According to the weather forecasters, a typhoon out in the sea of Japan is going bring Arctic temperatures to the Eastern half of the US in the next few days. That could make for a really busy week for you, the Crackman, but homeowners can save themselves a lot of agony if they follow some simple preventative tips for waterproofing their Home that we cover in this episode.
This episode takes us back to a time when buildings were constructed with coal as the main heating source. In this episode we discuss what a coal chute is and how you go about waterproofing them.
The Crackman recently went out on a job where the customer had never had leaks in her stone foundation and suddenly she was finding water in her basement. Certainly not an unprecedented event but the cause of this leak had a shroud of mystery surrounding it. Rich discusses the symptoms, the bizarre cause, and the fix action.
So, you would think that if you can put a man on the moon, surely you can build a house that doesn't leak where the floor and wall seams come together. In this episode, we discuss how it actually happens and what you can do to stop those pesky leaks.
Okay so you've heard of dally, galley, rally, and even a girl named Sally. But what in the world is a "lally?" Well here's a history lesson. It was in the late 1800s, and a guy named John Lally was upset and bewildered by buildings collapsing as a result of fires or inadequate support. So, he was in search of a solution. Then lo and behold...in 1898, in the town of Waltham, Massachusetts, a steel beam support column was invented by none other than John Lally, hence the name lally columns. In thi...
There was an article in last Sundayâ??s MetroWest Daily News, written by Zachary Comeau, titled â??Towns struggle to track missing waterâ??. The article highlighted 13 MetroWest towns throughout Massachusetts (Ashland, Medway, Hopkinton, Bellingham, Framingham, Holliston, Milford, Sudbury, Franklin, Hopedale, Natick, Southborough, & Northborough) and their trouble with water that is unaccounted for. According to the Department of Environmental Protectionâ??s water conservation standards,...
For many different reasons, water can pool beneath a basement floor. But just like in the martial arts where you have a variety of combat practices, people fighting basement water swear that their technique kicks butt over all the rest. In this episode, we pit the two juggernauts of basement waterproofing techniques--sump pumps and french drains -- in a head-to-head battle to see which solution is the champion.
Chimney leaks can either exist above grade...at the roof...or below grade. In this episode the Crackman discusses ways water can enter the house via the chimney and what to do about it.
Believe it or not, basements can still accumulate moisture, even when it hasn't rained for weeks! In this episode, we discuss how that can happen and what to do about it.
In this episode we learn what a cold joint is in a basement foundation, how to identify it, and what should be done about it.
In this episode, the Crackman discusses Leaking Tie Rods, Snap Ties, and Pinholes in Basement Foundation Walls and how to repair and maintain them.
Garage floor cracks are just as prevalent as foundation and basement floor cracks. The episode discusses how garage floor cracks are formed and what you can and should do about them.
This episode discusses the types of pipes you typically see going through a foundation, how to detect leaky pipe penetrations, and what to do about leaks when you find them.
There are 3 absolute certainties in life: death, taxes and cracks forming in concrete. So, when it comes to foundations, homeowners should expect them to crack. This episode explains why they crack and what to do about them.
This episode discusses what a Fieldstone Foundation is and how you can keep it strong, healthy, and dry.
So you think you have a really good home insurance policy. Well, if you haven't looked at the fine print lately, check again. It probably does not cover basement flooding as well as you think. This episode reveals how to protect yourself from this tremendous risk.
So you have a leaky foundation crack. All you need to do is go to a hardware store and buy one of those do-it-yourself products and bang! You fixed it, right? Probably not. This podcast talks about the most common DIY products and how they are a temporary fix at best.
What should a homeowner do if they go downstairs and their basement is actively leaking? Tune in to this extremely informative podcast to find out.
In this episode, The Crackman reveals 6 key ways to protect your home and basement from the onslaught of winter snow melt.
The Northeast has been pounded by snow over the last several weeks. There are snowbanks taller than a Volkswagon around many homes and now the rain is coming. How do you know when the water in your basement is coming from the bulkhead? This episode explains how.
Our first episode is quite timely as the Northeast is about to be pounded by a winter Nor-easter. Learn how to prevent water in your basement.
