Basement Waterproofing and Crawl Space Repair in PA

Does Humid Air Go Up or Down?

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:53:31 -0500

If humid air sinks, where do clouds and rain come from?

There are two classic arguments used to explain where humid air goes in a home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the New Jersey area.

Argument 1: Wet air is heavier than dry air. Ventilate and dehumidify the basement to solve this.

The idea here is that as air becomes humid in a home, it becomes heavier, causing it to sink down into the basement and lower levels of the home. Therefore, ventilating the basement with outside air will circulate this humid air out of the home and keep the basement dry.

Problem 1: Humid air is less dense than dry air.

Dense things sink and less dense things rise, right?

Well, according to Isaac Newton, in his book Opticks, (and USA Today) humid air is actually LESS dense than dry air.

It makes sense. If humid air didn't rise, why would rain fall from the sky when the temperature drops? So, in a home, humid air rises upwards, not downwards.

Problem 2: If humid air WAS denser than dry air, basement vents still wouldn't work.

Let's pretend for a minute that dry air IS lighter than wet air. Where are the vents going to be in the basement and crawl space? At ground level, right? If humid air did sink, wouldn't it flow downwards into the basement through the vents?

Problem 3: Outside air isn't always dry.

If it's raining, humid, or damp outside, how dry will ventilated outside air make your basement? Not very, right?

And what happens to your utility bills if you're venting cold air into the home in the winter, or hot air in the summer? You can count on some heavy utility bills. We insulate this air out of our home for a reason- because we don't want it in the house.

If humid air sinks, will this groundlevel vent keep the basement dry?

Argument 2: Sealing off the outside air and dehumidifying the space will keep it dry.

Other basement contractors will seal off the area from outside air as much as possible.

Once the space has been isolated from the outside, they will install a dehumidifier to remove any extra humidity and to maintain the proper humidity level in the future.

To seal off the space, all vents in basements and crawl spaces must be sealed.

Crawl space doors and entrances should create an airtight seal when closed to keep out outside air.

Moisture can also pass continually through the porous concrete, mortar, or dirt, entering a basement or crawl space straight through the walls and floors. Along with the moisture, water brings a white, powdery mineral salt called efflorescence.

Is this vent keeping the basement dry and mold-free?

If you seal the walls with a paint, this salt will build up behind the seal, causing it to blister and peel. Instead, mechanically fasten a sheet of plastic- at least 25 mil in thickness- to the walls. This will keep moisture out of the space, helping you fight mold and moisture damage in the home.

A dehumidifier is a great idea as well. Be sure to pick one that is self-draining, powerful enough for the entire space, and is Energy Star rated to keep your utility bills low while protecting your investment.

Dry Below-Grade Spaces

There's only one good way to keep your basement and crawl space dry: seal the space and install a dehumidifier. If you're interested in taking your basement to the next step, BQ Basement Systems of PA and NJ would like to help you. We offer FREE basement and crawl space waterproofing and damproofing estimates in areas like Philadelphia, PA. Call or contact us online today to get started!

Keep your basement dry... all the time!

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:39:22 -0400

Anyone who ever had a flooded basement knows about the hassle it can be and the hole it can dig in your budget. There is the damaged property, the possible structural damage, the health concerns, the expensive and difficult clean up.

What a lot or people don't know is that with the right sump pump system, you can actually prevent basement floods all the time, or at least, reduce the risks of ever having a flooded basement to statistical insignificance.

A sump pump is always your first line of defense against basement flood. Anyone who has a basement, should have a sump pump, even if only to have it running for a few days every year, during heavy rains.

However, one must keep in mind that pumps are mechanical devices and the best pump in the world can eventually fail to perform as expected, for a number of reasons. Things like a mechanic failure, a faulty switch, a tripped circuit breaker, an accidentally unplugged cord, or a power outage can render an electric pump useless.

This is why investing in a state-of-the art backup sump pump system. like our award-winning TripleSafe,is extremely important if you want to keep your basement dry all the time.

There are two types of backup systems available today:

There are water powered backup sump pumps, which rely on a consistent water supply to operate (usually the city's). Not recommended if your water is supplied by a well with an electric pump of course. It will be out of commission if there is a power outage.

There are also battery-operated back up sump pump systems. A good system will usually come mounted in a container that accommodates both pumps, an automatic switch system that will cause it to kick in when the electric pump is out of service, and an alarm to let you know when one pump stops and the other kicks in.

TripleSafe's three pumps might seem like overkill for some, but if you store valuables or use your basement as extra living space, compute the hassle and cost involved in cleaning up and replacing flood damaged property. You'll realize that a three pump system actually makes a lot of sense.

If you live in Eastern Pennsylvania, including Allentown, Bethlehem, Warminster, Norristown, Pottstown, Reading, Philadelphia & Abington PA; Trenton or Ewing, NJ contact BQ Basement Systems for a Free Estimate and find out how affordable it is to have a flood free basement year round...and the peace of mind that goes along with it.

BQ Basement Systems Gears up for Blue Thursday and Honors Philadelphia Police Officers

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 10:12:35 -0500

Flourtown -- On Thursday, March 5^th, BQ Basement Systems is participating in the Philadelphia-wide holiday dubbed "Blue Thursday." Dom Giordano, a local radio personality from "the Big Talker" on 1210 AM has asked listeners from all over the Delaware Valley to show their support for police officers who are increasingly under fire from armed criminals on our streets. He has asked Philadelphians to show their support by wearing blue, decorating cars, homes, and even places of business with blue ribbons. Several Philadelphia landmarks have promised their support including: the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, Boathouse Row, Liberty One and more. All of these landmarks will be turning their lights to blue on the evening of Thursday, March 5^th.

In recent Philadelphia news, a young officer by the name of John Pawlowski was fatally shot in the line of duty after responding to a street fight on February 13^th, 2009. Officer Pawlowski was only 25 years old, and is survived by his wife, Kim, who is 2 months pregnant with the newly-weds first child. Pawlowski and his wife Kim were childhood sweethearts and were just beginning the next step of their life together when tragedy struck their family on the evening of February 13^th. This is very familiar news in the Philadelphia area. In the past year, Pawlowski has been the fifth officer killed in the line of duty and 2 more were killed in pursuit-related crashes.

BQ Basement Systems will show their support on Blue Thursday and raise money for Pawlowski's family. On Blue Thursday all employees of BQ will be donning blue in their wardrobes and all company vehicles and the office will be decorated with blue ribbons. BQ contacted "A Taste of Philly" (Chestnut Hill,) a local pretzel factory, that has been creating pretzels shaped like the letter "P" to honor Officer Pawlowski with all proceeds going to the officer's family. BQ has taken up a collection from their employees to purchase these pretzels and will be enjoying them on Blue Thursday.

However, BQ Basement's support of the fallen officer continues through the month of March. BQ will be collecting money for The John Pawlowski Family Trust, a trust fund created by the City of Philadelphia for the family of the officer. All donations collected throughout the month of March will go directly to this Fund. This cause has a special meaning for the employees of BQ, as many of them have close relationships with officers that serve of the Philadelphia Police force. BQ is asking all family, friends and local communities to take part and help spread the awareness.

For more information please contact:

Monica Manco

Monica@BQBasementSystems.com

or Dianna Gallen

Dianna@BQBasementSystems.com

800-339-2070

BQ Winds Down After Another Successful Home Show

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 04:07:26 -0500

This past weekend, February 19th - 22nd BQ Basement Systems exhibited in 2 different home shows that were running at the same time, the "Greater Philadelphia Home Show" at the Valley Forge Convention Center (King of Prussia) and the "Suburban Home & Flower Show" at the brand new Oaks Expo Center (Oaks).

For quite a few years now BQ has been participating in the "Greater Philadelphia Home Show" at Valley Forge, twice a year (Spring and Fall). This was the first show that they offered free admission from the time they opened on Thursday afternoon to Sunday evening. Typically this is not something an exhibitor loves to hear, however it worked out very well for BQ. Due to the 2 shows running at the same time and the repeat appearances at the Valley Forge show, BQ decided to dedicate their exhibit to Crawl Spaces and more specifically the Basement Systems product CleanSpace. It turns out that a lot of people in the Philadelphia area own homes with crawl spaces and have been putting up with the problems that they cause because they never knew there was any sort of solution for them. BQ was there to help all weekend and answer any questions that the attendees had. BQ also raffled off a SaniDry CSB. On Monday morning the employees from BQ picked the lucky winner from West Chester, PA. Not only was the attendee so ecstatic to win the SaniDry CSB but BQ is getting ready to install CleanSpace to the winner's crawl space, too.

BQ was also very excited to participate in the new "Suburban Home & Flower Show" at the Oaks Expo Center. For years BQ participated in this show when it was hosted at a venue right "in their very own backyard" in Ft. Washington, PA. Unfortunately that venue was closed down a few years ago. When BQ heard of the new venue they signed up right away. It was always a show that brought in a large attendance. The venue itself, the Oaks Expo Center, was beautiful, everything was brand new. The show management went above and beyond to provide beautiful and eye popping exhibits. BQ's exhibit mainly featured the basement products but also had information to supply on crawl spaces, too. BQ raffled off a Triple Safe Liner with a 1/3 hp pump. On Monday the employees of BQ also picked a winner for this raffle.

After a long week of sorting leads and scheduling appointments the excitement is not over. On Friday BQ was still receiving calls from people that saw the exhibits at one of the shows and BQ expects that to continue into next week.

A BIG THANK YOU goes out to both show management teams ACS (Valley Forge Convention Center) and D&D Expositions (Oaks Expo Center). We hope to participate, again in the future and continue to help educate the homeowners of the Philadelphia area.

BQ Basement Systems Fulfills the Wishes of Children for Christmas

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:34:32 -0500

FLOURTOWN -- Christmas is around the corner, which means it's time for more family and fun for many people. However, some kids do not have the pleasure of a Christmas day with lots of presents. To make sure kids wishes were fulfilled, BQ Basement Systems has once again teamed up with the Carson Valley Children's Aid group. BQ Basement Systems along with the help of the Flourtown Business Association (Flourtown) and Premier Building Restoration (Erdenheim) was able to collect enough presents to give to 60 children that are a part of the Carson Valley's Children's Aid group.

Pictured Above: Charlene Rogers (Carson Valley) Dianna Gallen (BQ Production Manager) Brian Quinn (Owner)

BQ Basement Systems along with their local help played the part of the children's "secret angels" this year. Carson Valley Children's Aid is a non-profit group that put together lists for each of these children that ranged from ages 1-16. The employees and friends of BQ Basement Systems were then able to fulfill their wishes and also supply food for the less fortunate.

If you would like more information on either BQ Basement Systems or The Carson Valley Children's Aid, contact BQ Basement Systems at 215-233-5107.

BQ Production Manager elected President of Flourtown Business Association

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:42:37 -0500

BQ Basement Systems Production Manager Dianna Gallen was just elected as president of the Flourtown Business Association (FBA). Dianna has been a part of the FBA for about 8 years and was the co-secretary for the past 2 years.

The Flourtown Businesspersons Association was formed by businesses in the Flourtown, Pennsylvania, area including Montgomery County and the towns of Springfield and Whitemarsh. The goal of the FBA is to promote local retail businesses, professional services and other businesses in Flourtown and the surrounding areas. Members are able to network with other businesspeople and learn how to familiarize consumers with their services and products.

Local Business Collecting Food for Needy Families

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:24:33 -0500

FLOURTOWN -- The holidays are coming, which means it's time for food, family and fun for many people. However, some families won't have the luxury of a hearty Thanksgiving meal this holiday season. To help everyone have a happy Thanksgiving, BQ Basement Systems and the Carson Valley Children's Aid group are having a holiday food drive to provide meals for needy families.

Carson Valley Children's Aid is a non-profit, child welfare agency that offers a comprehensive continuum of care for children and families including youth development programs, substance abuse prevention, education programs and family support services.
If you want to do your part to help out those less fortunate, purchase a basket at any Dollar Store and fill it with as much food as you can. We are looking for:

Turkey
Boxed stuffing mix
Instant mashed potatoes
Canned sweet potatoes
Canned whole cranberry sauce
Canned applesauce
Canned string beans, corn, etc.
Corn bread muffin mix
Rolls
Cookies
Candy (M&Ms etc.)
Sweet potato pie
Pumpkin pie

For items that need refrigeration, such as turkey or pie, you can purchase a gift card from Acme or Pathmark. Feel free to add any other items you can think of to give these families a bountiful Thanksgiving meal. Do what you can to help those in need so that everyone can have a safe, healthy and happy holiday season!

BQ Basement Systems Inc. is a locally owned and operated basement waterproofing and crawl space repair contractor serving southeastern Pennsylvania and northwestern New Jersey. They are members of the Basement Systems international network of waterproofing and moisture control contractors. They have access to 25 patented basement and crawl space products. BQ specializes in drying wet basements and crawlspaces, foundation waterproofing, and interior basement waterproofing. BQ Basement Systems offers Free Estimates and Inspections for basement and crawl space waterproofing. Schedule your estimate online at http://www.bqbasementsystems.com/ or call 1-800-328-0816.

Dianna Gallen at (215) 233-5107
Charlene at (215) 233-1960 ext. 315 or crogers@cvca-pa.org
BQ Basement Systems
525 Bethlehem Pike
Erdenheim, PA 19038

BQ Basement Systems to Sponsor Community Day This Weekend

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:53:37 -0400

ERDENHEIM - Grab your walking shoes this Sunday, Sept. 7, and join the fun for this year's Springfield 5K Run and Fun Festival, sponsored by BQ Basement Systems. Around 150 people will be participating in the race, which will start at 9 a.m. at Cisco Park on Montgomery Avenue (between Paper Mill Road and Bethlehem Pike). The race will make its way through residential Erdenheim, Pa., before ending back at the park. This is a USATF-certified 5k course.

This all-day community event will also include activities for the whole family such as contests with prizes, demonstrations by the three local fire departments, music, face painting, caricatures, a moon bounce and more. BQ Basement Systems will have a pace car following the race handing out towels to runners. Sponsors will also have booths set up and will provide food and refreshments.

Proceeds from this event will go towards the Flourtown Erdenheim Enhancement Association (FEEA), which is comprised of Springfield and Whitemarsh residents, businesspeople, merchants and government representatives working towards unifying the business community and enhancing the Bethlehem Pike community. Entry fee is $15 ($10 for those over the age of 65 and under the age of 18). There's a $100 cash prize for men's and women's Overall and a $50 cash prize for men's and women's Masters. Come get some exercise with your community for a good cause. Walkers are welcome!

BQ Basement Systems Inc. is a locally owned and operated basement waterproofing and crawl space repair contractor serving southeastern Pennsylvania and northwestern New Jersey. They are members of the Basement Systems international network of waterproofing and moisture control contractors. They have access to 25 patented basement and crawl space products. BQ specializes in drying wet basements and crawlspaces, foundation waterproofing, and interior basement waterproofing. BQ Basement Systems offers Free Estimates and Inspections for basement and crawl space waterproofing. Schedule your estimate online at http://www.bqbasementsystems.com/ or call 1-800-328-0816.

BQ Basement Systems Inc.,
525 Bethlehem Pike
Erdenheim, PA, USA.
800-328-0816.
For more information on the 5K, contact Jack Jamison of BQ Basement Systems at (215) 233-5017.

Prepare the House for Winter

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:18:49 -0400

Winter is coming, and it is time to start preparing your home for it.

As simple as it seems, keeping the warm air in and the cold air out of a house is not exactly a given.

Almost every home has at least one gaping hole in its defense system against the cold weather, which might end up costing big bucks in heating costs.

Gaps in the insulation, an open screen door, cracks around window frames or even a poorly maintained heating unit can cause significant heat loss.

This article, brings tips on how to fully prepare you home for winter, with simple, low cost measures, that will produce significant savings in your winter utilities bill.

PA Energy Efficiency Funding Program for Families and Small Business

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 05:06:39 -0400

With the rising fuel costs and conventional energy prices at a record high, Pennsylvania State Government decided to step in to help hard working PA families conserve and use energy more efficiently.

The state is investing $665.9 million to spur the development of alternative and renewable energy sources.
From the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection website:

"The package includes incentives to help households and small businesses take advantage of solar energy technology - a key resource for reducing electricity demand during times of peak demand when rates are most expensive - and make improvements to their homes or buildings that conserve energy."

About $500 million will be offered as grants and loans to implement alternative and renewable energy sources, as well as construction of green buildings, assistance to low-income families, and to promote cleaner energy generators. An additional $150 million will support energy-efficiency projects, such as home weatherization.

If you want to take advantage of this program, you can sign up for email updates at the DEP-PA website

News source: The PhiladelphiaEnquirer

More information at: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection