By: Mario Chompass
It all started way back before any of us were born, in 1858. One man, by the name of Edwin Holmes invented and installed the world’s first burglar alarm. This invention occurred in a tiny factory within Boston, Massachusetts. This burglar alarm was a very simple machine; a spring was released upon the opening of a window or door, which would then close an electrical circuit.
As the years progressed, burglar alarms progressed right along with them. Today, there are many different types of burglar alarms that not only signify an intrusion, but they can also alert the proper authorities of a fire, natural disaster, or even if someone has fallen or become ill. It all depends on the type of burglar alarm you have installed into your home.
So, what types of burglar alarms are there?
Well, there are do it yourself burglar alarm installation kits or you can have the alarm installed by a professional alarm company such as ADT or other like company. There are burglar alarms that fit on your walls and doors to alert any nearby neighbors or center of an intrusion or silent alarms that only alert the proper center or authorities of a situation. Some burglar alarms come with infra-red sensors, which activates an alarm when the sensor is crossed. You can even get motion detectors or sound detectors, of course each of these will require some consideration if you have pets.
With pets, they can inadvertently set off the alarm through their regular movement. However, some burglar alarms can be set to be tolerant of your pets movements. Again, it simply depends upon the type of burglar alarm you install within your home. It is advisable to talk with the alarm dealer or manufacturer about all the options when it comes to your burglar alarm.
What should I look for when buying a burglar alarm?
The first thing you should look for, is a creditable and reputable company to buy the burglar alarm from. This is important because you want a company you can trust, check all the representatives, their identification, and the addresses of the company.
If the company is require to intermittently check the equipment, verify who will perform the inspections and their credentials as well.
Furthermore, if you are required by your insurance company to have a burglar alarm, find out whom the insurance company recommends and whom they accept as viable alarm companies. Most insurers will only accept an installed that has been NACOSS approved.
You should also make sure that your local police department accepts the burglar alarm. The company should provide you with documentation of the rules governed by the police in your area.
Before making a decision, you should ask for and receive quotes from no less than three alarm companies, to compare benefits, features, and costs.
You will also want to determine if the company requires any maintenance on your part, or any additional fees that may be required.
Your best bet is to make sure you do all of your homework and choose a company that will work well to suit your needs.
About The Author
Mario Chompass writes tips and advice on home alarms and how to increase your house and personal security issues, Mario latest work has been to provide tips and advice on using alarm systems at http:// http://alarm.advice-tips.com
Friday, March 21, 2008
Fixer upper Help
Things That Add Value To Your Fixer-Upper Home
by: Sarah Miller
http://homebuyerguide.blogspot.com/ http://houseideas4u.blogspot.com/
Things that add value to your fixer-upper home
Fixer-upper homes apparently need a lot of work to increase their market value. What things should you do to really make the most out of your renovation efforts thus increasing the value of your fixer-upper home?
Pristine walls – Fixing up your walls is an inexpensive way to increase the value of your fixer-upper homer. You can do the paint job yourself. Choose colors that will make the house “look expensive”.
Renovate the bathroom – It is known fact that a great bathroom will increase the value of any house. Homebuyers tend to take a look at the bathroom first so focusing on renovating this part of the house is a must. Adding another bathroom in the house can further increase its value.
Renovate the kitchen – Aside from the bathroom the kitchen is another part of the house that can increase its value. Home buyers, especially the ladies, take this as a major factor when considering buying a home.
Improve landscaping – Taking care of the lawn and making it look attractive will add to the value of your fixer-upper home. You don't need to hire professional landscapers to improve its appearance.
Don’t overlook the garage, closets and laundry – These three parts of the house are most of the time overlooked. As simple as them may seem, they can increase the value of the fixer-upper home because it adds convenience. Bedrooms with spacious closets are always attractive. Garage and pathway maintenance is also important. Lastly, a house with a laundry room will also increase its value.
Maintain windows – Cleaning your windows every now and then will help maintain its good condition. This won't increase the house’s value but it will help in maintaining its current value.
Change carpets – Nothing is more unappealing than dirty and stinky carpets. Carpets tend to acquire a lot of dirt and cleaning old carpet may not do the trick. What you want to do is change the entire carpeting for the house. This will make a big difference.
Remove clutter – Throw away excessive things that are eye sores. Excessive junk can make a house less appealing and lower its value.
In general, you should fix up the exterior first because this is what people see first and it will give them an impression that your house is a keeper and is of high value. This doesn’t mean that you should ignore the interior. Bottom-line, the most important part of the house that you should focus on to increase a fixer-upper home’s value are the bathroom and the kitchen.
About The Author
The above article was written by Sarah Miller on behalf of a buzzing online Home Improvement community where homeowners easily and painlessly find the right contractor for their home improvement projects and in turn, contractors can find the right Home Improvement Leads! Also check out the http://quotecity.com/ Blog for more related Home Improvement Articles and Ideas.
by: Sarah Miller
http://homebuyerguide.blogspot.com/ http://houseideas4u.blogspot.com/
Things that add value to your fixer-upper home
Fixer-upper homes apparently need a lot of work to increase their market value. What things should you do to really make the most out of your renovation efforts thus increasing the value of your fixer-upper home?
Pristine walls – Fixing up your walls is an inexpensive way to increase the value of your fixer-upper homer. You can do the paint job yourself. Choose colors that will make the house “look expensive”.
Renovate the bathroom – It is known fact that a great bathroom will increase the value of any house. Homebuyers tend to take a look at the bathroom first so focusing on renovating this part of the house is a must. Adding another bathroom in the house can further increase its value.
Renovate the kitchen – Aside from the bathroom the kitchen is another part of the house that can increase its value. Home buyers, especially the ladies, take this as a major factor when considering buying a home.
Improve landscaping – Taking care of the lawn and making it look attractive will add to the value of your fixer-upper home. You don't need to hire professional landscapers to improve its appearance.
Don’t overlook the garage, closets and laundry – These three parts of the house are most of the time overlooked. As simple as them may seem, they can increase the value of the fixer-upper home because it adds convenience. Bedrooms with spacious closets are always attractive. Garage and pathway maintenance is also important. Lastly, a house with a laundry room will also increase its value.
Maintain windows – Cleaning your windows every now and then will help maintain its good condition. This won't increase the house’s value but it will help in maintaining its current value.
Change carpets – Nothing is more unappealing than dirty and stinky carpets. Carpets tend to acquire a lot of dirt and cleaning old carpet may not do the trick. What you want to do is change the entire carpeting for the house. This will make a big difference.
Remove clutter – Throw away excessive things that are eye sores. Excessive junk can make a house less appealing and lower its value.
In general, you should fix up the exterior first because this is what people see first and it will give them an impression that your house is a keeper and is of high value. This doesn’t mean that you should ignore the interior. Bottom-line, the most important part of the house that you should focus on to increase a fixer-upper home’s value are the bathroom and the kitchen.
About The Author
The above article was written by Sarah Miller on behalf of a buzzing online Home Improvement community where homeowners easily and painlessly find the right contractor for their home improvement projects and in turn, contractors can find the right Home Improvement Leads! Also check out the http://quotecity.com/ Blog for more related Home Improvement Articles and Ideas.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Looking To Buy HUD Homes
By: Tom Laing
Buy HUD homes are sometimes the cheapest option available for a common man to own a house. The fact that teachers and police officers could buy HUD homes at 50% off the market value attracts more potential buyers.
Before starting off hunting around to buy HUD homes, let us see what actually a HUD home is? HUD homes are those dwellings that have been acquired by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. When a home owner fails to meet the payments of a HUD insured mortgage, it results in the home getting foreclosed by the mortgage lender. He then transfers the ownership of the house to HUD and collects the money owed to it. HUD homes are then put for sale at the current market rate with the aim of selling it off quickly and recovering the money. It in fact offers a cheap option for those looking to buy HUD homes.
Buy HUD homes options vary from family residences and townhouses, condominiums and other types of residential properties. It is a cheapest and later profitable option to buy HUD homes for common man as well as potential investors. While a common man sees buy HUD homes as a way to earn a house for him and family, an investor taps the economic potential in re-selling it at a higher price to some body ready to buy HUD homes. Other home buyers are motivated in buy HUD homes at below market value because it allows them to acquire a larger home than they could normally afford to purchase.
In fact, any one can buy HUD homes. But in order to buy HUD homes, he/she should have a pre-approved mortgage or is in possession of a verifiable amount of cash for purchase. But the price ranges are such that any low or moderately salaried American can buy HUD homes. And on the race for buy HUD homes, an owner-occupant has preference over other buyers if he/she is deciding to buy HUD homes as his/her primary residence. But this privilege is valid only for a certain period, beyond which the home will be available to other qualified persons looking for buy HUD homes.
In order to buy HUD homes, one can strike the deal only through real estate agents approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Approved agents can submit bids during any day of a week, from which the highest net bid is chosen. If there is no acceptable bid to buy HUD homes, the home is put to new bidding until sold.
On the acceptance of a bid to buy HUD homes, the agent will be notified within 48 hours. The settlement is usually completed within one to two months, during which time financing is arranged and the sale is closed. If you do not close by the settlement date, your earnest money deposit is forfeited else you have to pay for an extension of the sales contract.
For those looking to buy HUD homes, since HUD homes are sold in a 'as-is' basis, conducting a professional home inspection before submitting a bid is recommended. The customers who buy HUD homes need to pay for any repairs/maintenance - those expenses would not be paid by HUD. After you buy HUD homes, the selling commission will be paid by HUD only if such a condition is there in your offer.
To buy HUD homes, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development does not provide home loans directly. One can make use of the several insurance mortgage programs available to buy HUD homes.
About The Author
Tom Laing
Providing Business and Real Estate Resources
http://www.BringYourBusinessOnline.com/sitemap.html
Buy HUD homes are sometimes the cheapest option available for a common man to own a house. The fact that teachers and police officers could buy HUD homes at 50% off the market value attracts more potential buyers.
Before starting off hunting around to buy HUD homes, let us see what actually a HUD home is? HUD homes are those dwellings that have been acquired by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. When a home owner fails to meet the payments of a HUD insured mortgage, it results in the home getting foreclosed by the mortgage lender. He then transfers the ownership of the house to HUD and collects the money owed to it. HUD homes are then put for sale at the current market rate with the aim of selling it off quickly and recovering the money. It in fact offers a cheap option for those looking to buy HUD homes.
Buy HUD homes options vary from family residences and townhouses, condominiums and other types of residential properties. It is a cheapest and later profitable option to buy HUD homes for common man as well as potential investors. While a common man sees buy HUD homes as a way to earn a house for him and family, an investor taps the economic potential in re-selling it at a higher price to some body ready to buy HUD homes. Other home buyers are motivated in buy HUD homes at below market value because it allows them to acquire a larger home than they could normally afford to purchase.
In fact, any one can buy HUD homes. But in order to buy HUD homes, he/she should have a pre-approved mortgage or is in possession of a verifiable amount of cash for purchase. But the price ranges are such that any low or moderately salaried American can buy HUD homes. And on the race for buy HUD homes, an owner-occupant has preference over other buyers if he/she is deciding to buy HUD homes as his/her primary residence. But this privilege is valid only for a certain period, beyond which the home will be available to other qualified persons looking for buy HUD homes.
In order to buy HUD homes, one can strike the deal only through real estate agents approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Approved agents can submit bids during any day of a week, from which the highest net bid is chosen. If there is no acceptable bid to buy HUD homes, the home is put to new bidding until sold.
On the acceptance of a bid to buy HUD homes, the agent will be notified within 48 hours. The settlement is usually completed within one to two months, during which time financing is arranged and the sale is closed. If you do not close by the settlement date, your earnest money deposit is forfeited else you have to pay for an extension of the sales contract.
For those looking to buy HUD homes, since HUD homes are sold in a 'as-is' basis, conducting a professional home inspection before submitting a bid is recommended. The customers who buy HUD homes need to pay for any repairs/maintenance - those expenses would not be paid by HUD. After you buy HUD homes, the selling commission will be paid by HUD only if such a condition is there in your offer.
To buy HUD homes, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development does not provide home loans directly. One can make use of the several insurance mortgage programs available to buy HUD homes.
About The Author
Tom Laing
Providing Business and Real Estate Resources
http://www.BringYourBusinessOnline.com/sitemap.html
Building Real Estate - New Home Construction Tips
by: Shane Toews
Your next few months constructing your new home could prove to be a time consuming and daunting task. You must recognize that it is difficult, if not impossible to have everything go smoothly. When buying a home while it is under construction you must have some key notes available. First, the contract of purchase and sale must be clear and very detailed to outline your expectations. It must describe the specifics including the details of the labor and materials used to satisfy your buying agreement. These stand from of construction contracts are available and these forms of agreement are designed to provide an enforceable agreement between the seller (builder) and the buyer.
If your developer asks for a deposit (which he will) make sure that it will be deposited into a trust account. If the agreement should default, the deposit should always be returned back to yourself. If the developer wishes to hold your deposit as a stake holder, the return of your deposit may be more difficult. In addition to the standard contract of purchase and sale, you should include a specifications sheet and the plans for the house. Building contracts are long, complex documents. Both parties (builder/seller and buyer) should obtain legal advice prior to entering into a building contract.
Do the walk though! Insist that prior to possession date, both parties conduct a walk-through of the property prior to possession date. Make sure that all the work is completed and agreed upon. At this time, both the seller and the buyer should sign and date the list. Copies should be given to both parties, realtor’s and lawyers involved. The crown has developed a program in 1998 called the Home Owners Protection Office. Essentially it is designed to protect the quality of construction in a new home development. This office licenses residential builders and building envelope renovators, monitor’s the provisions of mandatory third-party home warranty insurance and researches/educates the residential construction industry and consumers.
If you are the owner of a leaky home, the HPO will administer no-interest repair loan programs and PST relief grants for owners. They’re set up to ensure that no one has to lose their home due to the cost of repairing a leaky home. The reconstruction loan program provides no interest loans to homeowners and housing co-op’s who are unable to pay for the cost of repairs.
Your warranty includes a minimum of two years on labor and materials. Five years on the building envelope which includes water penetration. And ten years on the structure. In order to minimize confusion about warranties, the HPO created this 2, 5, 10 year home warranty insurance logo. It’s now used in the marketing campaigns of your local realtors and builders in the Residential real estate market of British Columbia homes. This should take place when you first occupy the home. You could always find more information on this topic by visiting www.hop.bc.ca
Finally make sure that your realtor inserts a clause clearly stating that the occupancy certificate must be obtained on or before completion date. However, landscaping and other outside work can still be in the process of completion. Your occupancy permit merely allows you to move into your new home! We hope this article helped you think of some things that you might not normally know. Please do not rely on this article as a guide or legal advice as you should always consult your lawyer or local realtor for advice, they are the expert.
About The Author
Shane Toews is a Licenced Realtor who helps others to educate themselves about current real estate issues. He also provides assistance on how to find quality homes, apartments or vacation rentals in Canada's Fraser Valley area.
Visit his website http://rentfraservalley.com/ for more information on Fraser Valley Homes and Apartments for Sale or Rent.
by: Shane Toews
Your next few months constructing your new home could prove to be a time consuming and daunting task. You must recognize that it is difficult, if not impossible to have everything go smoothly. When buying a home while it is under construction you must have some key notes available. First, the contract of purchase and sale must be clear and very detailed to outline your expectations. It must describe the specifics including the details of the labor and materials used to satisfy your buying agreement. These stand from of construction contracts are available and these forms of agreement are designed to provide an enforceable agreement between the seller (builder) and the buyer.
If your developer asks for a deposit (which he will) make sure that it will be deposited into a trust account. If the agreement should default, the deposit should always be returned back to yourself. If the developer wishes to hold your deposit as a stake holder, the return of your deposit may be more difficult. In addition to the standard contract of purchase and sale, you should include a specifications sheet and the plans for the house. Building contracts are long, complex documents. Both parties (builder/seller and buyer) should obtain legal advice prior to entering into a building contract.
Do the walk though! Insist that prior to possession date, both parties conduct a walk-through of the property prior to possession date. Make sure that all the work is completed and agreed upon. At this time, both the seller and the buyer should sign and date the list. Copies should be given to both parties, realtor’s and lawyers involved. The crown has developed a program in 1998 called the Home Owners Protection Office. Essentially it is designed to protect the quality of construction in a new home development. This office licenses residential builders and building envelope renovators, monitor’s the provisions of mandatory third-party home warranty insurance and researches/educates the residential construction industry and consumers.
If you are the owner of a leaky home, the HPO will administer no-interest repair loan programs and PST relief grants for owners. They’re set up to ensure that no one has to lose their home due to the cost of repairing a leaky home. The reconstruction loan program provides no interest loans to homeowners and housing co-op’s who are unable to pay for the cost of repairs.
Your warranty includes a minimum of two years on labor and materials. Five years on the building envelope which includes water penetration. And ten years on the structure. In order to minimize confusion about warranties, the HPO created this 2, 5, 10 year home warranty insurance logo. It’s now used in the marketing campaigns of your local realtors and builders in the Residential real estate market of British Columbia homes. This should take place when you first occupy the home. You could always find more information on this topic by visiting www.hop.bc.ca
Finally make sure that your realtor inserts a clause clearly stating that the occupancy certificate must be obtained on or before completion date. However, landscaping and other outside work can still be in the process of completion. Your occupancy permit merely allows you to move into your new home! We hope this article helped you think of some things that you might not normally know. Please do not rely on this article as a guide or legal advice as you should always consult your lawyer or local realtor for advice, they are the expert.
About The Author
Shane Toews is a Licenced Realtor who helps others to educate themselves about current real estate issues. He also provides assistance on how to find quality homes, apartments or vacation rentals in Canada's Fraser Valley area.
Visit his website http://rentfraservalley.com/ for more information on Fraser Valley Homes and Apartments for Sale or Rent.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Going Solar In Callifornia
How To Get A Rebate for Going Solar In California
By: Rick Chapo
California is the leading produce of solar electricity in the United States. One of the reasons for this is a rebate program second to none.
How To Get A Rebate for Going Solar In California
The solar rebate system in California comes under a program known as the Emerging Renewables Program. Through this program, utility companies in California provide rebate programs for solar, fuel cell and wind power systems used on residences. In this article, we focus on the solar rebate plans.
Under California law, all utility companies in the state must provide rebates to homeowners that purchase, install and use solar panel systems. Put another way, you get the rebate regardless of whether San Diego Gas and Electric, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison or Bear Valley Electric Service is your provider.
On January 1, 2006, new rebate designations took effect. For solar panel systems, the rebate is $2.80 per watt until June 2006. The system is limited to a 30 kilo-watt capacity or less. For solar thermal electric systems, the rebate is a whopping $3.20 per watt.
To get your solar rebate, you have to choose whether to get the rebate upfront or over a three-year period on your electric bill. The upfront rebate sounds good, but the program only has ten million dollars budgeted, so you better hop on it now.
Between state, federal and local governments, financial incentives in the form of tax credits, rebates, property tax discounts, net metering and so on have exploded. In some situations, it was actually possible to make a profit on the purchase of a system, particularly if you paid massive property taxes and got a major discount for going solar. The State of California has figured this out and now puts caps on financial incentives. You can take advantage of the incentives to pay for as much, if not all, of your solar system. You are no longer allowed, however, to use the incentives to pay for the system and get cash back!
To take advantage of the solar rebates, there are a few basic requirements. You must be on grid with one of the utilities mentioned above. You can’t produce more than 200 percent of the power typically used by your residence, i.e., you are not allowed to build solar power plants in your back yard. The solar panel system must have at least a five year warranty, must be new and must meet basic national solar panel standards for quality and energy production. On top of this, it is important to remember that your system must be installed with a performance meter, which will be audited from time to time.
The rebate program in California is very strong. With the 3.2 billion dollar solar program just approved, it is going to get even stronger.
About The Author
Rick Chapo is with http://www.solarcompanies.com – a directory of solar energy companies.
By: Rick Chapo
California is the leading produce of solar electricity in the United States. One of the reasons for this is a rebate program second to none.
How To Get A Rebate for Going Solar In California
The solar rebate system in California comes under a program known as the Emerging Renewables Program. Through this program, utility companies in California provide rebate programs for solar, fuel cell and wind power systems used on residences. In this article, we focus on the solar rebate plans.
Under California law, all utility companies in the state must provide rebates to homeowners that purchase, install and use solar panel systems. Put another way, you get the rebate regardless of whether San Diego Gas and Electric, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison or Bear Valley Electric Service is your provider.
On January 1, 2006, new rebate designations took effect. For solar panel systems, the rebate is $2.80 per watt until June 2006. The system is limited to a 30 kilo-watt capacity or less. For solar thermal electric systems, the rebate is a whopping $3.20 per watt.
To get your solar rebate, you have to choose whether to get the rebate upfront or over a three-year period on your electric bill. The upfront rebate sounds good, but the program only has ten million dollars budgeted, so you better hop on it now.
Between state, federal and local governments, financial incentives in the form of tax credits, rebates, property tax discounts, net metering and so on have exploded. In some situations, it was actually possible to make a profit on the purchase of a system, particularly if you paid massive property taxes and got a major discount for going solar. The State of California has figured this out and now puts caps on financial incentives. You can take advantage of the incentives to pay for as much, if not all, of your solar system. You are no longer allowed, however, to use the incentives to pay for the system and get cash back!
To take advantage of the solar rebates, there are a few basic requirements. You must be on grid with one of the utilities mentioned above. You can’t produce more than 200 percent of the power typically used by your residence, i.e., you are not allowed to build solar power plants in your back yard. The solar panel system must have at least a five year warranty, must be new and must meet basic national solar panel standards for quality and energy production. On top of this, it is important to remember that your system must be installed with a performance meter, which will be audited from time to time.
The rebate program in California is very strong. With the 3.2 billion dollar solar program just approved, it is going to get even stronger.
About The Author
Rick Chapo is with http://www.solarcompanies.com – a directory of solar energy companies.
Basement Water Problems
By: Jeff Smithers
Basement water caused by water leakage is one of the most common problems found in houses. While basement foundation damage caused by water leakage is not common, basement water can be a major inconvenience, and often causes damage to basement flooring and stored items. In addition, odors caused by mold and mildew can be particularly offensive to some people and can even be a source of allergic reactions. It has been documented that at least 98% of all basements will leak at some point as a house ages and settles.
Basement water leakage is one of the most common defects identified during an inspection for resale of a home. And can also be one of the most preventable. Basement water leakage is very often the result of improperly laid exterior grading, where the surfaces of a driveway or patio have settled and cracked to form a conduit for water to seep into your basement. Combined with a lack of proper gutters and drainage, basement water can become a major nuisance. But very often, preventing basement repair is as simple as thinking ahead. If the home that you own or are considering purchasing has a basement, you need to know if there has ever been water or dampness in the basement and where it comes from.
If you find basement water, the first step in curing a basement water problem is to determine the source of the water. Basically, you can divide potential basement water sources into three categories:
Surface water is a flow of water whose basic source is primarily water from run-off, rain, snow, or poor drainage. This type of water problem is generally restricted to the top four feet of soil.
Ground water is a flow of water produced from high water tables, springs and rivers, and can be made worse by poor soil. This type of water problem can extend from the surface and then run down past the level of the basement floor.
Other water comes from different sources and can originate from inside or outside of your home, due to condensation, temperature differences, and plumbing leakage.
To solve your basement water problem, and before you start basement repairs, think about whether basement water shows up after only heavy rains, or every time it rains. Is the leakage usually confined to one specific area, and if so, can you associate an external source with this area, such as a window well, or a poorly sloped driveway?
Once you have isolated your basement water problems, then any basement repair, basement refinishing and basement remodeling become easier. Basement waterproofing is important, because basement water and the damage that it can do to your home is nothing that any home owner wants to suffer from.
For more information on Sanitred's products click here...
About The Author
Jeff Smithers lives in Portugal with his wife and son. Jeff used to be a teacher in the state of Michigan, where he inspired many of his students to pursue careers in writing. Jeff has moved his family to Portugal to learn about other cultures to further his writing endeavours.
redkoch@yahoo.com
Basement water caused by water leakage is one of the most common problems found in houses. While basement foundation damage caused by water leakage is not common, basement water can be a major inconvenience, and often causes damage to basement flooring and stored items. In addition, odors caused by mold and mildew can be particularly offensive to some people and can even be a source of allergic reactions. It has been documented that at least 98% of all basements will leak at some point as a house ages and settles.
Basement water leakage is one of the most common defects identified during an inspection for resale of a home. And can also be one of the most preventable. Basement water leakage is very often the result of improperly laid exterior grading, where the surfaces of a driveway or patio have settled and cracked to form a conduit for water to seep into your basement. Combined with a lack of proper gutters and drainage, basement water can become a major nuisance. But very often, preventing basement repair is as simple as thinking ahead. If the home that you own or are considering purchasing has a basement, you need to know if there has ever been water or dampness in the basement and where it comes from.
If you find basement water, the first step in curing a basement water problem is to determine the source of the water. Basically, you can divide potential basement water sources into three categories:
Surface water is a flow of water whose basic source is primarily water from run-off, rain, snow, or poor drainage. This type of water problem is generally restricted to the top four feet of soil.
Ground water is a flow of water produced from high water tables, springs and rivers, and can be made worse by poor soil. This type of water problem can extend from the surface and then run down past the level of the basement floor.
Other water comes from different sources and can originate from inside or outside of your home, due to condensation, temperature differences, and plumbing leakage.
To solve your basement water problem, and before you start basement repairs, think about whether basement water shows up after only heavy rains, or every time it rains. Is the leakage usually confined to one specific area, and if so, can you associate an external source with this area, such as a window well, or a poorly sloped driveway?
Once you have isolated your basement water problems, then any basement repair, basement refinishing and basement remodeling become easier. Basement waterproofing is important, because basement water and the damage that it can do to your home is nothing that any home owner wants to suffer from.
For more information on Sanitred's products click here...
About The Author
Jeff Smithers lives in Portugal with his wife and son. Jeff used to be a teacher in the state of Michigan, where he inspired many of his students to pursue careers in writing. Jeff has moved his family to Portugal to learn about other cultures to further his writing endeavours.
redkoch@yahoo.com
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