Basement Window Wells

Is the beauty of your home lessened by old, rusty, ugly, open-topped basement window wells? You’re certainly not alone and there’s good news! Modern vinyl-constructed basement window wells offer various advantages and benefits for owners of all types of homes including:

Tough vinyl construction that never fades or needs painted;
Bottom well pieces for inhibiting weed growth, hiding the dirt, disallowing splashing and more;
Top well pieces that keep out water, leaves and more;
Increased entrance of natural light;
Matches the new manufacturing standards of replacement basement windows;
Increases aesthetic value of your entire home and property;
Increases the appraisal value of your home;
Increases safety and security;
It’s also true that many old basement window wells contribute significantly to basement flooding issues. If you’re considering replacing your outdated basement window wells, then it’s best to call a professional basement waterproofing company. Getting and keeping your basement dry, usable and attractive is important to the overall happiness of your family.

Call Rika Construction, Inc. today at 973 732 0023, or email us, and speak with our friendly, helpful customer support representatives about your basement window well options

French Drainage Systems

French drainage systems have been commonly used on all types of homes, businesses and other structures since the mid 1800s. It was Henry French, a Massachusetts lawyer that popularized the technique.  A French drain, in traditional form, was simply a trench that was dug out on a proper angle (pitch), and then filled in with gravel. Modern French drain systems can be installed either on the inside or the outside of your home. Today, professional waterproofers use landscape fabric, silt filters, perforated drain piping and more to insure maximum performance and efficiency.

And interior French drain system involves jackhammering up a swath of concrete from your basement floor, exposing the soil beneath and forming the path of the trench. The soil is dug out to an appropriate depth. Landscape fabric, gravel, drain piping and more gravel are added to fill the trench. The floor is repaired above the interior French drain system. This type of French drain is most often requested from homeowners who are wanting to remodel their basements, and finally be able to use that space!

Exterior French drain systems are used prevalently in the building industry. New homes and businesses are commonly equipped with exterior French drain systems. An exterior French drainage system is most often installed as the home is being build, before the lot even gets backfilled and topsoiled. A trench is dug around the perimeter of the basement walls. Landscape fabric, gravel, drainage pipe, silt filter and more gravel are used to fill in the trench. The exterior French drain is then buried by backfill and covered with topsoil.

Expert French drain installers make sure to include easy-access, flushing ports for simple periodic maintenance. French drains can last for a decade or more and never develop any problems at all. A bit of simple maintenance is all that’s required. And of course, exterior French drains can be installed wherever a homeowner may have need, like an area of property that pools water.

Call Rika Construction, today at 973 732 0023, or email us, and speak with our friendly, helpful customer support representatives about your interior and exterior French drainage system options.

Basement Water Damage

Flooded Basements: Helpful Tips for Dealing with Basement Water Damage

When you find your basement flooded, it can be a devastating experience! Inches or even feet of water in your basement can cause a lot of mental anguish, destruction to your personal property, structural damage, electrical problems, mold/mildew development and far more.

It’s always best to quickly get some professional help from an expert basement waterproofing company.  Getting the water pumped out in a safe fashion, repairing drywall, implementing mold/mildew remediation and more are all going to have to be addressed promptly and effectively. However, there are some steps you can take on your own as well.

Helpful tips for dealing with basement flooding:

First, shut off any water sources that have failed to cause the flooding. In most cases, basement flooding results from ground water rising, but you need to be sure. A failed pipe, water heater, supply line or other pressurized source of water can flood your basement with thousands of gallons of water in just hours! If you elect to shut off your own water supplies, do all you can to stay high and dry. A flooded basement may be affected by electrical currents, bacteria, viruses and more.

Gather your most important personal property items. Again, be safe! Even if there is no danger of electrocution, you can still easily come in contact with raw sewage and other poisonous/harmful substances.

Remember that even though fabrics, photos, documents and more may look fine presently, because of the excessive moisture and humidity, they are prone to developing mold over the next couple of days.

Give your insurance company representative a phone call. It will be soothing to you to understand what options you have – and which you don’t. Getting the process underway quickly will save you processing time and hassles later on.

Take as many descriptive pictures as possible to create a record of real time damages.

Reasons why calling a professional basement flooding/waterproofing company is beneficial:

You need a team of a real professionals who specialize in drying out wet homes, getting rid of flood water, promptly dealing with mold and rot and restoring your basement environment to previous conditions. That experience level makes the difference between you going through a traumatic, frantic experience – or you sitting back, breathing easier and watching professionals take over the situation.

Your electronics, photos and other items that are hard or impossible to replace, in many cases, can be restored or recovered. For instance, it’s possible that the data on the hard drive of your computer can be recovered. This however would be very unlikely if you just call the fire department or a standard plumber. Basement waterproofing and flood experts have the tools, skills and experience needed to restore your peace of mind after finding your basement flooded.

A seasoned, experienced basement waterproofing company can quickly move into place to offer excellent service, warranty-covered products and individualized solutions for your particular basement flooding situation.

Professional waterproofing companies like Rika Construction, Inc. can affordably assist your family through even the most severe basement flooding scenarios. Truly caring customer service representatives are always available to answer your questions and guide you. Remember that times of heavy raining are some of the busiest times for the industry, so be sure to call at your earliest convenience.

Call Rika Construction, Inc. today at 973 732 0023, or email us, and speak with our friendly, helpful customer support representatives.

Basement Mold Dangers | 7 Fast Facts to Help Keep Your Family Safe

 Having basement mold in your home can be damaging on many levels. Of course, we all know that mold causes damage to the framing members, drywall and other components of structures. More importantly though, it can cause an array of serious health conditions for your family, including your pets. The good news is that there are steps you can take to become aware of developing mold, and to keep your family, and your home, safe from any damages it may cause. 7 fast facts about home and basement mold: 1. Mold is alive. It requires warmth, moisture, nutrients, air and other favorable environmental conditions to develop and thrive. The nutrients needed for mold growth are easily found in paper, wood, fabrics - and even things like paint and glue. 2. Molds are known as decomposers of organic substances like wood, certain chemicals, plants and animals. You'll find the most mold developing in places like piles of leaves, compost piles and manure heaps. Mold spores can travel through the air, or attach to passing animals and people. In this manner, mold makes its way into buildings, where it can set up permanent residence! 3. Most molds are not really harmful to humans and animals. There are more than 100,000 known types, and we are surrounded by mold always. The most common mold health issues are normally with allergic reactions like watery eyes, sneezing, etc. However, there are at least a few molds that can be potentially deadly, especially to people who may already have compromised immune system functioning. Certain molds produce powerful “mycotoxins”, which are known to cause severe illness in humans and other animals. 4. Without professional air testing, which is quite unreliable in many cases, the best ways you have to detect developing mold is to use your eyes and your nose. Look for fuzzy black or green growth areas. Check the air for smells of mustiness and decay. By physically inspecting mold-prone areas (like bathrooms, kitchens and basements) on a regular basis, you'll significantly increase your probability for early detection. Early detection is a key for the effective remediation of a mold situation. 5. If you spot mold growing in your basement or home, the best thing to do is call a professional mold remediation specialist. Alternatively, there are some steps you can take. You can discard any furnishings or boxes with mold on them. You can clean small mold areas of less than 12 square feet (or so) with hot, soapy water. Wash it thoroughly. Rinse it thoroughly. Let it dry thoroughly and then protect the surface with paint, or whatever else is appropriate for the situation. 6. It is a myth that simply spraying bleach on mold areas is sufficient remediation. It's not. Yes, bleach does kill mold spores, but it does not remove the dead spores. These dead mold spores can still be very detrimental to human health as they travel through the atmosphere. 7. There's no way to completely stop the travel of mold into your environments. Only clean rooms in hospitals and laboratories are equipped to do that. So, know that mold spores are all around you, all the time. It's up to you to be mindful of your surroundings, to detect and take action against mold in its early developmental stages. One of the best ways to prevent mold colonies from growing in your home is to keep the inside and outside air exchanging regularly. Use fans to get the air moving in your home or other structures. By increasing your mindfulness about mold and understanding more about the true dangers of basement mold, you'll empower yourself to stay healthy, and help to keep your family that way too.

Household allergens can be everywhere

A recent report is warning homeowners that some common allergens may be sitting right under their noses.
According to Health.com, consumers are often unaware that allergens are found in common items like lemons and limes, stuffed animals and cleaning products. The lemons and limes reportedly contain limonene, which can irritate eyes and cause a nasal burning sensation.
When it comes to stuffed animals, bedding and carpets, dust mites are a common allergy culprit that need to be washed out with very hot water - especially with the report noting that about 15 percent of the population is allergic to dust mites.
Other common but often overlooked allergens cited by Health.com include the essential oils that can be found in candles and perfumes, as well as kitchen spices and household paints.
Many other homeowners are allergic to mold, which can be prevented in many cases by investing in a dehumidifier and by controlling household moisture. However, dehumidifiers do not purify the air, which means that many of the above allergens would continue to impact indoor air quality even in the presence of one.

A home with a soggy basement is nothing but more problems waiting to happen.

If you are like most people, the purchase of your home is probably the largest investment you will make. That said, it is in your best interest to ensure that your home and what’s inside is well taken care of. One of the most important ways of doing this is by waterproofing your basement. One of the ways you can protect your basement and your belongings as well as increase the resale value of your home is by basement waterproofing. If you have any moisture or seepage down there, you know it's doing damage to your foundation, your floor, anything you have in the basement, and the healthful environment of the whole house. Doing some waterproofing can make a world of difference in the life of your home.
A home with a soggy basement is nothing but more problems waiting to happen. You can end up with structural damage if a foundation wall weakens and caves in, your resale value will plummet, and as mold and mildew grow in the damp environment, the health of your family can deteriorate. Doing basement waterproofing to correct the problems right away can save you from a world of hurt later on.
A waterproofed basement increases usable living space. Suddenly, there is room for an extra den, office, playroom or family room.Call us now for free inspection and no obligation 973-732-0023 or visit us at: www.Rikawaterproofing.com

Irene slams New Jersey, damage widespread

About 650,000 people without power in New Jersey
Hurricane Irene swept along the New Jersey shore early on Sunday, knocking down trees, leaving thousands of people without electrical power and causing flooding.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie cautioned residents and visitors, hundreds of thousands of whom were ordered to leave vulnerable shore towns, to stay away until roads were clear.
"The real issue we're going to have to deal with now is flooding. This storm is transitioning into a flooding event," Christie told reporters at a midday briefing.

More than 100 dams in the state were being monitored for spills from high water, with evacuations from one downstream town, High Bridge, ordered, he said.

Christie said there were about 650,000 people without power across the state and that number could increase during the day on Sunday because of the sustained 45 mile-per-hour (72-kilometer-per-hour) winds.

More than 15,000 people were in shelters around the state and about 3,000 people had been evacuated from 25 medical facilities in the last two days, including two hospitals.

That said, some roads were being reopened as officials inspected them. Christie also said damage to beaches along the Jersey Shore, a mecca for tourists, was being assessed and beaches would be reopened as soon as conditions allowed.

"We're going to resume beach water quality monitoring on Monday so we can get our beaches open as quickly as it's safe for people to be back in the water," Christie said.

Earlier, on NBC's "Meet the Press" program, the governor said he expected damage from the storm could be "billions of dollars, if not in the tens of billions of dollars."

More than a million people had fled resort towns along the Jersey shore ahead of Irene. Mandatory evacuations covered all of the barrier island beach resorts, including such well-known spots as Atlantic City, Cape May and Long Beach Island.

Flood warnings were issued in many parts of the state on Sunday, as rivers and creeks rose to dangerously high levels.

'DODGED A BULLET'

In Parsippany, water from the Passaic River spilled onto roadways, making driving risky.

In Seaside Heights, known to fans of "The Jersey Shore" reality television show, and in the upscale towns of Bay Head and Mantoloking, roads were flooded with as much as a foot (30 cm) of water, and area bridges were shut down.

Water levels on the Delaware River were high, prompting official flood warnings in Easton, Pennsylvania, and Phillipsburg, New Jersey, which straddle the waterway.

Despite the widespread effects, reports from the National Weather Service suggested that Irene fell short of the most dire predictions that it could drop up to 12 inches (30 cm) of rain and pack 75 mile-per-hour (121 kph) winds.

Irene was downgraded to tropical storm status on Sunday morning as it pummeled the New York and New Jersey area.

Along the shore, Atlantic City had 4.56 inches (11.6 cm) of rain as of early Sunday, and inland at Windsor, a suburb of Trenton, the town got 6.1 inches (15.5 cm), the Weather Service said.

Wind in Tuckerton, New Jersey, in Ocean County, hit 69 mph (111 kph), the Weather Service said.

"We dodged a bullet," said Police Chief David Wolfson of Margate, a seaside town just south of the state's gambling mecca, Atlantic City.

In Toms River, about 8 miles (13 km) west of the shore, trees were down and streets were flooded.

"It was a storm, but we have seen worse," said Eddie Storino, Toms River Fire Company No. 2 assistant chief. He said the brunt of the storm came between midnight and 5 a.m.

Inland rivers and creeks were overflowing. The Manasquan River, which runs from Freehold, New Jersey, to an inlet on the coast, was several feet above flood level.

Christie said state damage assessments along the coast would begin on Sunday but inland damage may not become obvious until river flooding subsides as late as Tuesday.

In Margate, the highest wind was clocked at 56 mph (90 kph), police chief Wolfson said, and some sections of its major thoroughfare, Ventnor Avenue, were under water.

State police rescued about 100 people from a senior citizen development in Buena Vista Township in Atlantic County overnight after the modular homes were surrounded by about a foot of water.

In the northern part of the state, local streets in Jersey City were flooded.