of the homeowner. If you want to be assured your project will turn out the way you want it, call a qualified basement waterproofer. | |
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| Q. | What are some of the things the do-it-yourselfer can do to minimize water problems in the home? | | | A. | There are several things you should do to help minimize the potential for water entering your basement:
- Be sure the ground around the home slopes away from the home. See Grading for more information.
- Be sure all downspouts and gutters are functional and the downspouts are extended a minimum of three to six feet from the foundation. See Gutters and Downspouts for more information.
- If the home is constructed of brick, apply a brick sealer to the brick surface as brick can allow water to penetrate and travel down the wall and enter the basement.
Also, thoroughly check out the complete contents of our Consumer Tips, Remedies, and Frequently Asked Questions - there are many, many tips and remedies throughout this site. If you cannot find your answer, consider posting your question on our Help Forum or contacting an NAWSRC-member contractor directly. | |
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| Q. | Can I repair a crack in the foundation myself? | | | A. | Yes, you probably can. . If you have the proper tools, products, instructions and skill, you can repair the crack. However, depending on why the foundation cracked, you may be simply masking a problem that will come back to haunt you at a later date. We would suggest that you call a professional contractor to evaluate the problem before you attempt a home repair to insure that there are no underlying problems. If you rely on NAWSRC-certified contractors, you can be assured of an honest and reputable evaluation. | |
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| Q. | What causes cracks in a home or office building's foundation? | | | A. | There are many reasons for a foundation to crack. Some are simply settling issues that do not pose any real danger or threat to the building. However, others are a clue to a serious underlying stability problem. The foundation may have been built where expansive (clay) or collapsible (sand) soils are known to exist. If you combine these soil types with extreme moisture and/or poor drainage, the foundation may become unstable. Something as simple as rain run-off from the roof and allowing the water to "pool" can cause a foundation to shift. Structures built on back-fill lots are always in danger of weakened foundations because of potential air pockets in the soil and soil composition itself. | |
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| Q. | What other identifying signs will possibly note foundation settling problems? | | | A. | Cracks are clearly the first and easiest signs to notice. Buckling in foundation walls, cracks in ceiling or walls and cracked or buckled interior concrete floors to name a few. For more detailed discussions, see also our Foundation Checklist . If any one of these signs occur, you are advised to call a foundation expert to inspect the situation. Foundation problems rarely stabilize and correct themselves - they usually become worse over time thus increasing the severity of the damage and the loss of investment. | |
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| Q. | What are typical problems associated with a wet basement? | | | A. | - Typical Problems include...
- Water entering your basement through walls, the floor, or windows
- You have cracks in your floor or walls
- Your walls or floor are damp or musty
- Your basement smells moldy and you can't store anything there or it gets ruined
- Wet crawl spaces
See a more detailed discussion at Damage Signs. | |
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| Q. | How do I pick and find a reputable contractor? | | | A. | The only sure way we can recommend is that you hire an NAWSRC-member contractor.
The NAWSRC promotes good business ethics in the Waterproofing and Structural Repair Industries. Our members must adhere to the NAWSRC Canon of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Our members believe that by adhering to these standards it will increase the consumer's confidence and trust in their industry. We want to encourage you to research each company you are considering by asking a few critical questions before you sign any contract. For your convenience, a checklist is provided for you to use in comparing and evaluating contractors. CLICK HERE to get it. Remember, NAWSRC members care about their industry and its reputation. | |
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| Q. | Why should I hire an NAWSRC-member contractor? | | | A. | The answer is really quite simple: credibility. NAWSRC-members are required to uphold the Standards of Practice and Canon of Ethics of the NAWSRC which are some of the most demanding consumer protection standards in the Industry. By hiring an NAWSRC-member contractor, you are hiring with confidence that the contractor is reputable and knowledgeable in the field. You can trust an NAWSRC-member contractor | |
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| Q. | What is the difference between an NAWSRC-member and NAWSRC-certified contractor? | | | A. | An NAWSRC-member is a contractor that has joined the Association and pledged to uphold the Standards of Practice and Canon of Ethics of the Association. An NAWSRC-certified contractor has completed the comprehensive NAWSRC Certification Program of work experience, textbook and classroom study designed to qualify members of the profession as leaders of the waterproofing and/or structural repair industry. In order to obtain certification, contractors must demonstrate their ability to read, comprehend, and demonstrate their superior knowledge in various areas of the industry including hydrology, soils, sealants, job safety, tools, foundation construction, basic building codes, and ethics. Once designated as a Certified Contractor, they must earn at least 10 hours of qualified continuing professional education credits every 2-years in order to maintain their certification. | |
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| Q. | What should I do if I have a problem with my contractor? | | | A. | If your problem is with a non-NAWSRC member contractor, and you cannot reach a mutually agreeable solution, your only recourse is to report your problem with your local Better Business Bureau. However, if your problem is with an NAWSRC-member contractor, you have the additional recourse of reporting your problem with the NAWSRC. We even provide you with an on-line form to report and explain your problem. As an NAWSRC-member, the contractor agreed to uphold the Association's Standards of Practice and Canon of Ethics and the Association takes these very seriously. If a problem is reported to the NAWSRC, we immediately take action. If a member has violated our Standards and/or Ethics, this is a very serious situation and you can have confidence that the NAWSRC will respond to your complaint. | |
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| Q. | What is the best way to compare Contractors? | | | A. | This can be a very difficult and confusing thing to do. What are the important questions to ask? The questions we think are important include:
- Did contractor do a thorough inspection of your problem?
- Did contractor explain in detail the proposed work he is recommending?
- Did contractor provide you with a written estimate in a timely fashion?
- Did contractor provide copies of any warranties along with the contract?
- Did contractor provide you with a "Notice of Right to Cancel" form, allowing you to cancel the contract within 3 business days?
- Did contractor provide you with local references?
- Did contractor have proper state registrations and licenses?
- Did contractor have proper insurance coverage? (i.e., auto, general liability, worker's compensation)
- Is contractor a member of the NAWSRC (National Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors) and adhere to the NAWSRC Canon of Ethics and Standards of Practice?
- Did Contractor earn your trust and respect as a true professional?
For your convenience, you can obtain these questions in a checklist table were you can compare up to 3 different contractors side by side. To get this form and check list, CLICK HERE.
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| DISCLAIMER |
| The advise given is for general consumption and the remedial suggestions depend a great deal upon a number of factors including local building codes, soil conditions, climate, structural conditions, and typography. Because of these factors, the NAWSRC disclaims any liability resulting from any action taken by the consumer as a result of the information imparted herein. While the advise given is of general use, the consumer should NOT undertake any repairs or remedial action without first consulting their local building department and/or seeking the advice of a professional. |
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© Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. |
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