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Wisconsin Waterproofer’s Kindness Saves Cops-N-Kids

Written by Basement Health Association on . Posted in Basement Health Association, contractors.

Summary:

The $30,000 bill to fix the leaky basement would have bankrupted the nonprofit reading center, if it wasn’t for one generous waterproofing contractor.

The Basement Health Association is proud of our members. They are good, honest business people who pride themselves in customer service and integrity. Just by the work they do every day, they better the lives of the people they work with. However, every once in a while one of our members does an exceptional service.

Thinking of the good hearted BHA members we are reminded of a story from a few years ago when a member saved a charity in need.

Here is their story:

When the Cops-N-Kids Reading Center first moved into the old building, the basement was fine. But when the rains came to Racine, Wisconsin last year, Julia Witherspoon found the basement flooded.

With $30,000 worth of work needed to fix the basement, Witherspoon didn’t know what to do. “We would have had to shut our doors,” she says. “It would have all been gone.”

The nonprofit organization runs on volunteers and donations. Even the building was purchased with a grant from Oprah Winfrey and renovated by volunteers. “It would have all been for nothing if we didn’t have a basement,” Witherspoon says. “Nothing stands without a solid foundation.”

That is when she called the Basement Health Association. BHA linked Witherspoon with Brent Montry from Tri-State Basement Repair & Waterproofing, Richland Center, Wisconsin, who took on the pro bono project. “It just floored me more than anything that someone wanted my help and I was capable of doing it,” Montry says. “I’ve gotten assistance before so I was excited to return the favor.”

Montry and his crew set out to start the work on Super Bowl Sunday. Being three hours away he needed a place to stay and a crew of volunteers. “Brent said he needed bodies—30-40 people to help him so, I called the County Jail,” laughed Witherspoon. “I figured those inmates aren’t doing anything, they can help.”

Tri-State’s crew and 30 inmate volunteers worked for three days to clear out and fix the leaky basement. Montry installed 400 linear feet of an interior waterproofing system, fixed the cracked and broken concrete floor and installed a high-efficiency dehumidifier to control the moisture. “It really was nothing too extravagant,” he says. “It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. We were happy to have this opportunity to help somebody for such a worthy cause.”

To Julia it was more than just fixing a basement. “It is deeper than that,” she says. “Brent Montry doesn’t know these kids. He doesn’t understand what he did; what he saved. He is so humble and I am so grateful for him. He never faltered. He stuck to it and our basement is beautiful today.”

BHA Members Choose the Customer by Installing Only Closed Waterproofing Systems

Written by Basement Health Association on . Posted in Basement Waterproofing Posts, contractors.

On our sister website www.basementhealth.org, there is a forum where homeowners and contractors can talk and discuss issues within the industry.

There was a discussion about closed vs. open drainage waterproofing systems.  For decades, it was common practice to install an open drainage system.  Now, we have learned that open drainage systems are a pathway for radon and soil gases, bugs, and more moisture.  Homes with open drainage systems also tend to have more problems with mold, high humidity, iron bacteria and higher heating and cooling costs.  Stack effect pulls ground moisture and soil gases up into the living space through an open drainage system.

Some of our members shared their experiences.

Steve Andras, BHA contractor and supplier member, from Westport MA, says after 22 years of installing open channel basement drainage systems, he decided to only offer closed systems.

“This decision was not an easy one because that is the way I always done it,” he says. Andras says he came to the decision because of all the benefits the homeowner sees with a closed drainage system. “What else can I say? My vote is that all basement drainage systems be closed if we really care about our customers. Some contractors will leave the decision to the homeowner but I feel that my job after 30 years is to protect my customers from themselves. Why would I let them decide what is best for them if I am a true professional – After all my customers look to me as the expert.”

Nick LaBansky, a BHA contractor member from McFarland, WI, says once he learned that an open drainage system could lead to potential radon problems he decided to always do what was right for the customer even if it costs him the job.

“Last summer I met a family who had basement water problems along with radon,” LaBansky says.  “I quoted a closed drainage system and had a radon company quote the radon system.  Well, we lost the job to a company who offers an open drainage system and radon mitigation.  The family chose them because of price and because it would be a one stop shop. I received a call last week from the radon company I had quote the job and the family called him because the radon level was still just as high and they wished they had gone with Dry Otter.  A CLOSED system is worth every penny!!”

Another BHA supplier member, Scott Nordhoff also agrees with a closed system. “The tighter the system the easier it is to draw out the radon,” he says.  “We have also noticed a huge decrease in moisture content in the system as well as better radon draw with our closed system.”