Supporting a Bowing Wall and Cleaning Up Mold in Lansing, MI
Challenge
Lynne had some mold in her basement as well as a cracked and bowing wall behind her sump pump. She wanted to get an inspection to prevent further growth of mold and further movement in the wall. She plans to stay in this home forever and spends a lot of time in the basement so getting the issues fixed to keep her home safe was not even a question.
She knew she wanted a solution but was not sure of her options so she gave us a call.
Gage went to inspect the home so we could find the perfect solution for Lynne. What he found was not quite what he expected- block mold on the corner of two walls in her basement. He also found mold that was growing under her stair case, by the washer and dryer, and in a closet near the stairs. The bowing wall was a foundation problem, which is never a great sign, but he knew a great solution to support her walls.
Gage knew just what to do to keep Lynne happy and healthy within her home!
Solution
Tyler and his crew knew that the mold was the first thing that needed to be dealt with since it could cause health issues. We used an all natural fungicide, Mold-X2, to clean the contaminated areas in about 20 minutes and prevents regrowth.
To help keep the mold from regrowing, we installed the SaniDry XP basement dehumidifier. The dehumidifier blows dry air throughout the space to keep it dry and takes away the humidity that feeds mold growth. The SaniDry can also be stored in a closet or corner and hook up with the sump pump to keep the water out of the home.
The next step was to fix her foundation and let her continue to enjoy the comfort of her stable home. We used CarbonArmor, an advanced solution to cracked and bowing walls. This system is made up of carbon fiber straps (stronger in tension than steel) that are bonded to the walls with a high strength epoxy resin. They halt further movement in the wall and won't impact the basement of being finished in the future.
Our last step was to install a wall covering to cover up the walls that she did not want showing. To do this we installed the BrightWall Basement Wall Panels- these are bright white plastic panels that are attached to the basement wall and create a clean, inviting looking space! They create a barrier from the foundation to the home to keep out moisture, once again helping to prevent the mold from coming back.
Lynne was in need of a safe, cleaning and stabilization of her home. She spends so much time in the basement with her sister and the black mold can cause serious health problems, we wanted to do the most to keep them healthy. Our mold system and the CarbonArmor are sure to last and do just want she needed!
