Keeping Your Garden Alive And Well
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Keeping Your Garden Alive And Well

After I started focusing on planting a garden, I realized that there were some real problems with the plants that I had chosen. In addition to not doing very well in the plot of land that I had available for farming, I also realized that the area wasn't very attractive, which is why I started focusing on making some improvements. It was really incredible to see the difference that a few changes made. This website is all about keeping your garden alive and well, and knowing which plants can help or hurt your outdoors space. Check out this blog for great information that can help.

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Keeping Your Garden Alive And Well

Trouble With Basement Moisture? Try These 5 Countermeasures

Soham Diaz

You love spending time in every part of your home except for the basement. This subterranean chamber can resemble something out of a haunted house exhibit if it's plagued with dampness, mold growth, and musty odors. If you're contending with a basement moisture problem, here are five strategies you can take to help dry that problem up.

1. Divert Rainwater Away From Your Foundation

Rainwater likes to form puddles, and when those puddles gather around your concrete foundation, cracks, leaks, and uncomfortable dampness are sure to result. Gutter runoff can play a major role in this undesirable scenario. You can fight back by installing a French drain that leads away from the house on a downward slope. A typical French drain consists of PCV piping with slits or holes drilled in it, lined with permeable fabric, and then loosely filled with gravel. A properly located and constructed French drain can distribute your groundwater more evenly and spare your foundation unnecessary damage.

2. Fix Your Basement Windows

Window casements and seals can deteriorate over time, especially if they're exposed to water and temperature changes on a regular basis. If your basement has windows, inspect those window structures for signs of leaks, damage, mold, or rot. You may need to replace those structures, or even the entire window assemblies, with fresh new components that can do a better job of keeping water out of the basement.

3. Pump Out the Excess Moisture

If you in a flood zone and/or your basement sits below the area's water table, you very likely need a sump pump to handle the groundwater that tries to make its way into the basement. A sump pump may be installed either above the basement's sump basin or below it. This pump drives the water that collects in the sump basin through a pipe out of the house and into an acceptable disposal zone. If you already have a sump pump, maybe that unit has begun to fail. Look into replacing an old sump pump with a new one, perhaps with a backup pump standing by just in case.

4. Improve Your Basement's Ventilation

Moisture doesn't just come from rainwater or accumulated groundwater — it can also hang in the air, turning your basement into a humid, swampy space. This problem can be caused or greatly aggravated by laundry machines that humidify the air as they work. Check your washer and dryer to make sure that their vent pipes are hooked up and operational. If you can't improve the laundry machines' ventilation, run a powerful fan and keep the basement door open as often as possible.

5. Get Help From a Home Waterproofing Service

No matter how solidly your foundation and basement walls were originally constructed, water pressure and earth movement almost always produce crackling in concrete surfaces sooner or later. If you suspect that your basement is suffering from moisture problems due to such cracks, schedule an inspection from a local home waterproofing company like Safe-Way Waterproofing. The technicians can recommend a variety of options for keeping moisture at bay, from patching up cracks in the concrete to adding a waterproof barrier to the foundation's exterior surfaces. One great benefit of consulting the professionals is that they can help you plan a long-term home waterproofing, foundation maintenance, and moisture control strategy. With any luck, this expert guidance can help you enjoy a drier, more structurally sound basement for many years to come.

Don't let moisture dampen your ability to get the most from your basement. Put these tips to work and turn that underground space into a useful part of your home again!


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