When basement walls can’t handle the arrival of spring showers, Olivieri & Son has waterproofing solutions

By Laura Briedis

Nobody wants to find out their basement walls or foundation have water damage, acknowledges Mark Olivieri, the son in Olivieri & Son—specialists in basement waterproofing. But not knowing about a problem doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

“It’s like a medical condition,” says Mark. “The earlier you catch it, the easier it is to fix before it becomes a major problem.”

Left uncorrected, cracked or bowed basement walls could lead to major headaches, like cracked walls upstairs and shifting door and window openings, not to mention the accumulation of unhealthy mold and mildew, Mark says.

“Springtime is typically the most stressful time of year for basement walls, as all the rain is dumping thousands of gallons of water into the ground around your home” says Mark. “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, and for mold to form on the walls and get into your heating and cooling vents and circulate in the air you breathe.”

“If you notice moisture, mold or a white efflorescence, it may be a sign that your foundation has been compromised,” Mark says. “We can assess the damage and help you decide on the best way to stop it from getting worse. Our company is licensed and bonded, and we do the job the right way.”

Most companies try to repair foundation leaks from the inside of the basement by re-channeling the invading water back outside. That, insists Mark’s dad, Rocco, isn’t the ideal way to do it.

“The best way is to prevent the water from penetrating your walls to begin with,” says Rocco. “That’s why we prefer to fix the problem from the outside.”

Rocco and Mark, who have been fixing foundations as a father-and-son team since 1981, begin the repair process by excavating your leaky wall all the way to the footer. They then wash your foundation to clean the debris and highlight any cracks where moisture may be entering. Those cracks are patched and sealed with sealants, and then tar rubber emulsion is rolled on from footer to grade to prevent moisture from entering your wall. The excavation is backfilled with premium washed gravel to direct water to the drain tile.

If you think you may be having problems with water in the basement, or a shifting foundation, Olivieri & Son offers a no-cost inspection, including a moisture detection test to reveal basement problems that may be hidden behind drywall.

Unclogged!
In addition to basement waterproofing, Olivieri & Son is also an expert when it comes to diagnosing and fixing clogged sewer lines. By snaking a camera through your downspout or sewer line, you can see exactly where your problem is and what’s causing it. Using a color monitor, they will show you what’s happening in your pipes.

“By putting a camera inside your sewer, we can visually determine what the problem is,” says Mark. “With this information, we can see if a simple cleaning or jetting will clear the blockage. If your sewer is broken and needs to be repaired, we will know exactly where to make the repair, which saves considerable time and money.”

You can schedule your inspection by calling 440-342-6844. You can see for yourself how Olivieri & Son can stop water from invading your home’s foundation by visiting the website, at BasementAndWaterproofing.com.