Basement Waterproofing and Crawl Space Repair in MD

Mr. Basement helps the 2010 Cal Ripken World Series

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 03:20:08 -0400

The Mr. Basement team is proud to be a media sponsor of the 2010 Cal Ripken World Series in Aberdeen, Maryland. The 12U world series will feature exciting international youth baseball among the best 16 teams. There will be six international teams and 10 teams from the U.S., including the Maryland State Champions, the Harford County Champions and team from six U.S. regions!

See Mr. Basement's TV spots on WBAL PLUS August 21, during the International Championship Live, US Championship Live, World Championship Live, and on Sunday August 22 during the US Championship Encore & World Championship Encore.

Mr. Basement provides the following services in Maryland and Virginia, including Baltimore and Washington DC:

Basement Waterproofing and Conditioning
Crawl Space Waterproofing and Moisture Control
Sump Pump Installation, Service and Repair
Mold Removal and Prevention
Foundation Repair and Wall Stabilization
Basement Finishing with the TBF Remodeling System

Amazing Basement Waterproofing Testimonial Parkville, MD

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 10:00:55 -0400

Dear Sirs:

I am writing to you today to thank you for all the hard work that your company did to get my basement in order. It was a wet and nasty, unhealthy mess, that has been made better again by your company!

For years, I have watched Channel 13, and noticed that Mr. Basement was a sponsor of the Noon Pet Rescue segment. Strangely enough, when I finally realized that I was ready to waterproof my basement, I thought of Mr. Basement first.

Before I contacted anyone, I did research. I looked this business, along with two other companies, up on the internet. I checked their Better Business Bureau ratings, and saw that Mr. Basement held an A+ rating. I asked everyone that I knew of and trusted, and I heard no negative comments about Mr. Basement. I realize that working with basements can be a tricky business, so I wanted to look at any negative comments to see how service related issues were handled. I saw nothing to indicate that I would have a bad experience with Mr. Basement.

I wrote an email to the website explaining my circumstances, and asked if for help to get my basement clean and water-free. I am a single Mom, with limited income, and a basement that smelled and was filled with wet trash. I had been trying to remove the debris with my children, but it got to be overwhelming.

A very nice lady called me back and she assured me that my situation was not without a solution. She sent out George Hoody a few days later, to assess my needs. Mr. Hoody inspected my home, and explained my options. I asked a lot of questions, and he was kind enough to concisely answer each one. I felt very much more educated in general about basement waterproofing after his instruction. He was professional, caring and very knowledgeable.

He showed me pictures of all kinds of damage that a basement could endure. He told me that my walls had no cracks, no bowing, no staining, and no deterioration. That was a good thing to know. He explained to me exactly what my problem was, and how it would be solved. I was clear what was going to happen when the workers came, and what each step would consist of. There was no uneasy feeling. I felt sure that they would take care of my situation.

Mr. Hoody outlined several payment options, and allowed me to pick what features that I wanted to include in my job. I needed a great deal of debris cleared from my basement. I would need a dumpster and several strong men to remove everything from wet boxes, to old desk, and even a ford mustang car engine!

I chose to include trenching with the Water Guard Basement Waterproofing System; the UltraSump pump with a battery backup; and the Sani-Dry High Performance Dehumidification and Air Filtration System. A Trench Drain would also be installed at the base of my door. Spray Foam Insulation would be applied to all areas in which air could flow in or out of the basement. There was also work that would need to be done outside my home to get the water away from the house. There were new pipes to be installed with a new LawnScape Outlet, and the Ice Guard Sump Pump Discharge Line System.

Once I made my decisions, Mr. Hoody drew up the work order and plans. He even explained what was going to take place for my Grandmother to understand. He called from my house to schedule the job within a few days of that visit. The day before the job was to start, a dumpster was delivered to my home, and the site supervisor came to my house to do a pre-inspection. They wanted to make sure they had everything they needed to do start the job the next morning.

The project took only two days. That fact alone was truly amazing to me. A team of very efficient and courteous men came to my house and did the very unpleasant work with kindness and understanding. At regular intervals, the crew chief, Justin, made me aware of their status. I have pets and children, and there was minimal disruption to my everyday activities.

I felt that the workers far exceeded my expectations. The basement is completely empty of debris and dry only a few days after beginning the job. From initial contact via the website, to complete satisfaction, was only a few weeks. It felt good, in this uncomfortable situation, to be treated with respect. I am very impressed with the work ethic of your company, and more than grateful for your outstanding effort!

I would highly recommend Mr. Basement for any waterproofing needs.

Sincerely,
S. M. Hunt
3043 Putty Hill Avenue
Parkville, Maryland 21234

2010 Best Award in Baltimore Basement Waterproofing

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:09:56 -0400

Mr. Basement Receives 2010 Best of Baltimore Award

U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

NEW YORK, NY, March 4, 2010 -- For the third consecutive year, Mr. Basement has been selected for the 2010 Best of Baltimore Award in the Basement Waterproofing, Finishing, Remodeling & Foundation Repair category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Nationwide, less than 1% of 2008 and 2009 Award recipients qualified as three-time Award Winners. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category.
The 2010 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the
information gathered both internally by the USCA
and data provided by third parties.

Mr. Basement is honored and excited to be selected for the 2010 Best of Baltimore Award in the Basement Waterproofing, Finishing, Remodeling & Foundation Repair category.

Mr. Basement fixes flooded basements, failing foundations, neglected crawl spaces and also finishes basements throughout the greater Baltimore, MD and Alexandria, VA regions, including Washington D.C. and provides free estimates to homeowners within their service area.

More about U.S.Commerce Association (USCA)

U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a New York City based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S.Commerce Association

Reference: http://www.prlog.org/10649785-mr-basement-receives-2010-best-of-baltimore-award.html

Mr. Basement at Home Building and Remodeling Show

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 05:16:08 -0500

Baltimore, MD: Basement contractors from "Mr. Basement" will be attending the Home Building and Remodeling Show at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Homeowners who have been considering having work done in their basement or crawl space now have a chance to meet face-to face with the experts this weekend.

The basement contractors from "Mr. Basement" will be appearing at the 12th annual Home Building and Remodeling Show, taking place in the Baltimore Convention Center, on January 29-31. Specialists in basement finishing, foundation repair, basement waterproofing, and crawl space moisture control from will be present.

Ron Greenbaum, the face of “Mr. Basement”, has been in the basement and crawl space business for more than 22 years, serving Ohio, Maryland, and Virginia. He has been invited to share his knowledge through print, radio, and television, as a guest and author. He has also personally sponsored and attended various charity efforts, including the annual "Polar Bear Plunge" and the WJZ 13 Friday Puppy Adoption program.

His company has worked in thousands of basements, maintaining an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and gathering hundreds of customer referrals and testimonials along the way.

"Mr. Basement" is a certified dealer of the Basement Systems and Total Basement Finishing international networks. The combined networks span across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with more than 300 contractor companies sharing their knowledge, research and best practices to mutually benefit one another’s businesses.

Homeowners are invited to stop by their booth to meet with the contractors to seek advice, receive literature, or to sign up for a free written estimate and a free "Dry Basement Science" Book.

"Mr. Basement" representatives will be neighbored by contractors from all areas of home improvement, including kitchen and bathroom remodelers, roofers, home security specialists, replacement window contractors, and landscapers. Hundreds of exhibitors are scheduled to attend the three-day event.

The show is expected to run Friday afternoon, from 2pm-9pm, from 10am- 9pm on Saturday, and from 10am-5pm on Sunday. Adult admission is $6 per person; children under 18 may attend for free.

Maryland Basement Contractor Takes the Plunge for Charity

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:50:02 -0500

Annapolis, MD- Basement contractor Ron Greenbaum pledges participation in this year's "Polar Bear Plunge" to support the Special Olympics.

This Saturday, Ron Greenbaum - "Mr. Basement" and "The Basement Doctor" - will stand in swim trunks along the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Despite weather predictions of snow showers and temperatures as low as 25 degrees Fahrenheit, he plans to take a plunge into the frigid, salty waters for a swim.

Along with Greenbaum will be a brave band of thousands of Marylanders of all ages, who gather along the shores of the bay for the 14th annual MSP "Polar Bear Plunge". Their goal is to raise money and show support for the 10,000 athletes of Special Olympics Maryland. Efforts in 2009 saw more than $2.5 million raised to support the team.

Also taking the plunge will be a long list of local Maryland celebrities, including Baltimore Ravens players, Channel 11 media personalities, and many others. Additionally, an estimated 25,000-30,000 people are expected to attend, drawn to the event to witness the plunge as well as to enjoy the live entertainment, food courts, booths, carnival amusements, sandcastle building, and "Kid's Zone" activities. The event is open to the public free of charge.

Ron Greenbaum plans to donate up to $5,000 to the cause through the up-and-coming charity venue: text messaging. Participants at the event and at home alike can help the cause by getting involved with the text messaging campaign hosted by WBAL-TV.

Greenbaum and "Mr. Basement" will donate $3 for each message received. Last year's text messaging campaign brought in more than 1,300 texts, and they are optimistic for an even greater showing for 2010.

Where Basement Leaks Come From in Greater Baltimore, MD

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:03:51 -0500

When your basement leaks and is flooded, you know. The space is soaked, and everything’s a mess, right?

Here’s the rub: Do you know where the water’s coming from? If you don’t know, you can’t address the flooding, and it’s going to happen again.

Mr. Basement finds that most basement water comes from one of four following sources. If you’re interested in a FREE basement waterproofing inspection and written quote, call or contact us online today! They proudly serve Greater Baltimore, Maryland and Washington DC and Northern Virginia including areas like Columbia, Silver Spring, Annapolis, Towson.

From the Basement Wall/Floor Joint

A basement leaking through the basement wall/floor joint.

The most common way that a basement experiences groundwater leaking is through the basement wall/floor joint, which is where the foundation walls and the basement floor meet. Water pressure can most easily force its way through at this point, where it leaks into the basement through the edges of the floor.

There will always be more water around your home than anywhere else. When your home was built, a large area was excavated so the foundation could be placed. After the foundation is built, any excess are is filled in with backfilled soil. This soil will always be looser- and much more absorbent of water- than any soil around it.

The best way to address this problem is with a perimeter French drain and a sump pump with a battery backup. This intercepts the water where it enters, directs it to the sump pump, and gets it out of the basement.

Leaky Basement Cracks & Pipe Penetration

The white powder (efflorescence), damp concrete, and rust stains are a sure sign that this pipe penetration has been leaking for a long time.

Cracks in basement walls and floors are very common, and in some cases, these cracks leak. And when pipes, wires, and other objects extend through the walls, they can also allow water in through the gaps around their edges.

These cracks and penetrations can be most effectively solved by one of three methods:

The most common solution is to inject a polyurethane polymer into the gap, which can be applied to both wet and dry concrete and, once dried, can expand and contract with the walls. Then a foam strip is run along the leaking crack and into a drywell that’s created in the floor. The strip is tooled over with a finishing coating, and the drywell is covered in concrete, leading to an attractive solution.

With some pipe penetrations, the contractor may instead drill two holes to the cavity of the pipe penetration. Then water is injected into the crack, followed by a special chemical that reacts with the water, expanding and completely filling the leaky hole. This allows for a complete, waterproof seal.

With leaking basement floor cracks, a lateral line can be run from the crack to the drainage system, guiding any leaking water directly to your perimeter drain and sump pump.

Through the Basement Windows

When window wells fill with debris and basement windows rot, rust and corrode, it can lead to serious flooding.

Basement windows, as well as crawl space or basement vents, can also leak a significant amount of water into the basement. This happens most often when the window frames rot, rust, or corrode, and also when the window wells fill with water, snow, and debris.

Replacing the window wells with plastic, covered window wells should help keep water and debris away from the windows, and by blocking winter wind, they’ll even make your home more energy efficient.

Replace old windows with vinyl, energy efficient windows, and your home will appreciate further energy benefits, with windows that will not corrode in the future. Steel, wood, and metal are inappropriate materials for basement window frames.

Find basement windows that use double-paned low-E glass. These windows will reflect heat and the summer and pull heat into the space in the winter, allowing for the brightest, most temperate basement.

Home Plumbing Leaks

Failing water heaters can easily lead to a flooded basement, and with washing machine hoses under 500 psi of pressure, an unchecked flood can quickly fill a basement
with flooding water.

Even when groundwater is not an issue, there’s an awful lot of possible ways to have leaky plumbing. Between your sinks, tubs, toilets, showers, pipes, refrigerator lines, and other plumbing, your basement can be exposed to serious flooding. And when a washing machine or water heater fails, the results can be disastrous!

Protect your home from water heater flooding with the FloodRing, provided by [dealer]. This will hold back any flooding water, while a special alarm sounds off to let you know a flood has occurred. They also offer FloodChek washing machine hoses, which include a 25-year warranty against failure. That’s much longer than most washing machines last!

Other plumbing issues can’t all be stopped entirely- there’s just too many sources to cover them all. And if there’s a flood upstairs, the water will most often end up in the basement. So if you’re planning on finishing the basement, be sure to use inorganic materials that will not be ruined by a flood. This way, an entire floor of your living space isn’t ruined should there be an issue.

If you’d like to stop basement leaks, call or contact Mr. Basement today. They offer free basement waterproofing estimates, including written quotes and an 88-page basement waterproofing book, to homeowners in Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia.

Mr. Basement's service area includes Greater Baltimore and all areas nearby!

Mr. Basement Acclaimed for Customer Service

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:47:26 -0500

While other basement contractors in the Greater Baltimore, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. are cutting corners and struggling to stay in business in a harsh economy, Mr. Basement continues to uphold the highest standards in customer service. This has most recently been recognized by the Better Business Bureau, where the company has earned an "A+" rating for their business, with no unresolved issues reported.

This achievement is especially notable when the company's recent growth is taken into consideration. In recent years, the company has expanded from its basement waterproofing and crawl space repair services, now also offering basement remodeling services through Total Basement Finishing and foundation repair solutions through the Foundation Supportworks network.

Companies generally experience a few growing pains when branching into new services, but this has proven not to be the case with Mr. Basement. Ron Greenbaum, owner of "Mr. Basement" in Baltimore, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC as well as "The Basement Doctor" in Ohio, credits continuing training and their "WOW Service" process for laying the groundwork for their good standing. The company's high employee retention rate, high office morale, and experienced staff have also been cited as a foundation for their good reputation.

Mr Basement Ron Greenbaum to plunge into freezing waters for Maryland Special Olympics

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:31:45 -0500

The 14th anniversary celebration of the Maryland State Police
Polar Bear Plunge is Saturday, January 30th, 2010 - we're getting involved!

Mr Basement Ron Greenbaum will join with Marylanders of all ages and other celebrity guests as money is raised to help 15,000+ of Maryland's Special Olympians from around the state train and compete year round. With over 100 competitions each year, this is the largest fundraiser for Maryland Special Olympics.

Mr. Basement Sponsors WJZ 13 Puppy Adoption Program

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:08:08 -0500

Mr. Basement has joined forces with WJZ 13 to make a big difference in little dogs' lives.

Each Friday afternoon, WJZ 13 spotlights a different adoptable puppy on their show. They cuddle with him, talk about his personality, and share some info about adopting from the SPCA, where all these puppies come from. To help out, Ron Greenbaum, President and CEO of “Mr. Basement”, is chipping in to sponsor the program.

Most recently sponsored was “Shay Shay” an adorable Chihuahua/Pug mix, who was featured with a Mr. Basement scarf. Click to watch the video!

The SPCA is especially hopeful that they’ll be able to find homes for pets during the holiday season, and to do what they could, they’ve decided to stay open during Black Friday. Some of the dogs have been wearing cat ears to remind everyone that there are many adoptable cats as well.

Click here to watch the series of Friday Noon Puppy

For more information about adopting a puppy from the Maryland SPCA, call 410-235-8826 or send an e-mail to adoptme@mdspca.org.

Mr. Basement has been fixing wet basements and damp crawl spaces for more than 22 years. Their services include basement remodeling, crawl space encapsulation, leaky basement repair, mold removal, and foundation repair in the Maryland area, including Baltimore, as well as the Washington D.C. area. They also have local Basement Doctor offices in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, including the areas of Cincinnati, Columbus, Fort Wayne, Lima, Louisville, Lexington, Evansville and Toledo. Call or contact us online for a free basement, foundation, or crawl space estimate!

Related Press Release: PR Log (Press Release)

The Basement Doctor is named guest speaker at the Columbus State Community College Leadership Series

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:37:52 -0400

COLUMBUS, OH, September 25, 2009--Columbus State Community College announced that Ron Greenbaum, “known as The Basement Doctor and Mr. Basement,” will be its speaker at this autumn’s Leadership Speaker Series.

The Columbus State Community College Leadership Speaker Series provides students with a valuable opportunity to listen to recognized and successful leaders from the community. Columbus State believes that Ron Greenbaum’s unique entrepreneurial background will enhance its students’ understanding of leadership and how to prepare to become leaders in their own fields.

Columbus State offers this event on Tuesday October 27th, from 11:30 am until 2 pm. The event is held at the downtown campus in Columbus. The day begins with a luncheon with Ron Greenbaum as the guest, joined by faculty, staff, and other guests. The lecture and a question and answer session follow the luncheon.

Columbus State offers Business Management, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership courses, as well as a Certificate in Leadership Skills.

As the largest community college in Ohio, Columbus State serves a diverse group of nearly 25,000 students, including many international students. A substantial portion of its students work, have families, and pay their own way financially. The students have a strong drive to learn, improve their lives, and become leaders who can make a difference.