Protect Your Family & Property from Mold

It’s finally spring again, and that means everything is beginning to take bloom. Spring is also a great time to inspect our basements for tell-tale signs of the things we don’t want in bloom: mold and mildew. As much as we may dread it, recognizing and managing moisture and mold problems is definitely an example of an “ounce of prevention” being “worth a pound of cure”.

Mold is often visible in the form of blotchy stains on different surfaces. In other cases, you can’t see mold but you know there’s a problem due to the fowl, stale smell of the air. It’s wise to be concerned about mold. Not only damaging to possessions and building materials, mold can pose critical health hazards, especially to those with respiratory issues like COPD, asthma, and allergies.

Much of the air that you breathe in other areas of the home comes from the basement. That means the mold infecting the air in your basement can infect the air throughout the rest of your home. To prevent this serious health issue, contact the basement waterproofing experts at Ground Up Builders today. We can provide fast, long lasting solutions to take care of all your mold and mildew problems.

To solve a mold problem, it helps to have a basic understanding of how mold can take hold in your home. Mold hates sunlight and dry environments. It thrives in dark, damp environments where organic materials are present. Basements and crawl spaces can make excellent mold habitats. Dust mites love the same conditions. Although these tiny pests don’t destroy materials like mold does, their microscopic feces pose a health hazard, just like mold spores.

Many Tennessee homeowners struggle to maintain healthy and dry basements. If you have ever had to deal with a wet basement, then you know how many problems it can cause, and how difficult it can be to control. Fortunately, the water management team at Ground Up Builders  can provide you with fast, effective mold and mildew solutions for your basement or crawlspace. Act fast to protect your family and property before things get any worse. We promise to deliver dependable, quality service, from our family to yours. Call 615-326-5790 today, or take advantage of our online specials by clicking here. And don’t forget, estimates are always free!

Why Do Houses Settle?

By far, the most common reason for a house settling is improperly backfilled soil. If you've ever done some work in a garden (which I have not), you've probably noticed that even after compacting the new layer of soil, you leave footprints behind. This is much the same with a house. If a builder excavates too much soil for a basement or crawlspace and must backfill it, the process requires more attention than if the basement had been dug to the correct depth.

That's because the soil  has been disturbed. The work of centuries of compression that created naturally compacted soil, which can provide a stable place to build a house, has been undone. To recreate a suitable base, the excavated and replaced soil has to be tamped down. If it's not compacted enough again, then the house built on top of the soil will settle. Bad news for home owners. 

The type of soil a house is built upon also can also play a role in accelerating its settlement. Clay soil is subject to changes in expansion and contraction based on the amount of water found in it at any given time. Clay expands when saturated. This causes upheaval -- the opposite of settling -- a process that produces the same problematic results for the homeowner. When the clay dries, it contracts and sinks, causing settling.

Water is the enemy of your home's foundation in other ways. Tree roots that grow close to a house's foundation can create cracks by searching for water beneath it. The roots disrupt the soil compaction, leading to settlement. Tree roots also invite rainwater under the house, which can further disrupt the integrity of the soil.

If you suspect that your house is settling or you have foundation damage, call Ground Up Builders immediately at 615-326-5790.

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Winter Foundation Problems

We thought we were close to Spring here in Middle Tennessee... and boy were we wrong! Wintertime presents a whole new set of threats to your home’s foundation, with 2 of the biggest hazards being frost heaving and freezing pipes.

How does frost heaving lead to foundation damage? Well, first you have to know how frost heaving happens. It occurs when top-level soils freeze and thaw, creating upward suction that draws in more water – which then freezes and thaws even more. Over time, this frost cycle results in uneven pressure, creating shifts and cracks beneath your home’s foundation.

Silty terrain and soil with high water capacities are particularly problematic since they do a poor job of draining the area around your property.  By contrast, grainier soils (sand, gravel, etc.) are less prone to frost heave since they’re more porous.

How does pipe freezing damage your foundation? Your home’s foundation is built to last and in most cases, normal freezing isn’t a major problem. Your foundation may display concrete flaking or even cracking but these are relatively rare. Far more common and destructive is pipe freezing. As ice within the pipes expands, this can lead to bursting, causing permanent water damage to your home’s foundation.

The problem is most common in areas where:

• Pipes are directly exposed to outside temperatures (i.e. external sinks and washrooms)
• Pipes are indirectly exposed to outside temperatures (i.e. unprotected crawlspaces under your home)
• Exterior faucets are not properly turned off during the wintertime
• Once you understand their causes, addressing these two common threats becomes much easier.

Tips for Preventing Frost Heave - Although you can’t prevent seasonal frosting, you can protect your home’s foundation by implementing better water drainage management. Popular solutions include:

• Replacing surrounding soil with more porous alternatives
• Digging top-level and subterranean reservoirs to redirect water away from your home’s foundation
• Insulating your home’s foundation to retard geothermal heat loss and reduce frosting before it occurs

Preventing Pipe Freezing - Protecting your foundation from pipe freezing is arguably easier since you know, in advance, where potential problems exist.  Below are some of the most common preventative steps you can take:

• Shut off all exposed water pipes during the wintertime when you’re not using them
• Seal any leaks around pipes that enter your home to prevent cold air from seeping in
• Insulate pipes in crawl spaces, attics, and outer walls
• Make sure your home’s core temperature doesn’t fall below 55 degrees Fahrenheit – even when you’re not around

The above steps are preventative measures that can dramatically reduce the risk of home foundation failures.  But even with these precautions, it’s not always possible to reduce the risk 100%. If your foundation does become unstable, contact Ground Up Builders in Nashville where foundation is our specialty! 615-326-5790.