Saving the Baldwin House
By Randal Vanderhaven
Basement waterproofing specialists Rocco Olivieri and his son, Mark, have saved quite a few homes from major structural problems over the years. Last summer, they saved a piece of Strongsville’s history.
“We could have lost the Baldwin House,” says Ruth Brickley, president of the Strongsville Historical Society. “The basement walls were cracked and caving because of water damage and pressure from the ground around it. Rocco and Mark jacked it up and rebuilt the walls, sealed it, stoned it and made it right.”
The nearly 200-year-old home—one of the first wood frame houses in old Strongsville Township—was relocated to the city’s Historical Village around 30 years ago.
“Most of the homes in the village sit on sandstone foundations surrounded by clay without any drainage at all,” Mark explains. “The clay expands and contracts and puts a lot of pressure on the walls.”
The Baldwin House was the third project Olivieri & Son did at the Historical Village. Earlier last year they fixed the foundation of the Ebenezer Pomeroy House, which houses the Velda Chapman Doll Museum.
“Their first job involved hand digging under the Chapman House,” Ruth says, referring to the 113-year-old structure that sits on its original foundation. “They did such a good job that we had them back when other problems came up. The foundation of the Doll Museum wasn’t quite the right size. It’s all safe and secure now.”
A home needn’t be from the pioneer days to have foundation problems, Mark emphasizes.
“Most of the work we do is on older homes, however we’ve seen newer homes with drainage issues also,” he says.
“Water can be a devastatingly destructive force, especially in Northeast Ohio where groundwater can freeze as deep as three feet below the surface. The pressure it places on your walls can eventually cause cracking and bowing. That’s an invitation for the groundwater to work its way into your basement. Tiny cracks become big cracks that can wreak havoc on your structure—not only in the basement but upstairs as well. Doors and windows can begin to stick or close improperly. Drywall can begin to crack. Floors can begin to creak.”
Many waterproofing companies try to fix the problem from inside the basement by diverting water back out.
“That’s not the best way to do it,” Rocco insists. “We work from the outside to prevent water from getting to your foundation in the first place.”
Rocco and Mark typically begin the repair process by excavating the leaky walls all the way to the footer. They then pressure wash the foundation to clean the debris and highlight any cracks where moisture may be entering. Those cracks are patched and thoroughly sealed from footer to grade with Thoroseal Sealant.
“Rolling and tar rubber emulsion from footer to grade is the final step in preventing moisture from entering your wall,” Rocco says. “For proper water drainage, we install four-inch heavy-duty perforated PVC along the footer. We will also provide a clean-out on each wall excavated.”
The excavation is backfilled with premium wash gravel to direct water to the drain tile.
“We treat your property as though it is our own,” Rocco says.
“They leave the place clean and they respect what’s there,” Ruth confirms. “With the historical nature of our buildings, that’s very important to us—as it is for any homeowner.”
You can see for yourself how Olivieri & Son prevent water from invading your home’s foundation by visiting their website, at BasementAndWaterproofing.com. You can schedule a no-cost, no-obligation inspection by calling 440-342-6844.