Springtime Home Maintenance in Michigan

As Michiganders, the arrival of spring should be a symbol of happiness. Not only is it the perfect time to finally emerge from hibernation, it’s an opportunity to take care of that growing list of home improvements from the winter months. So before you fire up the grill or break out the swimwear, let’s talk about basement maintenance. I’m guessing the last way you’ll want to spend the warm weather months is dealing with April showers flooding your basement.

Mold

The snow and ice melting brought tears of joy to Michigan residents. Before you get too excited, it’s important to remember that the water is going somewhere (the melting snow, not your tears). The extra water absorbed into the soil during spring time combined with the relatively warmer temperatures create the perfect condition for mold to grow. As humidity increases outside, some air might sneak into your basement through leaks, and that’s when problems begin.

How do you know if your basement is at risk? Is there an off-putting smell, one that you might describe as “wet”? Does it feel more damp in your basement than usual? If so, you might be on your way to mold problems - the last thing you and your family’s allergies need in the spring. The mold needs humidity to grow, so the best way to beat mold is to beat the humidity. Luckily, the SaniDry air system is a quick and effective fix for humidity problems. The SaniDry dehumidifier takes in wet air, dries it out, and then circulates the new, dry air around your basement.

Waterproofing

Besides air leaking in, your basement can become wet from a number of different ways. Water vapor and groundwater can leak into your basement, causing both mold and flooding. If there is a leak in your basement, your first move is going to be dealing with free flowing water and the source. A perimeter French Drain system will catch any water coming through the walls or floor. Once the water is collected, a sump pump can be installed to direct the water outside and keep your basement floor continually dry.

Now that your rain boots are off and your basement no longer resembles an indoor kiddie pool, it’s time to decide how you want your basement to look. To prevent mold from coming back behind your wall or under the floor, it’s best to use inorganic material. Here is a quick look at some flooring and wall options that are sure to do the trick.

When it comes to walls, everything depends on the look you want in your basement. Here at Ayers, we offer a variety of different wall systems designed to stay dry and be mold resistant. Depending on how finished you want your basement to appear, there are a few options to choose from. CleanSpace is best used over stone walls and doesn’t offer much of a finished look. If you’d prefer to have walls that look finished, even though the basement isn’t, Brightwall or Zenwall will be your best choices. If you're looking to protect your fully finished basement walls, and be as energy efficient as possible, look into the ThermalDry system.

ThermalDry subfloor matting creates an airspace underneath carpet to prevent water vapor from becoming trapped. The plastic material won’t allow mold to grow or water vapor to pass through. ThermalDry tiles sit on pegs for a similar airspace effect. Best of all, the tiles come in a variety of designs that are made to resemble carpet, parquet hardwood, and ceramic tiles.

So, as your spring cleaning gets underway, be sure not to forget about your basement, or us. Give us a call at 1-866-379-1669 when you’re ready to spring into action, and one of our experts can help you transform your extra space into the basement you’ve always wanted!