Saving a Crawl Space from Total Failure in Monroe, OH

2026-04-07T15:58:47.05Z

When breaking the unfortunate news to the homeowner—who hadn't seen their crawl space in years, our Inspector made sure to be gentle, honest, and transparent; this project was going to take a lot to stop the house from falling apart. Our Inspector showed them pictures of the mold growth, the humidity levels, and the condition of the wooden framing to visually display the issue at hand. We also made sure to let them know that we have seen this level of rot before in many other homes, and that we have repaired many other crawl spaces that were roughly in the same condition. The homeowner trusted our Inspector in their assessment, and the two worked together to come up with a solution that would stop moisture and mold, and would restrengthen the structural integrity of the home.

For the solution, we decided to break the project up in parts to best coordinate the efforts of our crews:

1. For the first step, we sprayed our Mold-X2 treatment throughout the space to treat active mold growth, clean affected surfaces, and apply an antimicrobial solution that helps inhibit future growth. By doing this on the first day, we ensured that our crew could safely spend hours completing the rest of the project without breathing in moldy air. This step also helped our crew gain a clearer picture on exactly which parts of the wooden framing needed replacing. Although we had a pretty good idea of which parts would need replacing beforehand, we made sure to communicate with the homeowner that we wouldn't know for sure until the area was free from surface mold. For this step, we recommended the homeowner spend a couple nights away from the home for safety purposes.

2. A few days after chemical treatment, we then installed our encapsulation system by:

Removing the fiberglass insulation.
Installing perforated pipe around the perimeter in the floor for water drainage.
Installing a SmartSump sump pump system.
Installing an UltraSump battery back-up pumping system to the SmartSump.
Installing a discharge line for the sump pump.
Installing dimpled drainage matting across the floor, (before our CleanSpace vapor barrier so the matting lies underneath the vapor barrier).
Installing a SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier to keep the humidity low.
Installing SilverGlo insulation panels across the walls.
Installing vent covers over the vents.

3. For the last step, when the space was dry and clean, we then repaired/replaced all the parts of the wooden framing that weren't up to code. This included:

543 linear feet of untreated wood for sistering parts of the floor joists.
54 linear feet of untreated wood for replacing parts of the main beam.
122 linear feet of treated wood for replacing parts of the band board.
115 linear feet of treated wood for replacing parts of the sill plate.
156 linear feet of foam rim joist insulation, (after we replaced the band board/rim joists).

Crawl Space Foundation Repair in Cincinnati, OH

2026-01-21T09:45:53.05Z

To fix the wet crawl space, we started by waterproofing the space with perimeter drainage pipes, which were installed in the ground. When installing the pipes, we made sure to surround the drains with a gravel backfill. We then hooked the drains up to a SmartSump sump pump, which was installed in the lowest graded part of the crawl space floor. After waterproofing the space, we then wrapped the walls with our SilverGlo insulation panels. These panels are made of graphite, making them completely anti-microbial. These panels help reflect heat back into the space thanks to their radiant barrier surface. These panels also allowed us to remove the wet fiberglass insulation in the floor joists. Next, we installed our dimpled drainage matting across the floor to protect the vapor barrier, which we later installed over the top of the drainage matting. The dimpled drainage matting allows moisture to work its way to the sump pump underneath the vapor barrier. The matting also makes the vapor barrier more durable, which is especially helpful since the homeowners planned to store items in their newly transformed space.

Next, we installed two SmartJack posts underneath the main beam in the crawl space to help stabilize the kitchen floors above. These posts replaced the failing wooden posts, which weren't strong enough to hold up the floors above.

Lastly, we completely sealed the space by wrapping the entire space with our CleanSpace vapor barrier. Our 20 mil thick vapor barrier is made of antimicrobial material, which will help keep the space smelling fresh. We taped the vapor barrier up over the SilverGlo panels on the walls, across the floors, and around the SmartJack posts. We fitted the vapor barrier into the airtight sump lid, creating an airtight seal everywhere. To finish the encapsulation, we covered the vents from the outside with our EverLast crawl space vent covers.

To fix the garage foundation, we underpinned the sinking part of the foundation with our helical pier system. We started by digging underneath the footing of the foundation to make room for our piers. We then started drilling our piers down vertically underneath the foundation until the piers reach load-bearing soil, (found 20-30 feet below the surface). After drilling, we then transferred the weight of the garage to the piers by latching our "L" shaped brackets up underneath the footing of the garage. After stabilizing, we then backfilled the trench with soil, completely concealing the pier system.

Window Door Stuck in Ft Mitchell, Kentucky

2026-01-08T10:27:48.05Z

In order to fix the problem, we installed our helical pier system. Our piering systems were designed to transfer the weight of a home from problematic soil to load-bearing soil. In essence, soil found closer to the surface is more susceptible to shrinking and expanding due to changes in moisture content. On the contrary, soil that is found deep in the earth is insusceptible to shrinking or expanding due to the higher pressure. Because our piering system are able to reach load-bearing strata depths, we are able to effectively connect the base of a home to soil that won't ever expand or shrink.

Here is how we installed our piering system for this home:

We excavated around the garage and made three cavities underneath the base of the home to make room for three piers.
We then drilled the piers downwards until they hit load-bearing soil. We used a drivehead to drill the piers down. The pressure gauge on the drivehead was able to tell us when the piers eventually hit the load-bearing strata.
Next, we connected the tops of the piers to the base of the home by using brackets, which conveniently latch onto the footing of the home.
After stabilizing the home, we then lifted the home back up by using our hand-held hydraulic device. This process effectively closed the cracks and fixed the sticky window issue.
Lastly, we covered the piers back up with dirt to conceal the entire system.

To learn more about this project, be sure to scroll through the photos attached to this case study. Better yet, we actually recorded a short video for this project, which you can find by clicking this link: Click here!

3 Step Concrete Repair System in Maineville, Ohio

2025-12-10T13:56:51.05Z

Our concrete repair inspector devised a three step concrete repair solution in order to make the concrete look nice again, and to help keep it that way. This three step solution went as follows:

First, we injected our PolyLevel foam through the settled slabs to lift and level them all back out. We did this for all of the sidewalk slabs, and for the two driveway slabs that were directly adjacent to the garage door. Our PolyLevel foam is clean, fast-curing, and extremely efficient at jacking slabs back to health. It only requires us to drill small pea-sized holes into the concrete in order to make room for our injections. After we lifted everything, we then covered the holes back up with cement, concealing the evidence.
We then sealed the joints between every single slab with our NexusPro sealant. This sealant is made of a silicone base, which gives the sealant elastic properties. Unlike urethane based sealants, (which can be found at big box stores) our NexusPro is able to expand and stretch based on the seasonal climates - making it super useful for Cincinnati's frigid winters and blazing summers. NexusPro was engineered to last at least 20 years, unlike urethane based sealants that need reapplying often. After we injected the sealant everywhere, we then rubbed a matching color sand over the top for aesthetic purposes. This sealant will help keep water from infiltrating the soil underneath the concrete, which was almost indefinitely why the concrete settled in the first place.
To finish the three step process, we treated every square inch of the concrete with our SealantPro concrete sealant. Our SealantPro is a permanent protective coating that strengthens the concrete and guards against moisture, cracking, staining, flaking, and spalling. When we spray this sealant, the color starts out with a green hue. This design in the chemical allows us and homeowners to ensure that every single square inch of the concrete has been protected. Unlike traditional topical sealers that just sit on the the surface and need frequent application, our SealantPro actually penetrating into the porous concrete, (up to a 1/4 of an inch). The color then transforms from green to translucent in hours.

We finished all three steps within a day, and the homeowners got back to using their concrete within hours. All of the tripping hazards were eliminated thanks to the PolyLevel, all of the control joints were sealed thanks to the NexusPro, and all of the concrete surfaces were protected thanks to the SealantPro. The homeowners were excited that their concrete was repaired and protected, and they won't have to worry about it again for the rest of their lives.

Egress Window Installation in Cincinnati, Ohio

2025-11-11T10:44:17.05Z

We began by excavating the area around the foundation to the correct depth and width for the new RockWell egress system. Once the space was cleared, we removed the old window and carefully cut the concrete wall to fit the new 35x54-inch opening.

The new crank-out egress window was installed and sealed to create a level fit. At the base of the excavation, we installed a vertical drainage tie-in connected directly to the home’s existing exterior French drain system. We then filled the bottom of the well with clean gravel to promote drainage and prevent water accumulation.

Next, we bolted the RockWell tan egress well securely to the concrete foundation. The RockWell system is made of a one-piece rigid composite that won’t rust, rot, or buckle under backfill pressure, and its natural stone-textured finish blends cleanly with most exteriors. Finally, we topped the installation with the translucent RockWell cover, which allows daylight into the basement while keeping out rain, leaves, and debris.

We backfilled around the well, compacted the soil for stability, and hauled away the excess dirt to leave a clean, finished yard.

This installation gave the homeowner a bright, safe, and fully code-compliant egress window that adds both function and curb appeal. The integrated drain ensures long-term protection against water buildup, and the durable RockWell system provides lasting strength and a natural look that complements the home.

Be sure to scroll through the photos to see the transformation.

P.S - Click here to see the review this customer left on our Google Page!

Saving a Shearing Wall from Total Collapse in Cincinnati, OH

2025-11-07T12:30:53.05Z

In this Cincinnati, Ohio basement, one foundation wall had reached an advanced stage of failure known as bottom shearing. The wall had shifted nearly four inches inward near the center, putting it dangerously close to complete collapse. The homeowner first noticed stair-step cracking along the mortar joints - stemming from all four corners of the wall, but what appeared to be a small issue quickly developed into a serious structural problem.

Shearing occurs when the bottom course of a block wall is held in place behind the basement floor slab. Because that bottom row of block can’t move, all the blocks above it begin to slide over top of the bottom block under pressure. Over time, the soil outside the foundation can push inward - especially when it becomes saturated and heavy. As this pressure builds, it forces the wall to shear or “break” just above the slab line, causing the upper portion of the wall to tilt inward while the bottom remains locked in place.

This type of failure typically begins with small horizontal cracks or minor inward movement, but once the shearing starts, the wall’s stability rapidly deteriorates. In this case, the displacement was so severe that the wall was on the verge of losing structural support entirely. Immediate stabilization was the only way to prevent a total wall collapse and protect the rest of the home.

For a better explanation on wall shearing and how it occurs, check out this video on our website: Click here!

For a better explanation on the stages of block wall failure, check out this video on our website: Click here!

Tilting Chimney in Cincinnati, Ohio

2025-11-05T14:05:39.05Z

To permanently stabilize the home and address the tilting chimney, our crew installed 20 helical piers around the foundation, including 2 that were placed directly beneath the chimney. Once the piers were driven deep into stable soil, they were carefully tensioned to transfer the home’s weight from the failing soil to solid, load-bearing strata. This not only stabilized the structure but also allowed us to lift parts of the foundation back toward their original position.

After the installation, the chimney was secure and the foundation was fully supported. The homeowner can now rest easy knowing the structure is safe from further settlement.

This project is a great example of how foundation piers can permanently stop settling and restore stability to homes throughout Cincinnati and the surrounding area.

Interior Waterproofing Solves Leaking Hearth in Lynchburg, OH

2025-10-15T13:51:21.05Z

Our interior waterproofing solution gave the homeowners a permanent, low-maintenance way to stop water intrusion. The team carefully removed the brick hearth, preserving as much as possible per the homeowner’s request, and installed WaterGuard along the leaking wall. WaterGuard sits directly on top of the footing and is pitched toward the SuperSump Plus, and we drilled weeping holes just above the footing to efficiently channel water into the drainage system. Installation required only minimal excavation—about six inches away from the wall—so the project was less disruptive than traditional exterior solutions. This system creates a reliable interior drainage path that safely directs water away from the home. WaterGuard is designed with service ports for easy inspection and maintenance, and it’s far simpler to install compared to exterior systems that require extensive digging and backfilling. Plus, the system comes with a lifetime warranty, giving the homeowner confidence that their home is fully protected for years to come. With the system in place, they can reinstall the hearth without worry, knowing they now have a durable, low-maintenance solution to keep water out for good.

Basement Floor Stabilized with Slab Piers and PolyLevel in Lawrenceburg, Indiana

2025-10-06T12:12:29.05Z

Our foundation repair team installed 43 slab piers beneath the concrete floor to permanently stabilize and lift the settled sections. Slab piers are a deep-foundation support system designed specifically for concrete floor slabs that have settled or sunk. Each pier is driven through small cored holes in the slab until it reaches competent, load-bearing soil or bedrock. Brackets are then attached beneath the slab, and hydraulic equipment is used to gently lift the floor back toward its original position. Once the proper elevation is achieved, the piers are locked in place to permanently transfer the slab’s weight to stable soil.

After lifting the slab, we injected roughly 735 pounds of PolyLevel foam to fill any remaining voids beneath the floor. This step ensures that the concrete is fully supported and prevents future movement. PolyLevel expands as it cures, which helps it fill gaps tightly while adding additional stability around each pier location.

Together, the slab piers and PolyLevel void fill provided a lasting solution to the foundation settlement problem. The project was completed efficiently, with minimal disruption to the finished space, and restored both the safety and appearance of the basement floor.

Concrete Leveling at the Hollywood Casino & Hotel in Lawrenceburg, Indiana

2025-10-06T10:50:39.05Z

Over time, sections of concrete around the casino’s docking bay and parking garage sidewalk had settled unevenly, creating noticeable trip hazards. The sidewalk slabs had developed gaps, and the loading bay ramp had begun to slope irregularly, making it difficult for delivery carts and staff to move safely. These issues not only posed a safety concern for employees and customers, but also risked further concrete damage from ongoing water infiltration.

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati - September 2025 Project Roundup

2025-10-03T00:00:00.05Z

September, 2025 - Project Spotlights!

Explore More: Click the Photo Gallery, Before & After, or Case Study links beneath each project name to dive deeper.

Crawl Space Projects

9/5 – Brookville, OH – Foreman: Will

Photo Gallery 👈

This crawl space is now comfortable enough to lounge in.

Project Highlights: Full crawl space encapsulation with CleanSpace liner and drainage, creating a dry, energy-efficient environment.

9/15 – Williamsburg, OH – Foreman: TJ

Photo Gallery 👈

Our SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier and our SmartSump sump pump were designed for crawl spaces.

Project Highlights: Crawl space encapsulation with waterproofing, insulation, and moisture control.

9/23 – Cedarville, OH – Foreman: Clem

Photo Gallery 👈

This photo shows us wrapping the space with our CleanSpace vapor barrier after all the preparation work.

Project Highlights: Comprehensive crawl space repair, including drainage improvements and CleanSpace encapsulation.

Basement Waterproofing Projects

9/25 – Cincinnati, OH – Foreman: TJ

Photo Gallery 👈

We were able to tuck our BrightWall panels behind this staircase.

Project Highlights: Full basement waterproofing with WaterGuard, TripleSafe sump pump, and BrightWall panels.

9/22 – Bethel, OH – Foreman: TJ

Photo Gallery 👈

This basement required waterproofing, bowed wall repairing, and floor joist stabilizing.

Project Highlights: Waterproofing, PowerBraces on bowing walls, SmartJack support posts to stabilize the floor joists, and TripleSafe sump pump installation to protect the basement from water damage.

Foundation Repair & Structural Support

9/19 – Loveland, OH – Foreman: Nate

Photo Gallery 👈

We installed piers, braces, and a waterproofing system for this basement.

Project Highlights: Stabilized multiple bowing walls with PowerBraces, waterproofed, and installed interior piers to support a sinking corner.

9/28 – Cincinnati, OH – Foreman: TJ

Case Study 👈

Our Foreman, TJ, took photos of the gap between the floor and the baseboard before and after we lifted the joists.

Project Highlights: Commercial floor repair addressing sagging areas with structural stabilization solutions.

9/02 – Mason, OH – Foreman: Tyler

Photo Gallery 👈

We installed piers to lift and level this porch.

Project Highlights: Porch foundation repair to improve structural integrity.

Concrete Lifting & Leveling

9/18 – Loveland, OH – Foreman: Keith

Before & After 👈

This was what the concrete looked like before we lifted and sealed it.

Project Highlights: Concrete leveling project to correct uneven surfaces and restore safe, functional flooring.

9/21 – Sidney, OH – Foreman: Dennis

Case Study 👈

The sealant this homeowner used for their driveway deteriorated away rather quickly.

Project Highlights: Driveway crack repairs and leveling to prevent further settling and damage.

Sagging Floor in Cincinnati, Ohio

2025-10-01T14:26:36.05Z

To permanently stabilize the floors, we installed three SmartJack posts and a heavy-duty steel main beam along the right side of the crawl space. In addition, we encapsulated the space with SilverGlo insulation panels and a CleanSpace vapor barrier to protect against moisture, mold, and future wood deterioration.

How SmartJack Posts Work

SmartJacks are engineered steel support columns designed specifically for crawl space applications. Unlike traditional wood posts or masonry piers, which can rot, settle, or shift with changes in soil conditions, SmartJacks are adjustable and built to last.

Installation Process:
1. A solid base of engineered fill and a pre-cast concrete footing is prepared in the crawl space to create a stable foundation that won’t sink into the soil.
2. The SmartJack steel post is cut to the precise height needed for the space.
3. Each post is positioned beneath the new steel main beam and securely fastened.
4. The top of the SmartJack is tightened using a threaded adjustment system, which allows us to lift the sagging floor sections back toward their original position.
Why They Work:
SmartJacks can support over 60,000 pounds per post. Because they are fully adjustable, they can be fine-tuned over time if future adjustments are ever needed. Unlike temporary jack posts from a hardware store, these are a permanent structural solution.

The Role of the Steel Main Beam

The steel main beam distributes the weight of the floors and walls above evenly across the SmartJack system. In this Cincinnati home, the original wooden supports had begun to weaken, which allowed the floors to sink. By installing a steel I-beam, we created a rigid support that won’t warp, bow, or rot over time. This combination ensures that the load from the floors above is fully supported and that the SmartJacks can do their job effectively.

The Result

After the installation, the sagging floors were lifted back into place, closing the visible gap between the cabinets and the tile. More importantly, the homeowner now has peace of mind knowing that the floors are permanently stabilized. With the crawl space encapsulated, the home is also more energy-efficient, healthier, and better protected from future damage.

Driveway Crack Repairs in Sidney, OH

2025-09-25T10:39:00.05Z

Our crew sealed the driveway cracks with NexusPro, a silicone-based sealant engineered for long-term performance. Unlike urethane, NexusPro flexes with seasonal movement, resists UV damage, and is designed to last more than twice as long as traditional urethane-based sealants. Even better, it is engineered to last 20+ years, giving homeowners long-lasting protection without the cycle of frequent re-sealing. To finish the job, we applied colored sand that bonds to the sealant, blending the repairs with the existing concrete. We offer a variety of sand colors so each project can be matched for the best possible look.

By sealing the cracks properly with NexusPro, water is now kept from infiltrating beneath the driveway slabs, preventing erosion and future settlement. The result is a driveway that looks clean, stays protected, and will last far longer than quick fixes from the hardware store. Be sure to check out the attached photos to learn more about this project.

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati - August 2025 Project Roundup

2025-09-02T00:00:00.05Z

August, 2025 - Project Spotlights!

Explore More: Click the Photo Gallery, Before & After, Video, or Case Study links beneath each project name to dive deeper.

Here is a map of all of the project locations displayed below.

Crawl Space Projects

8/1 – Loveland, OH – Foreman: TJ
Photo Gallery 👈 | Video 👈

SmartJack support posts were used to stabilize the floors above.

Tags: Crawl Space Support Beams (Sagging Floor Repair)

8/1 – Cincinnati, OH (Pierce Township) – Foreman: Clem
Before & After 👈 | Photo Gallery 👈

This home on the Legendary Golf Course now has more storage space!

Tags: Vapor Barrier

8/5 – Lebanon, OH – Foreman: Dave
Photo Gallery 👈

This was all the debris our crew removed from this crawl space.

Tags: CleanSpace Encapsulation | Turtl Access Door

8/11 – Augusta, KY – Foreman: Dave
Photo Gallery 👈

This crawl space is now ready for storage use!

Tags: CleanSpace Encapsulation

8/19 – Manchester, OH – Foreman: Ricky
Photo Gallery 👈

We equipped a battery backup system to this SmartSump.

Tags: CleanSpace

8/25 – Dayton, OH – Foreman: Clem
Before & After 👈

These SilverGlo insulation panels will help this customer save on energy bills.

Tags: CleanSpace

Basement Waterproofing / Wall Stabilizing

8/5 – Cincinnati, OH (Madisonville) – Foreman: TJ
Photo Gallery 👈

Our rigid BrightWall panels look great and are waterproof.

Tags: BrightWall Panels | Waterproofing

8/10 – Piqua, OH – Foreman: Will
Before & After 👈

We helped relieve this foundation of hydrostatic pressure.

Tags: PowerBraces | Hydrostatic Pressure

8/11 – Milford, OH – Foreman: Ricky
Before & After 👈

The drywall was concealing water damage and lateral wall movement.

Tags: PowerBraces | BrightWall Panels

8/11 – Cincinnati, OH (Sharonville) – Foreman: TJ
Photo Gallery 👈

We transformed this basement with a waterproofing system and a wall repair system.

Tags: CleanSpace Walls | PowerBraces | Waterproofing

8/13 – Cincinnati, OH (Wyoming) – Foreman: Ricky
Before & After 👈

Our vapor barrier is the perfect solution for stained foundations.

Tags: CleanSpace Walls | WaterGuard Subfloor Drains

8/7 – Cincinnati, OH (Colerain) – Foreman: Mike
Photo Gallery 👈

This finished basement needed repairing to safeguard from hydrostatic pressure.

Tags: BrightWall Panels | PowerBraces | Waterproofing

8/21 – Beavercreek, OH – Foreman: Clem
Photo Gallery 👈

This leaky basement received a crazy transformation.

Tags: Egress Window | Basement Waterproofing | CleanSpace Walls

Concrete Repair

8/7 – Cincinnati, OH (Anderson Township) – Crew: Keith & D.J.
Video | Case Study 👈

This driveway repair was one of our best. We created a video doc for the transformation.

8/11 – Georgetown, OH – Crew: Keith & D.J.
Photo Gallery 👈

We eliminated this tripping hazard for the customer.

Foundation Settlement Repair (Piers)

8/22 – Montgomery, OH – Foreman: Nate
Photo Gallery 👈

These cracks told a story. Check it out through our photo gallery.

Tags: Helical Piers

How a Homeowner Avoided (Another) Demolition of Their Driveway

2025-08-26T10:19:09.05Z

Instead of tearing out the driveway, the homeowner chose a faster, more cost-effective solution: concrete lifting and stabilization using PolyLevel. Our team injected high-strength expanding foam directly beneath the concrete slabs through pea-sized holes that were nearly invisible once sealed. For this project, we used approximately 400 pounds of PolyLevel—an impressive amount given how lightweight and powerful the material was. The foam raised and stabilized the slabs, restoring a level, safe surface without the need for demolition.

Once the driveway was fully stabilized, we sealed all cracks and joints with NexusPro sealant. To complete the finished look, the sealant was topped with color-matched sand that blended seamlessly with the existing concrete, leaving the driveway looking fresh, uniform, and visually appealing.

The results were clear and immediate:

Significant savings: The repair cost was roughly half of what a full tear-out and repour would have required.
Quick turnaround: The entire project was completed in a single day, avoiding the extended disruption of a full replacement.
Less mess: There was no loud demolition, dust, or heavy equipment damaging the yard.

This project had been more challenging than usual due to how uneven the slabs were, but with skill, patience, and the right products, we delivered a driveway that functioned perfectly, looked great, and will last for years—without repeating the stress and cost of a full repour.

EverBrace Foundation Repair for Caving Stone Foundation - West Alexandria, OH

2025-07-07T13:31:10.05Z

After inspecting the property, our team recommended the EverBrace Wall Restoration System, designed specifically for situations where foundation walls are too damaged for traditional reinforcement methods.

We installed the EverBrace system along the interior of the stone foundation, placing steel I-beams and corrugated steel panels to form a rigid support structure. Once the steel framework was in place, we injected a specialized polyurethane foam behind the panels. This process filled any gaps between the failing stone wall and the new steel system, transferring the structural load from the deteriorating foundation to the EverBrace system itself.

The combination of steel support and foam insulation stabilized the home’s foundation and reinforced the stone walls, all while avoiding the need for major exterior excavation or rebuilding. The homeowner now has peace of mind knowing their foundation is secured permanently, with added protection against moisture and future wall movement.

Radon-Compatible Basement Waterproofing System in Hamilton, Ohio

2025-06-17T14:47:05.05Z

To create a waterproofing system that complements the radon setup, we installed a suite of specialized products built with vapor control in mind:

100 ft of Radon WaterGuard: This interior drainage channel is custom-built without the traditional wall flange, ensuring it doesn't compromise the vapor barrier or allow radon to leak into the living space.
TrenchLock Drain System: We installed a TrenchLock around the base of the water heater. This airtight drainage system includes a float-ball mechanism that remains sealed under normal conditions, but opens to allow water through if a leak occurs. It’s a great safeguard against future water heater failures and helps keep the basement dry without compromising radon protection.
SuperSump with UltraSump Battery Backup: This sump system ensures reliable water removal even during power outages. The UltraSump battery backup adds peace of mind in heavy rain or storm conditions.
108 ft of BriteWall Panels: These clean, white wall panels help direct wall seepage into the drainage system and also act as part of the basement’s vapor seal. They’re sealed at the top to prevent radon gas from passing through, maintaining a controlled environment behind the panels.
SaniDry Sedona Dehumidifier: This compact, high-capacity unit helps control humidity in the basement, improving air quality and reducing mold risk - both of which are essential for maintaining a safe, healthy environment in a radon-sensitive home.

The Result

The homeowner now has a dry, protected basement that works hand-in-hand with their radon mitigation system. By reducing hydrostatic pressure and sealing all potential vapor pathways, the waterproofing system improves the performance and reliability of their radon setup, while also protecting the home from water damage and air quality concerns.

Need to waterproof a basement that already has a radon system? We can install a solution that supports both water control and air safety - with zero compromise. Reach out today to schedule a free inspection.

CN Live 2023 Recap

2023-10-10T00:00:00.05Z

CN Live 2023 Recap in Connecticut

Our crew awaits patiently for the general session.

Recap:

Our crew flew up to Contractor Nation's headquarters in Connecticut this past weekend to learn, network, recognize other dealers, and have fun!

On Friday we started the day with classes at the convention center. The first class was a general session where we were able to learn from David Horsager, a New York Times best seller and a professor of trust. He made us think deeply about how trust works and not only how it applies to our professional lives, but also our personal lives. After the general session we then split up classes based onto our departments. In these breakout sessions with our specific departments, we were able to connect with people with the same professions at other dealers across the country. After these classes, we headed to our awards dinner where we recognize the hard work of everyone through the network, including ourselves. We had greater rankings than last year and it was great to see our hard work pay off. Next year we aim for even higher. Other awards were given out including a community-based award, which we were nominated for because of our DragonFly sponsorship.

On Saturday we were able to break away from the convention center and visit the Contractor Nation campus, located in a beautiful and hilly Connecticut country side. This campus is where all our products are manufactured, tested, marketed, and sold. It was really interesting to tour the campus and be able to see the history of it all. We then had more breakout classes where we really got to get technical and learn. Contractor Nation was so kind to provide us with great food, gear, education, and transportation.

To sum it all up, this was a great learning experience for us. It also really showed us just how extensive of a network we have at Contractor Nation. We will be ready to compete and learn again next year! We are constantly learning and absorbing resources to better help you, the customer!

Happy Halloween from The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati

2022-10-31T00:00:00.05Z

We had three contestants in the cook-off this year.

Here at The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati, we love to take some time to relax with our office, sales, and production staff. It's been a few months since our last cookout and I received a few requests for another one before the weather got too cold. That gave me the idea of something fun for Halloween, (It's my favorite holiday) I brought it up to management and they agreed it was time to do something again. Bobby decided it would be a great idea to do a chili cook-off, so I went to work and started planning the party!

We had a ton of fun celebrating together.

Our sales representatives and production staff are out in the field a majority of the time. So we decided to have a party the Friday before Halloween because that is when the largest number of our staff was guaranteed to be in the office. We had three contestants enter the chili cook-off Glen, Rick, and Diana. All of the chili was delicious. There was a variety of flavors, we had a spicy one, a sweet one that was meant to resemble Cincinnati chili, and a savory one. Ultimately there could only be one winner but deciding on that person would be tough! It was almost a tie until one of the employees announced he hadn't entered his decision yet. Ultimately Glen was the winner of our Golden Serving Spoon.

The trophy was a fun project I put together to announce
the winner.

The chili cook-off was so much fun we had several requests to do it again next year. I look forward to our new tradition for years to come!

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati Attends CN Live 2022

2022-09-20T00:00:00.05Z

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati Travels to Connecticut

Each year, our parent company, Contractor Nation, hosts a large network-wide conference at their home base in Connecticut. This past weekend, thousands of CEOs and their employees showed up to network and continue their education with one another. While educational, the convention is full of fun and opportunities to celebrate our individual successes.

We traveled with our sister companies, The Basement Doctor of Central Kentucky and Klaus Roofing Systems of Cincinnati.

Nominations and Awards

On Friday night, we celebrated our achievements throughout the network. Although we didn’t win, we were thrilled to be nominated for the 2022 Impact Award for our participation in Ride for Dragonfly.

Our proudest moment of the weekend was our award for coming in 21st place in the Dealer Network for total sales! It’s an honor we don’t take lightly, and we couldn’t have accomplished it without the help and support of our dedicated employees. Our accomplishments for 2021-2022 wouldn’t have been possible without all of you. A huge thank you to each and every one of our staff.

The Basement Doctor Presents Ride For Dragonfly

2022-08-23T15:56:02.05Z

Ride for Dragonfly is a family-friendly event that takes place on Saturday, August 27th, 2022. The concept for the fundraiser was created by the family friend of a young cancer patient, Walter “SuperBubz” Herbert, who passed away in late 2017. They felt this was the best way to honor the life of such a special child.

Stopping childhood cancer is a cause that is near and dear to Bobby’s heart. He takes a lot of pride in his sponsorship of The Dragonfly Foundation and Ride For Dragonfly. That is why he would like to personally invite you to this event. Proceeds from this fundraising event go to fund pediatric cancer research.

For full details about the event, please check out The Dragonfly Foundation’s website by clicking here.

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati is Proud to Present: Ride For Dragonfly

2022-08-04T00:00:00.05Z

Whether you're located in College Corner, Fairfield, West Chester, or Cincinnati,
join us on August 27th, 2022 to help raise money for childhood cancer research.

Our office is buzzing with excitement about the 5th annual Ride For Dragonfly. The president of our company, Bobby Miles, has been a long-time supporter of this event and The Dragonfly Foundation. Ride For Dragonfly is a fundraising event to aid in pediatric cancer research.

Ride for Dragonfly

For full details about the event, please check out The Dragonfly Foundation’s website by clicking here.

A Brief History of The Dragonfly Foundation

The Dragonfly Foundation was founded by Christine Neitzke after her son, Matt, was diagnosed with cancer in 2010. Her heart was broken by the lack of support some of Matt’s fellow pediatric cancer patients had. She was determined to create a place where patients could find strength, courage, and joy.

The Dragonfly Foundation has created a community for the patients and families that suffer from childhood cancer. They offer them a space that provides understanding, support, resources, and opportunities for the families. This isn’t just support while the child undergoes treatment. The Dragonfly Foundation follows families for a lifetime!

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati would love it if you could help us give back to the community! You can make a difference in the life of a child with pediatric cancer and help support their family during this tumultuous time. If you can’t make it but would still like to donate, click here. The link will take you right to their donation page.

Improve Your Air Quality with The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati

2022-07-22T00:00:00.05Z

Does your house smell musty on humid days? Do you have a leak in your basement every time it rains? Is your insulation falling down from the subfloor of your open crawl space? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you likely have poor air quality in your home. Don’t panic because The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati has all the solutions you need.

How Basements And Crawl Spaces Affect Your Air Quality

Your home is not an airtight structure. In fact, as the materials in your house age, more air is able to get in. Crawl spaces and basements are the perfect places for humid air to get in because the cool air is pulled through the lower levels of your home. When it enters your home, it starts to warm up and rise. It will exit through the upper levels of your house through windows, doors, and the attic. This process is known as the “stack effect.”

Here is an example of the stack effect. The air enters the DeMossville Kentucky home through the crawl space.
Then the dust and mold disperse through the rest of the house causing the air quality to go down.

As the air rises, it condenses, leaving standing water in your crawl space and basement. This is where the stack effect causes problems for your home. Without proper dehumidification, the humid air causes mold, wood rot, and other problems that wreak havoc on your air quality.

Why It Matters

Poor air quality affects your health. It can cause or worsen things like COPD, children’s respiratory problems, and asthma.

How The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati Can Help

You don’t have to live with low air quality. The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati can help you in several ways. The best solutions are crawl space encapsulation, basement waterproofing, dehumidifiers, and our top-of-the-line air purifier.

Encapsulate Your Crawl Space

Dirt crawl spaces are one of the biggest offenders for lowering the quality of air in your home. They are more susceptible to temperature fluctuations. The air that comes in is full of pollutants and pollen from the outside. They are also more likely to leak. These factors increase the level of mold spores in your home.

We install a vapor barrier that encapsulates the crawl space, isolates, and shields the interior from the elements, keeping the area dry and clean. Since everything in your home is connected, by creating a healthier environment in your crawl space, you create a healthier environment for your whole home.

We also have several crawl space insulation products that will assist in temperature control. TerraBlock™ is made of ¾" foam insulation. It is puncture resistant and can be used with or without our CleanSpace system. Additionally, we have SilverGlo™ Crawl Space Wall Insulation. It’s a 2” thick waterproof polystyrene insulation with a reflective surface. It prevents cold air from entering during the winter and keeps the warm air in. It also acts as a vapor barrier to keep your crawlspace warm and dry all year long.

This is an example of how nice TerraBlock, SliverGlo, and BrightWall will look in
Sabina Ohio crawl space.

Waterproof Your Basement

Mold loves dark, cool places, making your basement the ideal growing space. It wastes no time making itself at home in your home, so if you have an active leak in your basement, it's likely the spores are already contaminating the air.

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati has a multitude of ways to stop a leak in your basement. It all just depends on how the water is getting into your home. The most common solution is our French drain system, WaterGuard®. This system is installed beneath your basement floor at the floor joist level. This system is capable of collecting a majority of the water in your basement and directing it to our TripleSafe™ Sump Pump System.

Water can get in from just about anywhere. So, when our WaterGuard system isn’t enough, we have plenty of other solutions for you. For instance, if the water is coming in from under a door, our TrenchDrain™ Grated Drainage Pipe will be able to collect the water to stop it from entering your basement.

We worked with Ohio Premier Trophy Outfitters in West Union Ohio to waterproof their storage facilities.
Brightwall doesn't have to be installed on every wall. But it looks really sleek when it does.

If the water is coming from a crack in your wall, we have several solutions that can help with the assistance of our WaterGaurd and TripleSafe systems. ZenWall™, BrightWall®, and EverLast™ are just a few of the wall products that we have. These wall systems are waterproof barriers that direct any water coming in through the cracks in your wall towards our WaterGuard system. As an added bonus, if you intend to finish your basement, these walls make the space feel homey!

Dehumidifiers and Air Purifiers

Even a basement with an efficient waterproofing system might experience dampness and develop moisture and mold issues. That’s why we like to include an additional layer of protection for your basement and crawlspace.

The SaniDry Sedona is a high-performance dehumidifier and filtration system that filters mold spores, dust mite droppings, dust, and other particles. It removes up to 100 pints of water per day and moves over 300 cubic feet of dry air per minute. The best part is that it drains right into your sump pump system, so you don’t need to worry about emptying any trays or making sure you have access to a drain.

Our Cincinnati office is rather large so we have 2 of these
Aspen Air Purifiers running at all times.
It helps keep our employees healthy.

The product that we’re most excited about is The Aspen Air Purifier. It was created by our parent company’s very own Tanner Janesky. He created it because of his own severe allergies to pollen, mold, and pet dander. It has three levels of purification and doesn’t utilize materials that could cause you long-term harm, like ozone generators or UV lights.

The Aspen’s filtration process includes three steps.

The first is an allergy filter. This filter removes:
- mold spores
- dust mite droppings
- dust.
Then we have the activated carbon filter. It removes
- VOCs
- Odors
- Formaldehyde
- Chemicals
- tobacco smoke
The final filter in the Aspen is the microparticle HEPA filter. This process removes 99.97% of particles down to 0.1 microns, including
- smoke,
- soot,
- bacteria,
- smog,
- viruses, and more!

If you’re looking for an air purifier that will remove the COVID-19 virus from your house or business, this is the machine for you. Very few other air filtration systems can say that!

You don’t have to be a victim of poor air quality. The Basement Doctor can help you improve the health of your home with just one call. As an added bonus, if you call us today, we can even offer you a 3-day trial of our Aspen Air Purifier. You'll love it so much you won't want to give it back!

3 Signs Your Foundation is Settling

2022-06-13T00:00:00.05Z

Imagine this: you’ve invited your sister and her family over to enjoy your pool on a hot summer day. Your child approaches and tells you they’re thirsty. You instruct them to go inside and grab some juice boxes for the family to share. They groan because they were expecting you to go get it, but they comply. On their way in, your attention is drawn to your kiddo struggling to open the door. You complain to your sister about how the door is getting harder and harder to open. She tells you that it’s the wood swelling from the summer humidity. Sand it down it’ll be fine.

That solution might work in the short term. In reality, there is a much bigger issue at hand. Sticking doors and windows is just one of several ways to tell that you have a foundation problem in your home. If sticking doors aren’t a problem for you, that’s ok. There is more than one way to identify your foundation problems.

Foundation Cracks

Stair-Step Foundation Cracking

If you have an old brick home, there’s a good chance you’ve seen this type of crack. It’s the easiest way to indicate a foundation problem. Typically these are found outside your home. They can be found on the inside too.

Vertical Foundation Cracking

Vertical cracking is typically seen on poured concrete and foundation walls that were built from concrete blocks.

This Covington basement gives us an example of both vertical and stair-step cracks.

Drywall Cracks

When we inspect houses a lot of homeowners assume that cracks at drywall seams are from shoddy workmanship. As a result, many aren't too worried about them. Perhaps the homeowners before them were avid DIYers. They assume the cracks were showing up because the people who owned the house before didn't know what they were doing.

Homeowners are often surprised when they learn those cracks were a sign of something much more sinister. As you probably already guessed, it’s another sign of foundation settlement. It's good to learn about that before the issue gets any worse!

Door and Window Cracks

Doors and windows can give you a lot of insight into what is going on with your home. Cracks are the first one we’ll discuss. If you have a home with cracks starting at the corner of a window or door frame, it’s just one more sign that there is an issue. If you’ve recently moved into a home and noticed caulking around the exterior of windows and doors it’s typically a sign that the homeowners before you tried to fix the cracks themselves by caulking it up. This solution will not stop the continuing growth of the crack.

So which of these cracks are the worst? None of them are good and if you have any or all of them you should definitely get them addressed. To get the real answer though we asked our good friend Kyle Olson. He explained that the worst crack is an active crack. If you’ve noticed any of these cracks on your property don’t wait. Cracks start out small but they rarely stay that way.

Doors And Windows

Let’s finish the topic of windows and doors. Here are a few more things to look out for.

Doors and windows out of their square.
A window or door coming out of its framing.
The locking mechanism isn’t lining up anymore.
Lastly, our scenario in the beginning: sticking doors and windows.

So why are doors and windows such a good place to identify settlement? It’s the weakest point of the wall. It is therefore the first place signs of foundation settlement can be seen.

Chimneys

Sometimes the foundation of the chimney and the foundation of your house are not the same. So, if you have foundation settlement in either of these areas you may notice the chimney separating from the house. The chimney can start coming away from the house even if the foundation is the same. Either way, the separation between the chimney and the home’s structure is dangerous and should be dealt with quickly.

All of these signs and symptoms start out small. Many homeowners brush it off as a problem for the future. However, as small as the problem seems in the beginning, they can quickly become bigger, more expensive problems if they aren't addressed. Be proactive with the safety and health of your home. If you’re beginning to see signs of foundation problems, give us a call for your free estimate.

Your Foundation and Waterproofing Prescription is Ready!

2022-05-25T00:00:00.05Z

So, you’ve identified the signs of Hydrostatic pressure. You understand how ignoring these symptoms can threaten the structural integrity of your home and the safety of your family. Now what? Now it’s time to call The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati to figure out the best solution for you.

What Solutions Does The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati Offer?

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati offers a wide variety of solutions to a homeowner in need of basement waterproofing or foundation repairs. Here are our most common solutions.

Basement Waterproofing

If you have a wet basement the best solution is to install one of our patented drainage systems.

WaterGuard®

WaterGuard is a French drain system that is installed below the floor at the level of your floor joist. We install it at this level because any lower we’d hit the “mud zone.” We want to avoid this area because the mud zone is what causes clogs in the piping. By installing our WaterGuard system we direct the water into one of our sump pumps and effectively move the water out of your basement and away from the house.

Want to see our work? Click here to see our index of Before and After photos.

TripleSafe™ Sump Pump System

Our TripleSafe Sump Pump System is the most reliable sump pump you can find in the Northern Kentucky, Cincinnati, and Dayton areas. TripleSafe offers 3 levels of protection from water intrusion in your basement. It has two cast-iron Zoeller® pumps at 2 different levels. The primary pump sits at the lowest level and has ⅓ horsepower. In case the primary pump fails or the rain is coming down in high volumes the second Zoeller pump kicks on. This second pump runs at ½ horsepower and sits higher than the first so it can take over.

Keeping your system clean is a key component of proper maintenance. That's why we offer
annual maintenance on all of our systems.

Hundreds of people lose power when strong storms sweep through Cincinnati. When your home is hit by a power outage our TripleSafe Sump Pump system has you covered. The last layer of protection is our UltraSump. This is a battery backup sump pump that sits at the highest part of the sump pump. On a full battery, it can easily pump out a minimum of 11,500 gallons of water from your basement.

Foundation Repair

Whether your foundation is settling or your foundation walls are bowing The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati has all of your foundation repair needs. Here are just a few of our solutions.

Steel Pier Systems

If you’re experiencing issues with horizontal or vertical foundation cracks, tilting chimneys, inward leaning walls, or cracking/sinking slab floors our foundation push pier system is your solution. Our corrosion-resistant piers come in black steel and galvanized steel. They are installed in the ground but they are engineered to cause as little disturbance to your home as possible. We offer three different types of push piers.

Foundation Push Pier System

These work best in situations when we don’t know the soil conditions

Foundation Helical Piers

During installation, the plates on these piers help pull the pier into the soil. Another wonderful thing about this service is that it can be done year-round.

Slab Pier System

This system helps lift and stabilize settled slab foundations. It extends deep enough to connect with load-bearing soil or bedrock. Like our push pier system, it is designed to be minimally invasive.

Our Push Pier System when installed in the ground.

Geo-Lock™

Our Geo-Lock system uses the virgin soil in your yard as an anchor to prevent/fix bowing and cracking in your foundation. The results are almost instantaneous. When we are completed with the job your foundation's wall should be permanently fixed.

PowerBrace™

Our preferred method of foundation repairs is the Geo-lock or Pier system. When Geo-Lock is not an option we turn to our PowerBrace foundation wall system. Our PowerBrace system doesn’t go outside the home. Instead of using the soil to stabilize the home, it uses the floor and floor joist. It uses a patented adjustment mechanism that pushes the bowed or buckling wall back towards its upright position. Powerbraces are proven to shift your foundation walls back to their normal vertical state.

These seven examples are just a few proven methods The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati uses to repair your foundation and waterproof your home. We encourage you to continue looking around our website for more ideas and information. You can even check out our reviews! Once you’re ready, call our office to schedule your free estimate.

Shopping Around for Basement Waterproofing? The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati has all the Educational Tools You Need!

2022-04-28T00:00:00.05Z

Recently, we received a call from a customer that was having problems with work done by one of our competitors. Their basement was still leaking, and their drywall was showing signs of water damage. Bobby Miles, the President of our company, went out to the job site to see what was going on. He found out that the company they had used previously told them they didn’t have to take down the drywall. That’s exactly where the continuing leak and mold were coming from. When you receive a visit from one of our certified inspectors, you can feel good knowing that we’re not going to tell you lies to make a sale. If we inspect your home and find that you don’t have any major issues, we aren’t going to try to sell you products you don’t need. The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati doesn’t take shortcuts. We do the job right the first time, so you don’t run into problems down the road.

The gap between the floor and wall
should only be 3/8 of an inch. That's
why drywall must come down in the
waterproofing process.

The Wrong Way to Waterproof a Basement

Installing The System Too Deep

When houses are built, they’re typically built with a pipe outside the foundation. In theory, this prevents water from getting inside the house. So many things can go wrong with that pipe though. Over time, this pipe almost always fails because it gets filled up with silt and soil. It’s no longer capable of protecting the interior of your home.

As you know from our previous pieces on hydrostatic pressure, water is going to make its way into your basement one way or another. How you control it determines how healthy your home is. Like us, most companies are going to take measures to control where that water goes when it does enter your home with an interior system.

There’s a great debate within the waterproofing industry about how deep to install your system. There’s no debate for us. We at the Basement Doctor know better than to install the system any lower than the footing. We install it there because that’s where the clear water zone is. Any deeper you reach the mud zone. That’s exactly where the exterior pipes are installed. So, when that area gets wet, you're going to have the same problem you did with the pipe outside your home. The drain is going to fill up with silt and soil which causes catastrophic system failure. That is precisely what we’re trying to prevent.

The Myth of Self-Flushing Lines

Some of our competitors will tell you that their system is “self-flushing.” That means when mud gets into the system, it will flush the mud out itself. When you have an inspector on your property, keep in mind that mud should never get into your system in the first place.

Mud in your pipes means ultimate system failure. Even if the pipes do move mud through the floor drains, it’s just going to end up in your sump pump. The sump pump is meant to move water, not mud. If someone tells you that their system is self-flushing, don’t believe them! It’s a lie.

The Drain and Your Foundation Wall

Our introduction story touches lightly on the subject of foundation walls and a basement waterproofing system. To work properly, a waterproofing system should have a gap between the drain and the wall, but it shouldn’t be any larger than ⅜ an inch. A common name for this is a French drain.

Here you can see an example of what it looks like when a
French drain doesn't have flanges. Dirt and debris easily
enter the cracks.

The average French drain leaves the gap open. The problem with this gap is that it lets more than just water in. Drywall dust, pens, pencils, and crayons from a child exploring their world, and other basement debris are just a few examples of what could get into the cracks. Our WaterGuard has flanges that prevent these unwanted objects from clogging the drain in the first place.

Waterguard prevents debris from entering the gap between the floor and the wall.

We know that basement waterproofing is an investment. We understand that you could talk to a few companies before you talk to us. The most important thing is that you have all the information you need as a consumer, so you don’t invest in the wrong company. You don’t need a business that will sell you lies. You need a company with integrity. You need The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati. Call us today for your free estimate.

The Weight Of Hydrostatic Pressure

2022-02-25T00:00:00.05Z

A 3D rendition of hydrostatic pressure.

Have you ever wondered why sometimes your house can go months or even years without a leak in your basement, then, bam! You’re dealing with a flood from nowhere! You may find it interesting to know that it’s not random. It’s hydrostatic pressure. Between the snow, ice, and rain that we’ve had recently, it’s no surprise that you’re experiencing water intrusion in your basement or crawlspace now. If so, these symptoms may recede when the rain clears up but will ultimately worsen over time.

The immense weight that water puts on your foundation every year can affect many aspects of your life. It can threaten your health and your safety. Today, we’ll focus on how it can threaten your safety by putting a strain on the structural integrity of your home.

Foundation Cracks Caused by Hydrostatic Pressure

If your foundation walls are exposed, take a look at them. Do they have thin horizontal or step cracks? Those are caused by hydrostatic pressure. Like with any structure, your foundation walls can only handle so much weight. Eventually, the weight of moisture and soil will beat out the concrete and brick in your basement or crawl space.

Your foundation is going to relieve this pressure in at least one of several ways. The foundation walls could crack, or worse, they could buckle. The doors and windows could come out of their frames. By nature, water seeks the path of least resistance. You may not have any visual structural damage at all, but water can seep up from the floor/wall joints. Ultimately, any of the following will result in water intrusion into your home.

If the necessary foundation repairs go ignored for too long, the structural impact that could have on your home is severe. The cracked and buckling walls could fail, which would mean unsafe living conditions. Don’t ignore these problems. Basement crack repairs are essential to your health and safety.

The Worst Plants To Have Next To Your Foundation

2022-01-05T00:00:00.05Z

The Worst Plants to Have Next to Your Foundation in Ohio

Your home's foundation is its backbone, protecting everything above it. But did you know that some seemingly innocent, or even beloved, plants can pose a severe threat to this critical structure? As Ohio homeowners, understanding which plants to avoid near your foundation can save you thousands in repairs and countless headaches.

Let's dive into the most notorious offenders that can cause significant damage to your home's foundation and surrounding areas.

The tree seen to the left of this driveway had a root system that was undermining the concrete slabs. Click here to see how we repaired this driveway in Hamilton, OH.

Foundation Foes You Need to Know:

These plants represent a spectrum of threats, from popular landscaping choices gone wrong to aggressive invaders that demand immediate attention.

1. Oak Trees: The Beloved Behemoths

While majestic and vital to our ecosystem, mature oak trees (Quercus species) are the most frequent topic of concern on homeowner forums, and for good reason. Their extensive and powerful root systems are designed for stability and nutrient absorption over centuries. If a large oak is planted too close to your foundation, its roots can grow directly against or even underneath the concrete. As the tree matures, these roots can exert immense pressure, potentially leading to cracks, heaving, or shifting of your foundation over many years. While beautiful, they need ample space to thrive away from your home.

2. English Ivy: The Pretty (But Problematic) Climber

English Ivy (Hedera helix) is a classic choice for groundcover or to create that charming, old-world look on brick walls. However, its popularity is often matched by homeowners' regret. This aggressive vine adheres to surfaces with tiny rootlets that can penetrate existing cracks in mortar and brickwork. As the ivy grows and these rootlets thicken, they widen those fissures. Even worse, a dense layer of ivy traps moisture against your walls, fostering mold, rot, and exacerbating damage during Ohio's freeze-thaw cycles. Removing mature ivy can also be destructive, often stripping paint, dislodging bricks, or pulling away siding.

This wet basement in Hamilton, OH, had a window destroyed by English Ivy. Click here to see how we waterproofed this basement and replaced the window.

3. Japanese Knotweed & Kudzu: The Destructive Duo

These two plants are notorious for their highly invasive and destructive nature, so much so that it is illegal to purchase, sell, or transport Japanese Knotweed and Kudzu in Ohio. If you spot either, immediate action is crucial.

Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica): Often mistaken for bamboo due to its hollow, segmented stems, Japanese Knotweed is a true nightmare for foundations. Its incredibly strong and deep-reaching rhizome (underground stem) system can exploit tiny cracks in concrete, asphalt, and even solid foundations, causing severe structural damage.
- How to spot it: Look for stout, bamboo-like stems with reddish-purple speckles, growing in dense thickets. Leaves are heart-shaped or spade-shaped.

Japanese Knotweed has very strong stem systems.

Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata): Known as "the vine that ate the South," Kudzu is also an invasive species in Ohio. While our colder winters prevent it from becoming as rampant as it is further south, kudzu's extensive root system stores enough energy to allow it to survive the cold and rebound vigorously each spring. Its primary threat to foundations is not direct root invasion but its incredible growth rate. It can rapidly engulf and smother everything, including smaller outbuildings, fences, and even parts of your home, causing collapse from sheer weight and trapping moisture against walls.
- How to spot it: Large, lobed leaves (often in sets of three, like a large poison ivy), purplish flowers in late summer, and extremely fast-growing, hairy vines.

4. Bamboo: The Exotic Invader

While attractive for privacy screens or an exotic touch, most varieties of bamboo, particularly the "running" types (Phyllostachys species), can quickly become an invasive headache. Much like English Ivy, its popularity leads many homeowners to plant it without realizing its aggressive nature. Its sharp, strong rhizomes spread rapidly underground, easily penetrating cracks in concrete foundations, basement walls, driveways, and sidewalks. Once established, it can be incredibly difficult to remove and has been known to even pop up inside homes. If you must have bamboo, always opt for non-invasive "clumping" varieties or plant running bamboo only in sturdy, root-barrier-lined containers.

P.S. The Recently Banned: No Longer for Sale in Ohio

It's worth noting that some other highly destructive trees are no longer legal to purchase or plant in Ohio due to their widespread ecological damage and ability to destroy ecosystems:

Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana): Effective January 2023, the sale and planting of this tree (including popular cultivars like 'Bradford Pear') are banned in Ohio. Beyond its weak branch structure that leads to storm damage, it's highly invasive. As an added nuisance, its dense white blossoms, which are a major component of its rapid spread, release a foul odor often described as smelling like rotting fish.
Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima): This fast-growing invasive tree was also banned in Ohio as of January 2023. Its aggressive root system is notorious for exploiting and widening cracks in foundations, sidewalks, and driveways, and it spreads rapidly, displacing native species.

Final Thoughts on Planting Safely

Before you plant anything near your home's foundation, take a moment to do some research. Understand not only the plant's nature and full-grown size, but also the nature of your home. Are there any known issues with your foundation? Are there any underground utility lines like electric, water, or sewer that you should be aware of? By being a proactive and informed homeowner, you can protect your investment and maintain your home's structural integrity for years to come!

5 Warning Signs That Hydrostatic Pressure Is Taking Its Toll On your Foundation

2021-12-03T00:00:00.05Z

A crack this big is large enough to let in a substantial amount of water.

Picture this, you’re snuggled under a blanket watching TV on your favorite couch in your finished basement. It’s been raining cats and dogs for two days, but you feel safe and warm in your home. You head over to your kitchenette to grab a snack and, that’s when you feel it. Water has soaked through your fuzzy socks. Panicking, you get down on your hands and knees and find that the carpet is the dampest by the wall. You have never had water damage in your basement before. Where is it coming from? And why is it coming through now?

Hydrostatic Pressure

To put it simply the water intrusion is likely from Hydrostatic pressure. You may be asking yourself, “What is that?” Edinformatics.com defines Hydrostatic pressure as:

The pressure that is exerted by a fluid at equilibrium at a given point within the fluid, due to the force of gravity. Hydrostatic pressure increases in proportion to depth measured from the surface because of the increasing weight of fluid exerting downward force from above.

From a homeowners perspective, it can also be explained as the water pressure that’s placed on your home, from heavy or extended rainfall. During steady rainfall, thousands of gallons of water penetrate the soil surrounding your home. When too much rain enters the soil too quickly, it can’t properly drain away. Gravity takes its course, and the water funneling underneath the ground surface has to go somewhere, so it channels down against or below your home’s foundation walls. Either can spell bad news for your home, as water will always find the point of least resistance and can thus enter or create cracks in your foundation walls and/or basement slab floor – yielding leaks, floods, high humidity, musty odors, wall discoloration and possible mold spore growth in your home’s foundation.

Soil and Hydrostatic pressure

The type of soil you have can play a big part in how much hydrostatic pressure you deal with during heavy rains. Sandy and loamy soil drain quickly. Clay, on the other hand, does not. It absorbs water slowly and drains it slowly as well. That’s part of the reason why Cincinnati basements have so many issues with water intrusion.

Homes built on top of a basement or crawl space foundation are surrounded by soil called backfill. It’s the soil that was used to fill in the space that was dug up to form a hole to build the house. The soil on your property that was untouched by the builders is called virgin soil. It’s stronger and more compact than the backfill. Because there is less space between soil particles, virgin soil doesn’t absorb the rainwater as fast as backfill. This causes hydrostatic pressure to put more strain on your foundation than equalizing throughout the rest of your yard.

Signs Your Basement Needs a Doctor

If you’re in a new home you may not experience foundation problems due to hydrostatic pressure for years. Over time, that will change. It can start slowly or can happen fast. Either way, you’ll want to be able to identify the warning signs as quickly as possible.

Musty odors

If your basement begins to smell musty, don’t ignore it or try to hide it with an air freshener. That could be your first clue that water is beginning to intrude.

Bugs

Insects can crawl through the tiniest spaces. Keep an eye out for earwigs, carpenter ants, pillbugs, and house centipedes. They’re a good indicator that you may have cracks in the foundation.

Water Damage

For most homeowners, this is their first sign that something is wrong.

Cracks

Along with water damage, cracks, big or small, are the most noticeable signs that you have a foundation issue. Odds are your home has been feeling the pressure for a long time.

Bowing and Buckling

If your walls have started bowing or buckling it’s time to act fast. The structural integrity of your home could be at stake.

If you’re experiencing any of these warning signs, don’t hesitate to call The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati for a free estimate. Our highly trained professionals are here to guide you through the process of waterproofing your basement.

The Basement Doctor Comes Together With Their Cincinnati Community

2021-11-30T00:00:00.05Z

Brightwall channels water from foundation cracks into the WaterGuard to prevent water intrusion.

There is something special about the holidays that makes our hearts grow three sizes. That’s why November through December is considered The Season of Giving. It is so important to us as a culture that nearly 31% of all annual donations happen in December, says Neonone.com. The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati is no exception to the giving culture. When the opportunity presents itself, and we’re able, we love to give back to the community too.

The Opportunity

Not so long ago a member of our Sales Team was approached by a previous customer. They were impressed with our work and wanted to know if we could help a neighbor in need. These neighbors, she explained, are kind, generous, and selfless. They are true pillars of the community.

Life has thrown some challenges their way. They are a multigenerational family of five living in a small home. So space is of the essence. That’s why their basement was part of the problem. When it rained, hydrostatic pressure and a crack in the wall would cause the basement to flood. Water intrusion made the space in their basement unsanitary and therefore unusable as a living space.

To help her neighbors, our point of contact raised some money to get the basement waterproofed. She knew that the amount of money raised wasn’t quite enough to get the job done. That’s when she asked our Salesman Roger. He donated some of his own money, and our owner Bobby Miles covered the remainder of the cost.

How We Solved The Problem

To waterproof this basement, first, we installed a sump pump. Next, the perimeter was surrounded by our WaterGuard system. To prevent water damage from a large crack in the foundation wall, our foreman and technician installed Brightwall paneling to channel any potential leaks into the WaterGuard.

The WaterGuard system keeps water from entering the home by guiding water towards the sump pump.

Waterproofing the basement was life-changing for this family. We are proud to have been part of this project. Knowing that we helped this family’s quality of life makes our hearts swell. Thank you, Cincinnati, for letting us be a part of your community and the opportunity to give back.

Identifying Structural Issues in Your Home

2021-04-12T00:00:00.05Z

Foundation Settlement

No amount of foundation settlement is ever normal or good - and it will only get worse over time. But how can you know if your foundation is settling? If your doors and windows are sticking or your walls have started cracking - it is time to have your foundation evaluated.

The following can be signs of foundation settlement in your home:

Sticking doors and windows
Cracking steps
Tilting chimney
Cracking walls

Sagging Floors

Sloping and sagging first-level floors can be a sign of structural issues in your crawl space or basement. If you are noticing uneven, sloping, or sagging floors in your home - you may have structural issues that need to be addressed.

Keep an eye out for the following signs of sagging floors:

Sticking doors
Gaps between the floor and wall
Rotten wooden crawl space floor joists
Cracking walls

Wall Failure

Foundation wall failure is one of the more obvious and disturbing foundation issues that you may notice in your home. Typically this is displayed through bowing, tipping, or sliding foundation walls. We have several systems that will resolve these issues and permanently stabilize the walls.

Look out for the following signs of wall failure in your home:

Top of wall tipping in
Bottom of wall sliding in
Leaning walls
Cracking Walls

What should I do about structural issues in my home?

Once you have noticed the signs of structural damage in your home, it's important to get them professionally addressed as soon as possible. This ensures the greatest chance for resolution and even potentially reversal of the damage.

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati Named 2019 Torch Award Winner

2020-02-27T11:07:25.05Z

The Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics is Greater Cincinnati's only ethics-centered awards program. For 19 years, local businesses and nonprofits have demonstrated their dedication to ethics by going through a process of self-evaluation and submitting to feedback from a panel of judges. This year, The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati was among 5 Cincinnati companies recognized as Torch Award recipients. They were honored at the Torch Awards Event Friday, October 18, at the Sharonville Convention Center.

The Basement Doctor has earned numerous awards over the years. In addition to the Torch Award, the company is a multiple-year winner of the Consumers' Choice Awards, among other accolades. "It's a privilege to honor a business like Basement Doctor," says CorrieMcGlothlin, Vice President of BBB Center for Ethics. "The Torch Award sets exceptional organizations apart. We believe celebrating the best businesses makes our community better".

Since its founding in 1987, The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati has provided solutions to homeowners with foundation and basement problems in the Cincinnati Tri-State area. They provide complete basement waterproofing, foundation repair, crawl space encapsulation, and concrete leveling services.

"We feel it's an honor to be a part of the BBB, and the highest honor is to be able to win the Torch Award," said Bobby Miles, owner of The Basement Doctor. The company is thankful to those who helped throughout the Torch Award Process.

About The Basement Doctor:

As a member of the international Basement Systems Network, The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati has access to the best products and training in the industry. The company has patented and proven products that are designed to provide long-lasting solutions. They offer free estimates in West Chester, Hamilton, Fairfield, Mason, and throughout the surrounding areas.

Call us today at (513)586-3505 or visit our website: https://www.basementdoctorcincy.com

Contact information:

Jeff Chernoff Consumers' Choice Award https://consumerschoiceaward.com (866)292-7322

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati Groundbreaking Ceremony!

2018-11-08T10:15:33.05Z

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati broke ground for a new warehouse on November 8, 2018. Bobby Miles, President of The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati, turned the first soil to begin this project. A new 180' x 60' state-of-the-art warehouse, with a new loading dock and space to house 24+ trucks, will be constructed behind the office. We are excited to watch the warehouse construction being completed, knowing that this will also help us to provide the best service to our customers. Completion and ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held in the Spring of 2019.

The BasementDoctor Cincinnati was chosen as an Honoree for the 2014 BBB Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics

2014-11-03T13:24:53.05Z

For Immediate Release Media Contact: Sandra Guile, Public Relations Specialist BBB Serving Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, & Southeast Indiana 513.639.9126 | Direct 513.284.3114 | Smartphone sguile@cincinnati.bbb.org BBB®Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics Honorees Announced Cincinnati, Ohio (October 24, 2014) Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. of Newport, Kentucky; Shiver Security Services of Mason, Ohio; The Basement Doctor of Symmes, Ohio and Over-the-Rhine & Walnut Hills Kitchens and Pantry of Cincinnati, Ohio were named as honorees of the 14th Annual BBB Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics in the Pavilion Ballroom at the Horseshoe Casino, Thursday, October 23. “Our honorees take great pride in ensuring an ethical marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust one another. This honor is earned through an exhaustive self evaluation. The end result is an extraordinary recognition from their peers and the community,” said Jocile Ehrlich, President and CEO of BBB. Accolades for the honorees, punctuated by applause were well deserved after successfully completing a thorough self-evaluation of ethical practices and policies. Each application was carefully reviewed by a third party judging panel for a final selection, culminating in a glamorous celebration hosted by The Center for Ethics at BBB. Applications for the 2015 Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics will be available in January. More information about Cincinnati BBB and The Center for Ethics at BBB is available by visiting bbb.org.

The Basement Doctor Cincinnati Receives 2014 Best of Cincinnati Award

2014-07-10T11:20:59.05Z

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Basement Doctor Cincinnati Receives 2014 Best of Cincinnati Award

Cincinnati Award Program Honors the Achievement

CINCINNATI July 3, 2014 -- The Basement Doctor Cincinnati has been selected for the 2014 Best of Cincinnati Award in the Waterproofing Contractors category by the Cincinnati Award Program.

Each year, the Cincinnati Award Program identifies companies that we 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 our community. These exceptional companies help make the Cincinnati area a great place to live, work and play.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2014 Cincinnati Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Cincinnati Award Program and data provided by third parties.

About Cincinnati Award Program

The Cincinnati Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Cincinnati area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.

The Cincinnati Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community's contributions to the U.S. economy.

SOURCE: Cincinnati Award Program

The Basement Doctor Cincinnati helps support the Muscular Dystrophy Association!

2014-07-10T11:09:58.05Z

The Basement Doctor Cincinnati is a proud sponsor of Quaker Steak & Lube bike night, as well as the Muscular Dystrophy Association! https://www.facebook.com/qslcolerain

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is an American organization ...which combats muscular dystrophy and diseases of the nervous system and muscular system in general by funding research, providing medical and community services, and educating
professionals and the general public. To learn more, go to: http://mda.org/

— at Quaker Steak & Lube - Colerain, OH.

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati Wins Several Awards at the 2013 Basement Systems Dealer Convention

2013-09-18T11:58:55.05Z

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati was recently honored at the Annual Team Basement Systems Convention, a gathering with dealers located across the United States, Canada and the UK.

The annual convention is held each year at the Basement Systems headquarters in Seymour, CT and the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT. The three day event brings together dealers in the international network for training, seminars, networking, vendor and team building events, and celebration.

This year, the Basement Doctor of Cincinnati received 2 awards at the Team Basement Systems International Convention.

Out of 221 active dealers, the Basement Doctor of Cincinnati was awarded:

Top 50 Basement Systems Dealers by Purchases (Ranked 41st)
Top 50 Foundation Supportworks Dealers - Total Sales (Ranked 32nd)

The high-powered event featured best-selling author and motivational speaker Aron Ralston. His book, Between A Rock And A Hard Place, was turned into the critically acclaimed movie 127 Hours starring James Franco. Ralston moved the crowd with his inspirational story of survival and posed for pictures afterwards with attendees.

Google also had a presence at this spectacular event. Two Google representatives delivered a behind the scenes peek at how to best utilize the search engines tools for successful business results.

Close to eleven hundred people attended the annual Basement Systems Convention this year, which is the highest attendance to date. The flagship event is held each August in Connecticut.

About the Basement Doctor of Cincinnati

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati is a certified Basement Systems and Foundation Supportworks dealer specializing in basement waterproofing, basement finishing, crawl space repair and foundation settlement repair. Since 1987, owner Bobby Miles and his knowledgeable staff have helped transform thousands of wet and cracked basements into dry and structurally sound foundations with their award-winning and warranted solutions.

About Basement Systems, Inc.

Basement Systems, Inc. is the leader in the development of products used to provide a dry, below-grade space. These waterproofing solutions are delivered through a network of trained, experienced dealers. Basement Systems is a network of more than 300 dealers throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Ireland. Each dealer receives comprehensive, on-going training at company headquarters in Seymour, Connecticut. All Basement Systems dealers have the same goal: to provide a permanent solution for healthier basement environments.

About Foundation Supportworks, Inc.

Foundation Supportworks is an international network of independently-owned and operated foundation repair dealerships across North America. Each dealer is authorized, trained and certified at one of two Foundation Supportworks headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska and Seymour, Connecticut. Foundation Supportworks maintains a staff of both geotechnical and structural engineers to assist in product design, dealer support, and quality assurance of all their state-of-the-art structural repair products.

The Basement Doctor Wins Awards at the 2012 Basement Systems Dealer Convention

2012-10-24T11:18:34.05Z

The Basement Doctor was recently honored at a meeting with close to 1,000 guests from all over the United States, Canada and the UK, at this year’s Team Basement Systems Convention.

The annual convention is held each year between Seymour, CT, (Basement Systems headquarters) and Hartford, CT, and brings together dealerships of the international network for training, seminars, networking, celebration, vendor and team building events.

This year The Basement Doctor received 2 awards at the Team Basement Systems International Convention. The Basement Doctor was awarded for ranking in the Top 50 Foundation Supportworks, Inc. (FSI) Dealers - Total Sales and in the Top 50 Basement Systems Dealers by Purchases.

The high-powered event featured international motivational speaker Andy Andrews! Andrews, world-renowned speaker and author (The Travelers Gift) dazzled the crowd with his presentation highlighting personal choices and attitudes that make the difference between failure and success.

Google even had a presence at this spectacular event! Two Google representatives delivered a behind the scenes peek at how to best utilize the search engines tools for successful business results. This year, the annual flagship event was the BEST yet!

The Basement Doctor is a certified Basement Systems dealer specializing in basement waterproofing, crawl space repair and foundation settlement.

Basement Systems is an international network of basement waterproofing, crawl space repair and basement finishing contractors, led by Company Founder and President, Larry Janesky. The international headquarters, based in Seymour, CT has been helping homeowners increase their usable living space for over 20 years across the United States, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The company has 27-patented basement and crawl space products, designed to help homeowners get more out of their basements and increase their home's value.