As the weather cools down we will begin to close the doors and windows of our homes sealing out the cold. The furnace will kick in and the air circulated in our homes will originate from inside. There is a fresh filter on the furnace and we may even have had the ducts cleaned, but what else is in the air? It is a known fact that much of the air in our homes originates from the lower level—the basement, and below the foundation.

Fall is a very good time to do an inspection of the space in your basement. Look for wet walls, standing water on the floor and especially any signs of mold or mildew on the walls or in the corners. Mold spores are airborne particles that dramatically impact indoor air quality and can lead to serious respiratory health issues. Even if you have a high tech filtration system in the home the particles are airborne until they reach the filter. Electronic filters can reduce the effects of airborne contaminates, but they don’t stop it at the source.

Upon inspection, even if there is no mold present, if there is moisture—that is the breeding ground for mold. If you do find mold you should have a qualified mold expert remove it and then properly seal the space to eliminate future problems.

Indoor air quality is at the core of research, development and distribution of Emecole products. Emecole offers a variety of products engineered to seal out moisture and toxic soil gases. Now is a great time to address the problem before winter sets in trapping your indoor air, increasing the health risks.

You should have mold and waterproofing experts inspect and fix the problem. If you would like help finding reputable experts in your area for mold remediation and basement waterproofing, Call Emecole at 800-844-2713. We’d be glad to help. For more information about indoor air quality and Emecole products you can visit and follow us on FaceBook or visit our web site at Emecole.com.

A dry, sealed basement is a breath of fresh air.

If your home is built on a crawl space and it is not properly sealed and ventilated, the quality of the air inside your home can be seriously degraded from exposure to moisture, mold, mildew and toxins like radon gas. Left unchecked these concerns can cause or accelerate symptoms such as allergies, respiratory problems and even neurological problems.

Radon Gas for example is a naturally occurring gas caused by decaying soil. It exists everywhere in the country in varying degrees and is a known carcinogen. Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer. There has been a big push in the past few years by the building trades and the EPA to create broader awareness of the hazards of radon gas which claims more than twenty thousand lives each year from cancer. November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month and there are many resources available to learn more about what you can to do reduce or eliminate your exposure to these toxins.

Emecole has dedicated itself to improving indoor air quality with the development and improvement of products and materials designed to seal out the dangers lurking under your home. These products include sealants and crawl space sealing systems designed specifically to protect the space and eradicate the dangers.

A qualified waterproofing contractor can inspect your crawl space, perform a radon detection test and make recommendations for the best possible solutions for your home and indoor air quality. The Emecole Emeshield Pro Plus sealant system qualifies for the Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit which expires December 31, 2010. If you would like help locating a qualified contractor in your area call Emecole at 800-844-2713. We’d be glad to help.

You can stay current with home health information by joining us on Facebook or visiting our web site at Emecole.com.

Have your crawl space tested and sealed…and breathe easy.

It has been said that there are two kinds of basements; those that leak, and those that will leak. Whether poured or block—basement foundations are at the mercy of external soil conditions like shifting, expansion and contraction.

During cold weather soil freezes and contracts and the pressure from the frozen moisture tends to move vertically toward the heat loss. This condition relieves pressure on your foundation surfaces contracting any cracks that may exist. When the soil thaws in warmer weather the soil expands, increasing surface pressure in all directions. Common signs of this expansion are heaving on concrete surfaces [roads and driveways], increased size of cracks and leaks in your basement, and even bowing in foundation walls. The compounded effects are diminished structural integrity of the foundation, increased leaking, additional moisture in the basement and added health risks such as mold, mildew and radon gas infiltration. High-tech air filtration systems can minimize these risks but they will not eliminate them. The contaminants are airborne until they reach the filter and the cycle is endless. These risks need to be addressed at the source.

It is always a good idea to inspect your basement seasonally for signs of structural damage, mold and excessive moisture. On bare foundations walls look for signs of cracks, moisture stains, puddles on the floor. In finished basements look for discoloration at the base of the walls, musty smells or puddles on the floor.

Having foundation cracks and moisture problems repaired during cold weather can often result in quicker and more economical solutions. Don’t wait until spring when these problems “expand”.

Emecole manufactures and distributes a wide range of crack repair and sealing products that can address foundation problems permanently, eliminating these health risks and improving indoor air quality. Contact a qualified basement waterproofing contractor to help you locate, diagnose and solve your basement health problems. If you would like help finding a contractor in your area, email Emecole at solutions@emecole.com or call us at (800)-844-2713. We will be glad to help.

In March 2009, Emecole was featured in a home air quality improvement story that appeared on ForConstructionPros.com, an informational resource website for construction professionals. The article brings attention the idea that many allergies and asthma related conditions can be attributed to what is taking place inside the home’s basement and crawl space – the growth of mold, mildew and the entrance of soil gases.

It’s a valuable article that retains 100% relevancy today – our message to basement waterproofing contractors is to begin thinking indoor air quality and how it relates to their specific services. Sealing cracks in the foundation not only stops potential water leakage, but also is one less potential opening for soil gases. The use of Emecole’s Pene-Seal-Crete, for example, forms a crystalline structure onto the foundation – which minimizes the penetration of both moisture and soil gases.

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In a recent real estate news article, it reports that a clean looking crawl space may actually increase a home sale. When two comparable houses are on the market together, the one with the cleaner crawl space tends to sell faster.  It makes sense. Even if the buyer doesn’t truly understand the energy efficiency and indoor air quality benefits of a sealed and insulated crawl space, they immediately see the difference and the added storage potential.

This is one more point contractors can add to the sales pitch. We find when it comes to selling sealed and insulated crawl spaces, it is about education. Once your customer understands the benefits, they naturally choose the better way—a clean, sealed and insulated crawl space.

It is always refreshing to see a story from another news source back us up and do some of the educating.

For more information about the sealing and insulation of crawl spaces with the EmeSeal System by Emecole, please browse through our crawl space section on Emecole.com

A ConsumerReports.org article lists five repairs for the home that must not go ignored. Three out of the five were jobs for a basement waterproofing or a foundation structural repair contractor. Regardless of the state of economy, there is no denying that home maintenance will never cease to exist – without addressing such issues, the basement will be prone to water problems and structural concerns will arise in the foundation. It looks like more proof of job security for the waterproofing contractor. We really just might be recession-proof!