Basement waterproofing and crawl space repair in WI

Negative Effects of the Air in your Damp or Wet Basement

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:51:30 -0500

Negative Effects of the Air in your Damp or Wet Basement

As warm air rises in a home it leaks out of the upper levels. New air must enter to replace the air that escaped. In fact, in an average home about half of the air in the home escapes each hour out of the upper levels. This creates suction at the lower levels of the home to draw in replacement air. In older, leaky homes the air exchange rate can be as high as a full air exchanger per hour.

What this “stack effect” does is create airflow in your home from bottom to top. So air from the basement is drawn upwards into the first floor, and then to the second floor. Of course it dilutes with other air in your home, but building scientists say that up to 50 percent of the air you breathe on the first floor is air that came from the basement. If you have hot air heating with ductwork, the air mixes even more thoroughly throughout the house.

Therefore, whatever is in your basement air is in your house and affecting you, whether you spend much time in the basement or not. If there is high humidity downstairs, there is higher humidity upstairs than there would be otherwise. If there is mold in the basement, there are mold spores upstairs. If there are damp odors downstairs – you get the idea

Negative Effects of a Wet or Damp Basement

Since air flows upward into the upper levels of your home from the basement, it brings the humidity from the basement with it. The effects on your home can include:

Dust mites (the number one indoor allergen)
Sticking (swollen) doors and windows
Smelly damp carpets
Buckling hardwood floors
Condensation/rotting/mold in your attic (as humid air escapes into your attic it can condense against the cold ceiling or roof)
Frost or condensation and mold on the inside of windows in cool weather
Increased cooling bills (damp air takes more energy to cool)
Increased heating bills (damp air takes more energy to heat)
Mold upstairs
Decreased life of roof sheathing and shingles
Aggravated asthma and allergies

Why Should You Fix Your Foundation?

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:55:33 -0500

Why Should You Fix Your Foundation?

You’re at the crossroads of making a decision as to whether to fix your foundation now or if you should wait a year in hopes it’ll just go away or not get any worse. There really isn’t any good news when dealing with a foundation problem but there are some things to consider when weighing the decision of now vs. later:

The problem will get worse. A foundation problem never gets better on its own – only worse- and as it does, it’s going to cost more to fix.
Resale value. Who wants to buy a house with a foundation problem? Nobody.
Appearance. Foundation problems often cause ugly cracks not only in the foundation itself, but inside the home as well.
Door and window operation. As your foundation fails to hold the house where it should be, your house bends and twists – this causes doors and windows to stick and jam, giving you fits.
Use of space. Sometimes you can lose use of space because of foundation failure, and that’s nto what you paid for when you bought the home
Safety. It’s unusual, but foundation collapsing, chunks of brick veneer falling off the house, and other serious safety hazards can and have happened.
Critters like cracks. Insects and even rodents can get into your home through cracks in your foundation, becoming uninvited house guests.

You’re going to pay for it whether you fix it or not.

Consider this: We are all going to sell our homes one day. And when we do, the buyer will hire a home inspector, something few people did 40 years ago, but now everyone does. In addition, when we list our home for sale, there is a disclosure form that sellers must fill out, explaining any defects with the house. You swear and sign to it, and the buyer gets a copy.

So it’s simply unavoidable that the buyer is going to know about the foundation problem in your home. Will they say “Aww shucks, don’t worry about that. We’ll take the problem off your hands and deal with it ourselves!” Not likely. In fact, they will probably walk away, and go look at the hundreds of other homes for sale out there.

If they do still want your home, they will either make you fix the foundation before they buy it, or they will take the price of the repair off the price of the house. There is no escape.

So whether you get your foundation fixed now and enjoy the peace of mind for you and your family while you live there, or you don’t, you are still going to pay for it – and maybe more later as the problem gets worse.

I don’t know about you, but if I am going to pay for something whether I get it or not, I’m getting it now. Make sense?

Homeowner gets creative with wall anchor covers

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:19:21 -0500

Your home needed anchors and now there are bright, shiny plates that are attached to your basement wall forever. It doesn’t always have to look that way however if you invest in some wall anchor covers. That’s exactly what one homeowner of Sure-Dry’s did and they didn’t stop at “good enough.” They took wall anchor covers to the next level by personalizing them to fit their finished basement.

Before:

After:

Keep Your Basement Dry This Upcoming Summer

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:30:02 -0500

With the unusual wet spring in the Fox Valley last year, it is essential for homeowners to keep their basements dry. For about 99 percent of homeowners it is the sump pump system that is the most crucial component in taking care of this. All that is involved in the specifications of a good sump and pump are more than you might have thought.

Why do we need sump pumps?

Most of the soil in the Fox Valley is comprised of some type of clay. The nature of constructing homes has us creating "clay bowls," otherwise known as basements. After digging we set the footing of our homes on the base of that hole and because of that, we then need to create a means to collect any water that fills it and eject it away from the hole. It sounds like a never ending cycle of water entering and exiting the foundation and it actually is. Water will always seek the path of least resistance (it goes where it can get to the easiest) and will always seek its own level (filling up the space equally). The challenge every homeowner has is to get a footing drain system to accommodate these natural laws. Before the water is expelled away from the foundation and propelled far enough away so it would be unlikely for it to enter back into the cycle, you need to offer the water a path of least resistance that reliably manages the level to which it is allowed to rise. This is when the sump pump comes in.

The makeup of a good system:

Sump pit - the hole in the basement floor. The bottom of the hole should be aligned with the lowest point in the basement.
Sump liner - A good sump liner has multiple inlets for water to collect quickly when the flow of water increases. The perforations assist in de-watering the sub-floor in the immediate area. The idea is to collect water into one spot as fast as possible. This should also have an airtight cover to keep out humidity and damp, musty smells that come along with standing water; safety is another reason.
Pump- not all pumps are created equal. There are two types:
- Pedestal pumps stick up above the floor. These pumps are air cooled so they tend to hold heat and burn out faster while also having a lower capacity. They usually are inexpensive and have and adjustable float.
- Submersible pumps are sealed water tight and are water cooled in which the motor sits in or under the water. With these pumps come a variety of switch designs:
  - Pressure sensitive – has no float, switch reacts to increased water pressure when water gets high enough.
  - Tether – switch is inside of a float attached to an adjustable cord.
  - Mechanical – float is fixed on a rod or stem and located on the side of the pump in which it slides up and down.
  - No switch at all – Uses switch panels that allows for continuous running.

How do I know which one is for me?

Pump manufacturer’s rate and test their pumps differently. Getting the most horsepower in a pump doesn’t necessarily indicate the highest volume, and that volume isn’t always tested the same way. When determining the volume of a pump be sure to compare the “head,” which is the distance of vertical lift out of the basement. For example, if one pump is advertising a certain volume at a two foot head and another is showing a lower volume with a ten foot head then you know the higher the volume was achieved under a much smaller workload. In determining the head under normal use for your sump pump just add the depth of the sump pit to the highest point of the discharge pipe. This is how high the water in the sump pit must be lifted to be expelled away from your foundation.

With the number of contributing factors in choosing the right pumping system for your situation, remember that there is a lot to be said in being able to rely on that pump and for it to work as hard and as long as it needs to in order to keep the basement dry.

Sure-Dry an Official Toys for Tots Drop-Off Location

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:07:20 -0500

Sure-Dry Basement Systems, in accordance with the Winnebago County Home Builders Association, is happy to once again be an official drop-off location for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program. This program helps less fortunate children receive gifts at Christmas time.

From now until December 15th community members are asked to donate new, unwrapped toys by dropping them off at a participating location so they too can enjoy the Christmas expierience.

All toys will be sorted by age and gender and then distributed from mid to late December by the event coordinators with assistance from local social welfare agencies, church groups, and other local community agencies.

Sure-Dry Basement Systems takes pride in helping out our local community. We provide basement waterproofing, crawl space, foundation repair, and sump pump installation in Sheboygan and throughout Wisconsin. Our service area includes Appleton, Oshkosh, Sheboygan, Fond Du Lac, Wausau, Manitowoc, Neenah, Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, De Pere, and other surrounding areas.

Sure-Dry Basement Systems Honorable Mention for Torch Award

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:02:25 -0400

Menasha, WI - On Wednesday, October 19^th, the Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin named Sure-Dry Basement Systems the Honorable Mention recipient in this year’s prestigious Ethics Torch Award for Business Ethics and Integrity.

The winners were selected by an independent panel of twelve business ethics experts and announced at a ceremony at the Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee. The winners were chosen based on submissions that demonstrated excellence in ethical practices, service excellence, reputation, honest advertising, peer recognition, management practices and employee training in ethical behavior. The BBB’s Business Ethics Torch Award was started eight years ago and is a statewide competition that honors companies and charities that do business in Wisconsin.

“It’s our pleasure to shine the spotlight on these companies, all of whom put a high priority on ethics and integrity with their customers, their employees and their vendors,” said Randall Hoth, president/CEO of the Wisconsin BBB. “I applaud their commendable business practices and their commitment to doing things the right way.”

Sure-Dry Basement Systems, located in Menasha, has been in business since 1994. We're basement waterproofing, crawl space repair, and foundation repair contractors that serve Northeast and Central Wisconsin. Our service area includes Appleton, Oshkosh, Sheboygan, Fond Du Lac, Wausau, Manitowoc, Neenah, Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, and surrounding areas.

Sure-Dry Basement Systems Receives Awards at International Convention in Connecticut

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:58:37 -0400

Menasha, WI - Menasha, WI – Sure-Dry Basement Systems was recently honored at a meeting of over 600 guests from all over the United States and Canada at this year’s Team Basement Systems Convention. The annual convention is held each year between Seymour, Connecticut, (where the Basement Systems headquarters is located) and Hartford, Connecticut, and brings together dealerships of the international network for classes, seminars, training, parties and networking.

This year Sure-Dry Basement Systems awarded at the Team Basement Systems International Convention for ranking as one of the Top 30 Basement Systems dealers and one of the Top 5 Foundation Supportworks Power Brace Dealers in the United States and Canada.

The convention featured guest speakers Krish Duhnam (of the Zig Ziglar corporation), and the “Pit bull of Personal Development” Larry Winget. A sports-themed party at the Connecticut Convention Center ended the convention week with music, food and performances by the Harlem Wizards and the New England Patriots Cheerleaders.

Sure-Dry Basement Systems is a certified Basement Systems dealer specializing in foundation repair, basement waterproofing and crawl space encapsulation in Wisconsin. Sure-Dry Basement Systems has been servicing homes in Wisconsin since 1994.

Basement Systems is an international network of basement waterproofing, crawl space repair and basement finishing contractors. The international headquarters, based in Seymour, Connecticut, also provides sales and service throughout Connecticut and Westchester County, NY. Larry Janesky's Basement Systems has been helping homeowners increase their usable living space for over 20 years across the United States, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. They have 27 patented basement and crawl space products, designed to help homeowners get more out of their basements and increase their home's value.

Sure-Dry a Finalist in the Better Business Bureau EthicsTorch Awards

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:28:37 -0400

Milwaukee, Wis. – The Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin Foundation is pleased to announce that 11 organizations have been named as finalists for the prestigious 2011 Business Ethics Torch Awards.

The finalists are (in alphabetical order): Batzner Pest Management of New Berlin; Cintas of Madison; David Hobbs Honda of Glendale; Empire Today of Northlake, Illinois; Kerzner Remodeling & Construction of Oconomowoc; MedAdvocates of Racine; Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin in Milwaukee; Sargento Foods of Plymouth; Spectrum Communications Services of Brookfield; Sure-Dry Basement Systems of Menasha; and The Starr Group of Greenfield.

The BBB’s Business Ethics Torch Award is a statewide competition that honors companies and charities who do business in Wisconsin, and that demonstrate excellence in ethical practices, service excellence, reputation, honest advertising, peer recognition, management practices and employee training in ethical behavior. The award program was started eight years ago by the Wisconsin BBB Foundation, a non-profit organization. Awards will be given in these categories, based on the size of the organization: 1-5 employees; 6-50 employees; 51-500 employees; 500+ employees; and charity.

Randall Hoth, Wisconsin BBB Foundation president said, "Trust has never been more important than in today’s business environment. When companies are ethical and trustworthy, they deserve to be honored. The BBB is happy to shine the spotlight on these ethical companies. I congratulate all of them for this well-deserved honor."

Winners will be announced at the BBB’s 9^th annual Torch Awards Banquet on Wednesday, October 19^th at the historic Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee. Rich Meeusen, president and CEO of Badger Meter, is the keynote speaker.

Packers Back to Football Kickoff Party

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:04:57 -0400

Football is back and employees at Sure-Dry were as ever prepared as the next person for the NFL's opening game as the Green Bay Packers hosted the New Orleans Saints as they got to partake in a "kickoff tailgate party" Thursday afternoon.

Employees were asked to represent Wisconsin sports teams by wearing an article of clothing that pertained to one of the three teams that were playing that Thursday night, the Milwaukee Brewers, Wisconsin Badgers or Green Bay Packers. Fittingly, Green Bay Packers jersey's seemed to be the most prominent.

There was plenty of food to go around from brats, hot dogs and chips to cookies, cheese and sausage which was prepared by the wonderful Office Department.

Jamie Budiac, Foundation Supportworks Project Manager, was placed in charge of cooking the food for the employees which turned out fantastic.

Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Project in Menasha, WI

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:55:10 -0400

It has always been within Sure-Dry’s vision to give back to the Fox Cities community and recently employees volunteered their time, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, to help a wonderful family in need of a new home.

Employees did a number of activities during the day including: installing foam insulation around the outside of the home, framing the garage and bedrooms in the basement while also helping out with various other minute tasks.

“It was an energizing feeling to watch something like this come together to be a permanent dwelling for someone who seems to appreciate it so well,” said Owner Doug Newhouse, “ I’m glad to have been apart of it.”

The 3-bedroom house is being constructed in the Town of Menasha with a completion date of Oct. 29, 2011 for Ann and her three daughters who all plan on living in the home.

Habitat for Humanity was founded in the Fox Valley in 1993 and its mission is to make simple, decent and affordable housing available to those who need it most.

Employees Enjoy Exquisite Steak Dinner

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:40:15 -0400

Sure-Dry employees enjoyed a nice steak dinner on June 28th for all the hard work and effort in breaking the previous May monthly sales record. Employees ate at the Prime Quarter of Green Bay, WI where each person got to cook their own steak, garlic bread and sweet potato. It made for a great celebration at the perfect place!

Governor Walker Addresses Wisconsin Business Changes

Thu, 26 May 2011 05:51:52 -0400

On May 26, 2011 at Miron Construction in Menasha, WI a packed audience gathered to listen to Gov. Scott Walker address Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce members and guests on the state's economy and job creation.

Sure-Dry Basement Systems' President and Vice President Doug Newhouse and Jenny Newhouse attended Walker's speech to learn how the new changes being implemented will affect small businesses in Wisconsin.

New Inventory Shop Comes to Life

Thu, 26 May 2011 02:38:41 -0400

The inventory shop is finally being completed at Sure-Dry after over a year's worth of planning. The look to the room will be different to the entire staff, but especially to the production crews who will only have access to products and tools by having them distributed from new Inventory Specialist James Shomin. Shomin will be responsible for distributing and tracking items, tools and products as they come and go from the crews.

Each item in the inventory shop will have an item number along with having its own place. By creating this new systems it will allow for Sure-Dry to increase its efficiency in the Production Department by ensuring we are never short on products or having to delay jobs.

Along with the changes to the inventory portion is a new are for the production crews. The area will provide for a more organized portion of the shop where crew members will have desks to complete paperwork and an added spot for their boots and clothing.

The project is expected to go live May 31 and be fully completed within the next month. Here are a few pictures of the progress.

Sure-Dry Basement Systems provides basement waterproofing, crawl space repair, foundation repair, sump pump installation and so much more to Wisconson including the Fon Du Lac, Kaukauna, Appleton and many more areas.

BBB Features Sure Dry On Straight Talk Radio Program

Tue, 24 May 2011 01:46:14 -0400

Owner Doug Newhouse was featured on a recent episode of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Straight Talk Radio segment which aired on March 13 and 14^th on WNAM 1280am and WOSH 1490am.

The segment included a one-on-one discussion with JoEllen Wolangk, Vice President, Northeast Regional Manager, on topics of foundation and basement repair/waterproofing, what consumers should watch out for when in the marketplace for this type of service along with company information on Sure-Dry Basement Systems, Inc and if work like this is usually covered by homeowners insurance.

To listen to the program please visit the Sure-Dry's homepage and click the link on the right-hand side or audio CD's are available upon request

Sure Dry offers professional BBB approved services such as basement and crawl space waterproofing to the Wisconsin area such as Wausau and Stevens Point.

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Promo

Mon, 02 May 2011 03:41:06 -0400

Sure-Dry Basement Systems is running a new 17-game promotion out at Time Warner Cable Field home of the Class A - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Milwaukee Brewers).

Involved in the promotion is a live sponsorship read from the announcer into the game and out of the game along with a :15 commercial that plays on the video board. Four contestant (2 male; 2 female) are chosen at random and are brought onto the field in which each team tosses water-soaked sponge balls into their partners' bucket that is attached on their head. The team with the most balls in their helmet at the end of :30 wins a prize!

For video of the game please check out our YouTube or Facebook sites!

Sure Dry Welcome the Packers Home

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 04:39:53 -0500

On February 8, 2011 the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers returned home to Lambeau Field for a celebration with the fans. Owner Doug Newhouse was nice enough to buy tickets for the Sure-Dry team to attend the event. With a view from the 50-yard line and sitting three rows up, we were all able to get a great view of the players and Lombardi Trophy! More photos can be seen on our Facebook and Flickr pages!

Sure Dry Lending Helping Hand to Toys for Tots

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 03:15:58 -0500

Menasha, WI - Sure-Dry Basement Systems in accordance with the Winnebago County Home Builders Association is helping less fortunate kids in need by being a drop-off site for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program.

From now until December 15, community members are asked to donate new, unwrapped toys to less fortunate children within the community by dropping them off at a participating location so they too can enjoy the experience of Christmas.

Before distribution all toys will be sorted by age and gender and then distributed from mid to late December by the event Coordinators with assistance from local social welfare agencies, church groups and other local community agencies.

Sure-Dry Basement Systems is a part of the Basement Systems dealer network that consists of 300 basement waterproofing contractors and crawlspace specialists throughout North America, United Kingdom and Ireland. As the leading waterproofing specialists, Sure-Dry has been servicing all of Central and Northeast Wisconsin for over 16 years. Contractors servicing Wisconsin areas such as Sheboygan, Oshkosh, and many more.

Foundation Supportworks of Wisconsin Now Better Business Bureau Accredited

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 12:06:21 -0500

Foundation Supportworks of Wisconsin (FSW), Sure-Dry Basement Systems' commercial division, has recently been approved to join the Better Business Bureau (BBB) effective November 18.

To become a member of the BBB, the company must meet the BBB's standards for membership and agree to support the BBB's principles of ethical business practices and voluntary self-regulation.

With the accreditation, BBB consumers and businesses will be able to receive reports on FSW regarding information about the length of incorporation, a summary of complaint history or other experiences and information developed through special BBB investigations.

FSW is currently maintaining an A- rating on a scale of A+ to F due to the length of time the business has been operating.

Founded in 2006, FSW specializes in commercial basement foundation repair and stabilization in Wisconsin. As a part of a 70 dealer network across the United States and Canada, FSW has access to the most innovative technological advancements regarding basement foundation repair and stabilization. Sure-Dry Basement Systems provides professional basement waterproofing services to many areas of Wisconsin including Sheboygan, Fond Du Lac, and many more.

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Wisconsin Foundation Repair Contractor Proud of Network Products Featured on A and E Drill Team

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 04:02:30 -0500

Menasha, WI - A Foundation Supportworks team of foundation repair experts were called onto A&E's television series Drill Team, to install their patented helical piers to help stabilize a New Jersey home's patio deck.

The home's sunroom had been completely battered and malformed, unusable and unlivable. The Foundation Supportworks team worked with the Drill Team carpenters, Jeff Devlin and Brandon Russell to transform the space into a beautiful, safe patio deck. The work was stabilized using the highly trusted Foundation Supportworks helical piers.

Sure-Dry Basement Systems performs similar projects using the same trusted products. The metal helical piers measure 20 feet in length and are made to sustain thousands of pounds of pressure.

Foundation Supportworks of Wisconsin is the foundation repair expert in Wisconsin - that is the commercial branch of Sure-Dry Basement Systems. In addition to helical piers, they also install push piers, wall anchors and new construction helical piers.

Contact Foundation Supportworks of Wisconsin today for help stabilizing your home's foundation or repair any other foundation needs. They are the trusted experts for foundation repair in Wisconsin, serving areas such as Neenah, Green Bay, and Kaukauna.

A&E Drill Team is a television phenomenon where real homeowners' home improvement woes get transformed by Jeff Devlin, Brandon Russell and Lauren Makk using their unbelievable magic and a lot of care and heart.

Tracking Referrals Has Just Got Easier for Sure Dry

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:02:35 -0400

Menasha, WI - It's known in the business world that word of mouth advertising is free, and that nothing is more credible than a referral from a customer who had a positive experience.

Sure-Dry Basement Systems understood the importance of that and is now using a new referral program, ReferralFox, to accurately track where their referrals come from.

"Tracking referrals helps everyone to feel comfortable. I know that if I'm going to put my reputation on the line by referring a company, I want to know that they are going to follow through," says Richard Fencil, internet director at ReferralFox.

The program, designed by Basement Systems, provides a way to track, send and receive referrals from other "members" in a company's network. Members can consist of area contractors and condo association owners to real estate agents and homeowners.

"With ReferralFox, members can watch the status of their clients with the company, so they know they are being taken care of properly," said Fencil. "If at any time a member doesn't feel comfortable with what's going on, the program allows them to send a message to the company."

ReferralFox also allows members to give back to charity. Each time a new member signs up for the program they have the option of donating anywhere from 10 to 100 percent of the proceeds they receive to a charity of their choice. Currently there are five charities to choose from: American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, Boys and Girls Club, United Way and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).

Sure-Dry Basement Systems are a part of the Basement Systems dealer network that consists of 300 basement waterproofing contractors and crawlspace specialists throughout North America, United Kingdom and Ireland.

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Sure Dry is Giving its Customers More Options for Egress Windows

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 01:16:34 -0400

Menasha, WI - Starting in October Sure-Dry Basement Systems is giving its consumers another option when wanting to install egress windows into their home.

"Every consumer is different, so we decided that it would benefit us and our customer to also offer installation of RockWell widow wells along with our current Bilco models," said Sales Manager Dave Brehmer.

RockWell Window Wells develop decorative stone textured composite window wells and are available in two colors; grey and tan. The stone texturing provides a realistic stone look and feel. They are also designed to allow more natural light into the basement.

"One benefit this is going to give us is a wider price point range for anyone interested in getting a beautifully designed egress window," Brehmer said. "Basically, it allows for more pricing options and features."

Safety features such as well covers, well grates and well ladders can be purchased at additional cost.

Sure-Dry Basement Systems is a foundation repair contractor and authorized Basement Systems and Foundation Supportworks dealer located in Menasha, Wisconsin. The company has won numerous awards while servicing Northeast Wisconsin for over 16 years.

For more information on Sure-Dry Basement Systems or to setup a free inspection and estimate please visit their website at suredrybasements.com or call 920-967-9658.

Sure Dry Basement Systems of Wisconsin is Number Ten Dealer in Network

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:08:32 -0400

Menasha, WI - Sure-Dry Basement Systems, the local waterproofing and foundation repair expert, earned the number ten dealer spot in the Foundation Supportworks network of North America's 70 most knowledgeable and highly trained foundation repair contractors. They received the award at the networks' annual convention held August 18-20, 2010 in Connecticut.

The 2010 Basement Systems Convention included all-day training on Wednesday and Friday at the headquarters in Seymour, Conn. There was an award ceremony held at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford, Conn. on Thursday evening where all those in attendance heard from guest speaker, Liz Murray who is the face to the Lifetime Emmy nominated movie, "Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story".

As an A+ rated Better Business Bureau business, Sure-Dry Basement Systems is more than just experienced, they're proficient! They're expert basement waterproofers and foundation/crawl space repairers.

Sure-Dry specializes in foundation repairs including water control, bowed wall straightening, and foundation stabilization. They utilize resources such as advanced draining and pumping, piering, and install safety egress windows.

The Foundation Supportworks network is made up of the most highly trained and certified foundation repair experts in North America. They offer their clients a free foundation repair estimate and consultation.

This Foundation Supportworks dealer is also a member of Basement Systems, Inc., the international network of the world's finest basement waterproofing experts. The network is an industry leader with 300 contractors that specialize in basement and crawl space waterproofing, 25 patented products, and 22 quality and innovative prizes.

For foundation repair in Wisconsin contact Sure-Dry Basement Systems today, at 1-800-823-0497. They're highly trained and certified basement environment experts ready and willing to serve you.

Extreme Makeover House Gets Waterproofed After Record Rainfall

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 05:12:26 -0400

For Immediate Release:

Menasha, WI â August 23, 2010 â With ABC's hit TV show "Extreme Home Makeover: Home Edition" building their newest home in Neenah, Wisconsin, Sure-Dry Basement Systems took initiative to ensure that the newly built and finished basement will remain dry after record setting rainfall in July.

Image of the Triple-Safe
sump pump installed.

Hearing that "Extreme Home Makeover" will be constructing a house in the area, Sure-Dry Basement Systems made available their products and services. Products chosen by chief contractor Lexington Homes, were the Triple-Safe basement sump pump system and a Sani-Dry basement air system.

"The builders really wanted to take advantage of the lower level of that home because there really isn't a whole lot of space to build on the property," said Dave Brehmer, sales manager of Sure-Dry Basement Systems, "With the amount of finished work that is going into this basement, it's going to be reassuring for the family to know that their sump pump will be able to keep up during periods of heavy rain or power outage!"

Bringing the Sani-Dry into the basement.

The Triple-Safe sump pump system is engineered to be the world's most reliable pumping system providing three pumps in one unit with one of those being a battery operated back-up. The Sani-Dry basement air system is a powerful and effective dehumidifier that eliminates damp musty odors while drying and filtering the air.

With over 13 inches of rain falling in Appleton, Wisconsin, it became the wettest July on record and wettest month ever surpassing the previous record of 10.30 inches in August 1995. Neenah received 10.72 inches and is located 11 miles South of Appleton. With that amount of rain itâs over-saturating the ground.

"The record setting July rainfall is measurably greater than a wet spring month and when the ground reaches complete saturation there is no place for the water to go but into the basement or crawlspace cavity," said Doug Newhouse, owner of Sure-Dry Basement Systems. "With that, it is good to have a reliable drainage system and sump pump."

The rebuild in Neenah will air during Extreme Home Makeover's upcoming season which premiers on Sept. 26.

The final house makeover
before the reveal.

Sure-Dry Basement Systems is a Wisconsin foundation repair contractor and authorized Basement Systems and Foundation Supportworks dealer located in Menasha, WI. The company has won numerous awards while servicing Northeast Wisconsin for over 16 years.

For more information on Sure-Dry Basement Systems or to setup a free basement or foundation inspection and estimate please visit their website at suredrybasements.com.

IceGuard: winter protection for you sump pump discharge lines

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 04:12:17 -0500

In cold regions, when temperatures reach below freezing levels, one of the main concerns for every home owner is frozen pipes.

Frozen pipes can wreck havoc in a home. The internal plumbing can be insulated to prevent freezing, but some lines that run outside, can’t be effectively insulated.

Among these, one that is specially troublesome is the sump pump discharge line. A frozen discharge line can virtually render a sump pump useless, or simply burn it out, and cause basement floods.

Until not too long ago there wasn’t much you could do about it either. Fortunately, Basement Systems, through their commitment to keep basement dry all the time, managed to come up with a solution that make basement floods due to frozen discharge lines history.

A simple and yet clever extension, called IceGuard, will keep the pumped water flowing no matter how cold it is outside.

Click here to see how the IceGuard works.

Sure-Dry Basement Systems is your Basement Systems Dealer in Wisconsin. Contact us and find out about this and many other inniovative solutions we offer to keep you basement dry all the time!

Home Energy Saver Web Based DIY energy audit tool

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:12:34 -0400

Developed by the Environmental Energy Technologies Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, this handy do-it-yourself energy audit tool helps you detect, identify and plan energy efficiency improvement opportunities for your home, based in the city and region you live and specific data you can input about your home and lifestyle.

The more information you provide, the more efficient is the tool.

It will suggest the best upgrades; tell you how much they cost and how much money you will save by upgrading.

Personally I was very excited to find out that with a couple hundred dollars worth of simple improvements, I can save about $500 yearly in electric bills.

Professional home energy audits available in Oshkosh, Stevens Point, Appleton and many other surrounding Wisconsin areas.