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The Bobs' Water Proofing
“Averting Floods, Keeping Dream Basements Afloat”
By Jennifer Peacock
But it never floods down here.
That’s what you know about your basement, the one you took out a home equity loan to finish; the one you borrowed against your retirement savings to finish; the one you spent years thriftily scraping and saving to finish. Now it’s done, $30,000+ later. Perhaps you’ve made it a game room for your children for after school, for the guys after the children’s bedtime, complete with a billiards table, full bar (for you, not the kids), and flat screen television to catch all the games. Perhaps you’re more family-oriented, and you’ve used the space to create a couple bedrooms, a bathroom and a central sitting area. You’ve spared no expense installing the best cabinets, flooring, electronics and furniture.
You love your new finished basement.
And then it rains.
But it never floods down here.
The Bobs’ Water Proofing guys, Bob Murray, Sr. and Bob Murray, Jr., want you to know that without a French drain system, yes, your basement that has never flooded will probably flood sometime.
“We hear it all the time: ‘I’ve never had water in here before, so I don’t need to do that,’” Bob, Sr. says about the drain system.
“We say, spend the money now or you’re going to be spending a lot more later,” Bob, Jr. says. “Because we do everything in house, we can keep our prices low.”
The concrete block of your home’s foundation acts just like your kitchen sponge; it’s porous, and over time with each rain storm, may collect more and more water. Just like that sponge, the concrete block can hold the water, but hydrostatic pressure—too much water sitting in the block—eventually leads to cracks, which lead to leaks, which lead to flooding. Water may take years to build up to the point of bursting the concrete, which is why so many people can live in a house for decades before flooding strikes.
The short-term solution? Pump the water out of the basement. The Bobs’ Water Proofing does that. But those homeowners looking for long-term answers need to consider installing a French drain system.
What is a French drain system? The system has nothing to do with the European country; the system was first credited to Henry Flagg French in his 1859 book, “Farm Drainage: the principles, processes, and effects of draining land with stones, wood, plows and open ditches, and especially with tiles.”
In the 21st century, The Bobs jackhammer the perimeter of the basement floor—sometimes they do just one wall, depending on the source location of the leaks—and lay perforated pipe next to the footing that lays on a stone bedding. They drill holes into the concrete block to release pressure and allow water to drain into the stone ditch and the pipe to catch water, which is the delivered to a pump and removed from the home.
The Bobs do more than just draining systems. Did your already-finished basement suffer damage or destruction from flooding? Perhaps your unfinished basement is the blank canvas on which you envision a couple bedrooms, a family or game room or that craft room mom has always wanted. The Bobs, with three decades of construction experience, finish basements too.
Maybe yours isn’t a basement that floods…yet. The Bobs offer free inspections and estimates; they will perform an onsite analysis of your basement or crawlspace, provide pictures of any damage or mold and take the time to explain the best options for your home’s situation.
It’s not just basements that cause headaches. Thick with humidity, crawlspaces can be breeding grounds for mold, which can cause mild to severe symptoms in people and pets, especially those with asthma. What can The Bobs Water Proofing do for your home’s crawlspace? A French drain might benefit your home. First, The Bobs will remove water and debris from the crawlspace, then level and pack down the dirt. After they install any necessary drainage, Bob, Sr. and Bob, Jr. or one of their on-staff workers will seal any openings and install not only a space-appropriate dehumidifier (which will only cost $3-$5 monthly to operate), but a “true 16 mm string reinforced fire-retardant microbial- free crawl space encapsulation liner secured to the walls, floor and wrapping all supports and piers.”
The Bobs also specialize in mold prevention.
Don’t wait to call The Bobs’ Water Proofing. Your home gives you clues about water damage, even if your house has never so much as had a puddle in the basement. What should look for? The Bobs say you should look for: damp, humid air; odor, mold or mildew; deterioration of wood flooring or carpet; decay and rot of wood headers, joists, sill plates and columns; staining and blistering of wall coverings; condensation on cold walls and floor during the summer months; a ring of dampness at the base of your concrete block walls; and of course, water trickling from the walls or standing water on the floor.
For moldy crawlspaces, The Bobs suggest you look for: musty odors or high humidity in your home’s living spaces; bucked hardwood floors; condensation on air conditioning equipment or ductwork; rot in wood framing; condensation on insulation or water pipes; or insect infestations.
The Bobs’ Water Proofing is family-owned and operated. They don’t subcontract, so one Bob will always be on the job. They service all of New Jersey, license #13VH05845500. Emergency service is available.
The Bobs’ Water Proofing is located in Toms River and can be reached at 732-616-5007. Visit them on the Web at www.thebobswaterproofing.com.