This sure has been an active summer with all the severe thunderstorm activity taking place. In Chicago, we feel like we’re dealing with the brunt of Mother Nature’s fury. With an abundance of severe weather, power outages and flooded basements  on the rise, we felt it was important to discuss the possible scenarios that may occur as a result of a flooded basement.

Our newest article posting to the Emecole website, What to Know if Your Basement Floods, discusses the various drainage and structural repairs that may be necessary as a result of  flood.

By implementing the necessary basement waterproofing practices, you hopefully will never have to worry about the aftermath of a flood.

With the housing market still in the doldrums, it is nice to hear some positive housing market news:  Home remodeling hit its highest level since May 2004.

Home remodeling was up 22% in May from the same month a year ago, according to BuildFax.com. With the current market, that shouldn’t be that surprising. Two aspects of the housing market explain this phenomenon.

First, the thousands of foreclosures that sit abandoned are becoming a sea of fixer-uppers. Buyers who snag up these properties are fixing them up to either live in, rent out or re-sell.

Second, while it may be a good time to buy in most markets, it also means it isn’t the greatest time to sell.  Homeowners who decide to stay put choose to take the money they would have used to move and remodel instead. The top remodels are smaller projects and must-do projects that they have been putting off for the past few years.

This is good news for remedial waterproofing contractors.  Homeowners who have decided to stay in their homes may finally address the water and moisture problems and finish their basements.

Any good news for the economy is good news for us. We hope you all get a piece of the increasing market share.