For many months, myself 'n others have been posting the facts and trying to provide the 'whole story' on basement waterproofing (no false information) and included many links from others to back up and support information. Again, all to help inform anyone searching for the entire story on waterproofing basements, lots of time 'n effort to try & make a difference, to try & help some people from getting scammed/misled.
See, many do not want this entire story told, and if they are a BBB member who rather/only does Inside drain tile or baseboard systems w/sump, they can mess with my non-member BBB record anytime they feel like it. Now to me, if this isn't slander it sure is desperately close. I'm certainly no lawyer but when i check dictionary it says... False statements injurious to a person's reputation, yeah, that reputation being my 25 year 0 complaints ever, BBB non-member record of mine. Dictionary also words slander... A false or malicious statement or report about someone. Ya see, they got mad that i've posted the 'truth' and tried to help others and them being BBB members run to the BBB to mess w/me. The BBB calls me and informs me 2 'other' inside companies are filing complaints agst me, my business because i posted the BBB's own complaint records of some companies, which they say i'm doing for... My own 'selling purposes'.
I posted them as i have stated to... Help inform homeowners & to be careful, these BBB reports say 'not to be used for sales or promotional purposes'. Fine, i'm not using them for sales or promotional purposes, only to inform for pete sake. How can i use them for selling/promotional purposes when my lil business is in Mich. Lolol, i've been posting reports on 99% of other companies who are located in other states, NY, NJ, PA, OH, IN, MO etc. I do not work nor could possibly sell my services anywhere other than SE Mich.
Another thing i've noticed when researching BBB reports on other bsmt waterproofing companies, members versus non-members.
At least with waterproofing, almost every non-member who say, has 5,10, 20 complaints that i've looked up has an 'Unsatisfactory' BBB record and yet, many/close to all 'BBB members' who have 5,20, 50 complaints in last 36 months alone, have a 'satisfactory' BBB record. How can this be, lolol. Sure, its called give me some money and we'll take care of that for ya!
In case you don't know, thousands of homeowners have been either misinformed, misled, deceived etc from some Waterproofing companies who do/install Inside systems/methods. Most basements leak due to... Outside cracks 'n other direct openings in basement walls, around basement windows, openings in mortar joints, loose-cracked-porous bricks and other outside openings that allow... Water to enter. Only way to stop water from entering these cracks/openings is from... Outside, Not inside!
By 'not' sealing/waterproofing/tuckpointing etc these outside openings, water/moisture will continue to enter inside. This can very possibly create mold on basement walls inside one's basement. And if you have paneling/drywall you may not know mold/mildew has been/is beginning to grow on basement walls. Efflorescence can also grow 'n get worse by allowing water to enter. Termites and other insects can also easily enter your home-basement through these cracks/crevices.
Cracks in many basement walls can occur due to... Outside lateral & hydrostatic soil pressure. This expanding & contracting of soil is against the outside of basement walls, it can certainly cause basement walls to crack, leak, bowing walls and in worst cases, collapse of basement walls. Tree roots also can crack and push against basement walls. Only way to help lessen/relieve this outside pressure and roots is from the... Outside. Gotta get rid of what is causing the wall to crack, push-bow inward, most often the soil and/or roots That's right, an outside/exterior method done correctly and backfilled with all gravel/peastone to within a few inches of grade-level waterproofs any cracks/crevices in basement walls, seals any opening where a gas line or other service line enters the wall.
It stops water from entering so it also will stop/prevent mold, efflorescence, termites, radon gas from entering these same openings and... Since gravel/peastone applies the 'least' lateral load against walls, it helps lessen/relieve further movement. Leaving the expanding-contracting soil 'n roots against walls will only make the situation worse, think about it.
Inside systems and the companies who rather or only install, does 'not' stop/prevent water from entering through Outside cracks 'n other openings, have to go outside to accomplish this, right? Sure!
And so, any Inside drain tile or baseboard system still allows the water to enter through the same openings. These inside systems only 'divert' the water still entering... Under your floor to a sump or along the inside perimeter walls to a sump/floor drain.
Inside systems do not stop water from entering outside cracks etc, does not stop the likelihood of mold, efflorescence, radon gas or termites/insects from entering these outside cracks/penetrations in walls or above basement walls.inside systems also cannot stop/prevent further lateral & hydrostatic soil pressure & tree roots from causing more damage. Some folks buy homes and have no idea what shape the basement walls are in due to finished basements, you just may want to take more time with this folks, it's your foundation we're talking about. It would be my pleasure to be able to somehow post/send the same links and information to help homeowners get the 'whole' story, not this one sided, self interest story many-not all inside companies want you to believe. Same goes for the BBB who seemingly back up anything 'n everything their 'members' say, advertise etc. It's very misleading.
About 10% of the time... Tops, there are those homeowners who do indeed have either, a blockage under the basement floor and/or, bought a home that is below sea level, like New Orleans, or own a house that was built most likely where it shouldn't have been... Like on a spring/high water table area. Yes thats right, cheap land where some builders can erect more crappy homes and make that much more money. They know what i mean.
Back to those who 'only' have water that comes up through floor cracks or other openings in the bsmt floor. They have no water coming from the wall, no mold/efflorescence on wall, no cracks or bowing of a wall, just water that comes 'up' through floor cracks etc. You 'first' need to find an honest/experienced plumber and have them snake through storm trap etc, this often-not always will... Free up a blockage under the floor, you'll even hear it free up if the plumber can get to it, thing is, some homes do not have storm trap or other entryway to try 'n snake. If this is the case then, some of you will need a sump pump or 2 to... Control the water-level under the basement floor from accumulating and then rising up through these floor cracks etc.
That does not mean you need any kind of inside drain tile or baseboard system, no no no, not that many do. But of course, an Inside company will strongly disagree and, you know why, don't ya, sure.
There will be times when a homeowner will need a sump pump (s) and maybe a partial (1 or 2 walls) drain tile method but also... Some outside waterproofing done when they have a crack (s) or wall movement/bowing due to outside soil pressures etc. I don't mean digging down 1-3' like some of these inside companies do. If you have a vertical/step in a wall, you'll need to have that hand-dug to footing 'n correctly waterproof and backfill. Yes, a few times some will need both. But again, most basement leak/seep due to... Outside openings.
In Jan of this year, after talking with several other MI based waterproofing companies who also have/had 0 complaints ever, i decided to make BBB complaints agst 2 companies who absolutely have advertisements that mislead, misinform, deceive etc. I called and brought this to the BBB's attention to first see if they'd care or do anything about it, look into it. Now this was agst 2 companies who are BBB members and again i am not.
After being shuffled around to 3 different BBB people, a lady gets on phone 'n hastily informs me i'll have to put it all in writing, i say fine ok and i did in late Jan.
You'd think i'd get some kind of response back from them concerning the status of these 2 very valid complaints... Not!
Its been 3 months and not a peep, yet they quickly moved into action agst me, for what? Providing the public with the entire-story? All facts, no crap, no false info either folks, its all true and backed up by other sources/links.
I've tried informing some in the media, radio, papers, 'n ever channel 7 here, several city councils, congressmen etc etc etc.
I've seen a station here use several minutes of air-time informing me/us how to keep germs off my toothbrush yet, they seem to have no time to want to listen, research and get all the facts out about basement waterproofing, why? So many complaints from homeowners, the BBB even lists many... Not all of course. They're are thousands of homeowners who've made BBB complaints against these inside companies, they've been misled/deceived, were talking many thousands of dollars and continued water leaking into their basements or further mold/efflorescence, walls continuing to bow in etc.
Ill be around if any homeowner would like some help, wants the facts.
Mark
St Clair Shores, Michigan
U.S.A.
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