Episode 151 - The Crackman Saves RI Homeowner from a Costly Perimeter Drain
In this episode, The Crackman recounts an incident where a homeowner thought he needed major surgery when a simple bandaid was all that he needed to cure a problem.

In this episode, The Crackman recounts an incident where a homeowner thought he needed major surgery when a simple bandaid was all that he needed to cure a problem.
It's Crackman case study time again and in this episode, Rich relives a rather unnerving story where he was required to squeeze through a very tight crawl space filled with mice to solve a problem.
A homeowner lauds the Crackman for helping him diagnose a bad water problem, even though the Crackman wasn't the right contractor to do the work.
We all know the Crackman fixes a lot of leaks from cracks in foundations and basements. In this episode, the Crackman explains what could cause water to squirt from a small hole.
In this episode, the Crackman explains what exactly a pre-cast bulkhead is, why it would suddenly start leaking, DIY fixes homeowners try do on their own, and what a pro like the Crackman does to fix it.
The Crackman answers listener email and once again, FlexSeal is the topic of interest.
If you wake up and find a water volcano in the basement, don't freak out. Give the Crackman a call and see what the voice of calm and reason can do to help.
In this episode, the Crackman recounts an interesting case study where massive flooding challenged the physics of nature and the mortar in a block foundation.
That Crackman once again is answering listener email. This time he explains how he fixes leaky coal chutes in the Boston MA area.
Most homeowners don't know how a basement water expert can partner with a pest control company to solve rodent problems. As the Crackman explains in this episode, this relationship can be a formidable defense against these pesky varmints.
If you live in a brick house, you can tell that the mortar holding it all together feels as strong as concrete. So, what is the difference?
If you've had a foundation for 20 years and never had a problem with it, it's easy to get a false sense of security thinking you'll never have a problem. But that's not always the case, as the Crackman explains in this episode.
Most people don't really look at the fine details of their basement so why would a homeowner suddenly care about the way it looks? The Crackman provides excellent tips that will be of great value to anyone with a stone foundation.
It's Crackman case study time again. In this episode, Rich talks about the mysterious case of the sinking lally columns in a multi-million dollar home.
Last we we discussed what bulkheads are and ways they can leak. We ran out of time, so this week the Crackman tells our listeners how he fixes leaking bulkheads.
In this episode, the Crackman discusses what a bulkhead is exactly, where they normally leak from, and what the symptoms are.
In this episode, Rich shares a rather disturbing tale about a homeowner who was sold a very expensive solution that was likely unneeded and it didn't actually fix the problem.
Homeowners in New England are frequently complaining about rusty metal things sticking out of their foundation walls. In this episode, the Crackman talks about what those things are, the harm that can come from them, and what you can do about them.
in this episode we're going to ask Rich Comeras, the Science Guy, to put on his horn-rimmed glasses and pocket protector and answer this very interesting question.
It's story time again for the Crackman audience. In this episode Rich shares a story about a situation he ran into proving beauty really is only skin deep when it comes to lally columns.
Are the downspouts in your house properly installed? In this episode, the Crackman discusses what hr id seeing in the field and gives important recommendations to homeowners.
The Crackman has talked about stone foundations in the past. These are the foundations built way back when where the foundation was built with these large field stones. In this episode, he covers the most common issues he finds with them.
Everyone likes saving a buck when possible and most homeowners have a DIY instinct when it comes to home repairs, so we thought we would ask the Crackman what homeowners can do to prevent basement water problems from happening.
In this Crackman case study, Rich discusses a case where someone was selling an old home and an old lally column was threatening the deal.
Once again, we have the Crackman answering listener email. George in Waltham MA writes: "I've recently discovered a white fuzzy substance on my basement foundation walls. What in the world could it be?"
As we are watching what's happening to the poor folks in Texas, Florida, and the Caribbean Islands who have been affected by the wrath of all these hurricanes, one can help but wonder if their insurance will cover the water damage they have incurred. In this episode, the Crackman addresses these concerns.
In this episode, Rich discusses whether it is good idea to paint a concrete floor and for those daring enough to try, steps you need to consider before embarking on such a journey.
We typically have 2 different approaches when building foundations for new homes. In this episode, this episode the Crackman explains the advantages and disadvantages of Poured Concrete Foundations and Block Concrete Foundations.
Waterproofing vs Dampproofing - What you need to know before you decide between the two.
The Crackman runs into a lot of DIY disasters as he helps homeowners across New England deal with their basement water problems. In this episode, he shares two recent examples of desperate homeowners trying to solve their own problems.