Friday, September 6, 2013

Reducing Indoor Air Pollution in your Home

The American Lung Association and the EPA recognize three major strategies for reducing Indoor Air Pollution:

 1. Source Control
 2. Ventilation
 3. Air Cleaning

EZ Breathe Tackles All Three!

Learn more:

http://vulcanwaterproofing.com/ez_breathe_ventilation_system/

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Top 5 Benefits of Basement Waterproofing

1. Increase Usable Space in Your Home
Looking at it from a square footage point of view, the basement accounts for an entire floor. That can mean 1/3 or 1/2 of your home’s space! Utilize this space and add value to your home.

2. Reduce Energy Costs
By sealing up cracks in your basement or crawl space you can increase your energy efficiency by preventing cool air from escaping during the summer months and warm air from escaping during the winter months.

3. Avoid Health Risks
Under the right conditions, toxic black mold and grow in a little as 24-48 hours! Regular exposure to toxic mold poses serious long term health consequences for you and your family.

4. Protect Your Investment
Take action to ensure the long term health of the very foundation your home sits on. Your home is no small investment; make sure to take good care of it, and you will be rewarded for it in the long run.

5. Peace of Mind is Worth A Lot These Days
Stress is being linked to more and more real health issues every day. Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to constantly stress about cleaning up after and saving belongings from your faulty basement for a change?


Vulcan Basement Waterproofing

Monday, February 11, 2013

Vulcan Basement Waterproofing - Testimonial

Here at Vulcan Basement Waterproofing, we get a lot of positive feedback from happy clients.  In fact, if you visit our Headquarters, you would be amazed at the number of "thank you" letters and notes covering our walls.  We don't need wallpaper :)

Here is one of the latest:

"I would recommend Vulcan to anyone who I knew who was looking to have their basement waterproofed. We actually used Vulcan because my grandparents used Vulcan about 20 years ago to do the basement; at the time they only did half of the basement, which is why we had the whole thing done this time. It was very nice to hear that the guy who did our basement in 2012 was the same guy who worked on the basement the first time, its great that Vulcan is a company that keeps its good employees around for numbers of years."

- M. Yaeger, Lawrenceville, NJ

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Mold, Mildew and Musty Odors in Your Basement?

If you have mold, mildew and musty odors in your basement, you need to take action now!

What is Mold?
Mold is natural and exists almost everywhere indoors or out. Mold thrives in damp and humid environments. Molds are fungi and as they grow they release spores into the air, which when inhaled, can make people sick. When molds metabolize, they release microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs). MVOCs are gases which are basically the waste product produced by mold as it grows, which can irritate the eyes, the respiratory system, and cause very unpleasant odors in the basement and in the upper levels of the home.

Mold spores may get into your home through open doorways, windows, heating, and air conditioning systems with outdoor air intakes. Spores in the air outside also attach themselves to clothing, shoes, bags, and pets. Once a mold spore drops on places where there is excessive moisture, such as many basements, they will grow. Wet cellulose materials, including paper and paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, and wood products encourage many types of mold to grow. Other materials such as dust, paint, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery, easily support the growth of mold.

Why is exposure to mold a problem?
Mold exposure can cause quite a variety of symptoms, especially allergic reactions such as sneezing, congestion, runny nose, and itching watery eyes — even skin irritations. Molds often trigger asthma attacks and can cause serious problems for people with weakened immune systems, such as a variety of infections. Many of the molds most typically found indoors are capable of producing mycotoxins under the right conditions.

Mold gradually destroys the things it grows on.

Most common indoor molds
Penicillium
Cladosporium
Aspergillus
Alternaria


How to get rid of mold
Mold growth can be slowed down by keeping humidity levels below 55%. The use of dehumidifiers and air conditioners will make a huge difference.

A number of commercial and natural products can be used to remove mold from hard surfaces.

Use exhaust fans and proper ventilation in the home and especially in the basement.

Clean bathrooms and kitchens with mold killing products.

Don’t use carpeting in bathrooms and basements – ever.

What is the difference between mold and mildew?
Mold and mildew are both fungi and their spores are always flying through the air. Basements often provide perfect growing conditions for both as they thrive in humid, damp conditions. Mildew is commonly gray or white. Mold is usually black, red, green, brown, or a combination of these colors.

Musty basement odor
Mildew is famous for causing that familiar musty basement odor. Getting rid of mold and mildew, along with installing some type of basement ventilation system, will help stop the odor but most important is getting rid of what is causing the mold and mildew — the moisture in the basement. If your basement continually gets wet, you likely need to have a French drain or pressure relief system installed.

Contact us for a free home inspection and consultation by a Vulcan Basement Waterproofing specialist.

www.VulcanWaterproofing.com