By Aaron Kuertz

Concrete Cracks in Basements

Many homes that have concrete basements have foundation cracks. This is a normal situation because as the concrete cures it shrinks in volume. This shrinkage creates stresses in the concrete wall. To relieve the stress, the concrete cracks. The most common areas for a “shrinkage crack” to occur are in the middle of a long wall, below a corner of a basement window or where the foundation wall changes height.

A large number of homes built since 1990 have their walls coated with a waterproof membrane. This waterproofing protects many cracks from leaks, but it can be defeated. Whether your home is protected by waterproofing or not, there are several ways for water to get into the basement; Read more »

When you undertake a new home improvement project there will always be the issue of construction. Do you actually do all the work yourself or do you hire a professional? Have you thought about the safety concerns in doing your own home improvement construction? Do you have the budget to hire a contractor? These are questions that all need to be answered before deciding how you should approach the construction process.
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You know that faucet in the kitchen that’s always leaking? Well, that’s the kind of home repair project you should be able to take on yourself. However, sometimes it gets so complicated that you will need a professional contractor to help you. This post will discuss which types of home repairs you can do yourself and when you need to get help. Read more »