SAS Basement Waterproofing

Dear Glenn: I live in Sterling Heights and have water coming through a crack in the basement. I want to have it repaired by injection. Who is the best one in the area? I am a longtime listener to your show and have tried to get through on your radio show without success. Bill, Sterling Heights Dear Bill: Thanks for listening to the show. SAS Basement Waterproofing, (800) 894-5115, www.sasbasementwaterproofing.com, in Warren has a great reputation. Ask for Wendy.

Dear Glenn: I have an older home with a cinder-block basement that has water seeping in when it rains. There is a hole between two blocks on one wall where it pours in very rapidly. Is there a company that will excavate around the foundation and patch and seal each wall? Jeff, Madison Heights Dear Jeff: Give SAS Basement Waterproofing, (800) 894-5115, www.sasbasementwaterproofing.com, a call. They handle all types of basement waterproofing issues and repairs. Ask for Steve Safie.

Dear Glenn: I need some chimney work done. It’s only used as a furnace and hot water heater vent, but when it rains really hard I get a leak around my chimney up in the attic. Can you recommend a good contractor in the Port Huron area? Frank, Port Huron Dear Frank: AS Basement Waterproofing Brick, Cement & Roofing, (800) 894-5115, www.sasbasementwaterproofing.com, would be a good choice for the Port Huron area. They have been repairing chimneys

Dear Glenn: My wife and I recently had our home completely rebuilt. In doing so, we added about 800 square feet. This made the footprint of the house bigger, so we had some poured walls added to our basement. Now we are getting a bit of water in through the “splice.” Unfortunately, due to the tough construction market, my builder is no longer in business, and I am not quite sure where to turn. He was a great builder and did not rob us or skip out on anything he said he would do, but it would be nice to know where to go for some support. Phil, Waterford Township Dear Phil: Give Steve Safie a call. He is with SAS Basement Waterproofing (800-894-5115, www.sasbasementwaterproof ing.com). SAS has been in business since 1983. They have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and are licensed.

Dear Glenn: My elderly mother’s porch and driveway have sunk to where I’m afraid it is hazardous to her. She may fall. She is on a very limited income, so I was wondering if it is cheaper to have the porch raised. If so, what reputable contractors are available? Leticia, Dearborn Heights Dear Leticia: I’d get two quotes. SAS Basement Waterproofing (800-894-5115, www.sasbasementwaterproofing.com), does a great deal of this kind of work and is very repair oriented. A-1 Concrete Leveling (800-538-3514, www.elliottleveling.com) is the leading concrete-lifting company in the area.

Dear Glenn: I hope you can give me some advice. I have water in my basement after a heavy downpour. I’ve been reading about possible causes. I have had the area around the foundation built up with soil to direct the water away. I have had my gutters inspected and repaired. A neighbor applied paint cement at the base of one of the affected walls. None of this has helped. I have three windows in the basement on the north side of my house. There are no window wells around them. The bottoms of the windows are a few inches from the ground and have brick under them. I was wondering about getting the windows replaced with glass block windows. If I do that, should I have window wells built at that time? My house was built in 1960, a brick Cape Cod. Is it time for me to face facts and get estimates from different wet basement companies? Elaine, Southfield Dear Elaine: Congratulations. Your analysis of the problem is 100 percent correct. It is time for one or two top professionals to look over the problem. You are right to be concerned about costs but you won’t know what the costs are until you get some free estimates. One word of advice: If only one basement wall leaks, only fix one basement wall. This may cut your immediate costs by 50 to 75 percent. Three basement waterproofing firms I would recommend are Foundation Systems of Michigan (877-379-6424, www.drymich.com), Insta-Dry Waterproofing (800-356-0820, www.instadry.com) and SAS Basement Waterproofing (800-894-5115, www.sasbase mentwaterproofing.com).

Dear Glenn: My house is 9 years old, I want to sell — roof is fine but the valleys are in bad shape. Can you recommend a company that will give me an honest appraisal to repair (if possible), and not just try to talk me into a new roof? Dear Dave: SAS Construction (800-894-5115, www.sasbasement waterproofing.com) is very close to you. Call Steve; he is the owner. I have to tell you that new valleys and old shingles will stick out like a sore thumb. You may want to re-roof or just show prospects the quote.

Dear Glenn : My older home has sprung numerous leaks that have resulted in a flood in the cellar room below it. I thought tuck pointing might be the answer, but one of the two professionals I’ve called was intimidated by the project and suggested I call someone else. The other went right for total demolition and complete rebuilding for $5,000-plus. I think I need some idea as to what questions to ask before I make a decision. Could you please help? Penny, Ferndale Dear Penny: SAS Basement Waterproofing (800-894-5115, www.sasbasementwaterproofing.com) wants to help you. Call Steve Safie, he’s the owner. They have had a masonry division in place for more than 20 years.

Dear Glenn: I have a ranch home built in 1976 from reclaimed brick. I have tuckpointed the porch slab twice in the six years we’ve owned the house. The last time was two years ago. The gap between the slab and top row of bricks has grown, ranging from 2 millimeters to almost 5 millimeters in some places. The slab cracked along an expansion joint for the first time. What companies do this work? What are the typical options (e.g., mudjacking, digging-out the porch and re-doing it)? The house is in a wet area with the foundation having been resealed and a basement waterproofing system (EverDry) installed. Also, should I be concerned about mudjacking materials getting in the internal drain tiles? Rob, Detroit Dear Rob: Contact masonry contractors who do a lot of porches, SAS Basement Waterproofing (800-894-5115, www.sasbasementwaterproofing.com) and KC Masonry (877-MASONRY, www.kcmason ry.com). No need to worry about mudjacking material getting into the internal drain.

Dear Glenn: My 80-year-old summer home is under water. It is very near the St. Clair River (in Marine City) and the water table is high. This is a year-round problem. The gravel road in front has been built up over the past 20 years and my crawl space and backyard are flooded. I intend to install a sump pump in the crawl and maybe a French drain around the perimeter. Do you suggest using any piping for the French drain or should I stick with the “gravel and cloth” method only? Could you give me some potential pitfalls? Should I gravel these trenches of plastic tubing? And what about a collection basin for the sump pump, any specific types, how deep? Jim, Marine City Dear Jim: My first suggestion would be to move the cottage to higher ground. To answer some of your questions: You definitely need a sump pump. The crawl space probably also needs to be heated and an entire drainage system installed. This is not a do-it-yourself project. Call a professional. Insta-Dry Waterproofing, (800) 356-0820, www.instadry.com, has a patented system. SAS Waterproofing, (800) 894-5115, www.sasbasement waterproofing.com, might use different methods to drain away the water.