Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Iron occurs naturally in some soils and when it becomes waterborne, it will show up in the sump pit in an orange color. Iron ochre is a condition where the iron concentration is so high that it becomes gelatinous and requires specialized treatment. Ask your Perma-Seal consultant for expert advice.

No, although the more the consultant can see, the more definitive the estimate will be; so if you can easily remove the wall covering before he arrives, it is worth the effort.

A leaky basement can cause a variety of problems if left untreated. Most important, mold and other dangerous bacteria grow in wet environments. Guess what? Those nasty mold spores don’t stay in the basement, they will migrate right up into your upstairs living space. This could cause your family to have allergy and sinus issues, or even worse, get sick. Also, water problems are erosive and won’t magically disappear; they can, and will, get worse. Water in your basement can be as devastating as a fire and can damage your belongings, including photo albums, furniture and keepsakes.

Protect your belongings, move things to higher ground. Roll carpet back and contain the seepage area with towels or newspapers. Make sure downspouts are extended away from the foundation. Be sure your sump pump is working and the discharge line is not obstructed or frozen.

A wet basement can lower the value of your home and means a loss of valuable living and storage space. You will have to repair that leaky basement when you sell the house or you must disclose the problem, which could turn away potential buyers.

There are numerous ways to patch basement leaks, but only a few proven methods of permanently repairing them. The difference in cost between a temporary patch and a permanent repair is relatively minor in most cases, especially when weighed against the damages incurred when a patch fails during a heavy rainstorms in a newly remodeled basement. Occasionally, the seller of a home believes that a temporary repair is good enough to get him through the sale, but when we point out that our lifetime transferable warranty increases the value of his home, he usually realizes that a permanent repair is the wiser investment.

This is known as basement efflorescence. This is mineral deposits that are left behind when moisture dries and crystallizes. Excess moisture or active leaks can cause many problems for your home, and the issue will get worse with time, so we recommend that you have your basement inspected by one of our trained professionals so we can provide you with a permanent repair to KEEP your basement dry.

Chimneys can leak above or below ground. If you perform a water test by soaking the ground for 1-2 hours and notice a leak, that is something we can fix. If the leak is above ground, call a mason to inspect the chimney.

This is a serious problem that, if left untreated, can cause severe consequences for your home and it can create health problems for your family. This is a problem that Perma-Seal can help you with.

We do not perform remediation or removal of mold. If you have active mold in your crawl space, immediately contact a mold remediation company to get rid of it and avoid the dangerous risks of living with mold and other harmful bacteria. Just as important though, you must resolve any active leaks in the area, or the mold will grow back. The first step is to install a drainage system if necessary and an encapsulation system to clean up the air and turn your crawl space into a dry, usable space. Then, once there are no more active leaks, we can install a professional Perma-Dry dehumidifier to make the air drier, smell better and feel more comfortable.