Fire is one of natures most destructive forces all around the world causing billions of dollars a year in damages and thousands of unnecessary deaths per year in the United States. Interesting fact, earth is the only known planet where fire can burn. Fire is the rapid oxidation of material in the exothermic process of releasing light, heat and many different reacting products. There is a certain point in the combustion reaction process in what is call the ignition point which and when reached flames ignite. This becomes potentially dangerous and potentially deadly if caught off guard and/or properly prepared.

7 facts about fire:

• Fire is a chemical reaction that releases heat and light
• Fire requires heat, oxygen and fuel to burn
• Fire is an occurrence or event, not a thing...
• Assuming stable heat, fuel and oxygen levels, a typical house fire will become twice the size with every passing minute
• Earth is the only known planet with enough oxygen to sustain fire
• Spontaneous combustion is real. Some sources can generate their own heat  like rotting wood for instance. Even old newspapers and magazines along with compost piles and gas cans
• Fires like forest fires move uphill faster than downhill and same with a home  fire that started In the basement will quickly move to your roof consuming the entire home at a rapid rate.
  

3 different ways fire can be stopped:

• Removing the fuel source by exhausting or taking it away
• Remove oxygen by exhausting or taking it away
• Removing heat by saturating it with water

5 Beneficial tips in case of a basement fire in case of emergency:

• Identify sources of egress also known as escape routes
• Installing fire rated doors on utility rooms
• Do not block any sources of egress at at time
• Always have a mounted fire extinguisher ready
• Do not store any highly combustible items in basement or any items near a heat source even outlets especially overloaded outlets

National building codes across the country require installation of egress windows in any finished basement with a bedroom. In my opinion any basement should have an egress window installed due to the fact that at any given moment you can be trapped in your basement with no forms of escape. Having an egress window could mean life or death for you and your loved ones which in the same aspect why fire escapes are installed on high rise buildings. 

Building code requirements for a legal egress window:

• Window must be minimum 5.7 sq. ft.
• Window must have minimum 20" net clear when open
• Exterior window well must be 9 sq. ft.
• Inside of exterior window well depth not to exceed 44" without installation of a ladder
• Inside of interior, window well not to exceed 44" sill height from basement floor
  

Benefits of installing an egress window:

• Peace in mind you and your loved ones will be safe in time of emergency 
• Added light
• Better ventilation
• Humidity and moisture control
• Added value to your home

Like noted before, fire is an unpredictable force of nature that is extremely dangerous and potentially deadly. With the proper steps, installations and educated decisions you can help protect yourself and your loved ones from harms way. An egress window installation takes about 2-3 days and comes with a lifetime of protection. WMB CONSTRUCTION has been performing egress window installations all around Orange County, NY and Sullivan County, NY for many years along with all your home improvement needs. 

We are here today to go over your home and property drainage components. Most of us with homes have experienced some kind of water issues whether it may be a roof, leaky faucet or toilet, water heater, roof, etc..... but wanna focus on basements and outside ground water that can potentially infiltrate your home and cause immense damage to your homes structures and valuables you may have inside. Water damage is responsible for billions of dollars a year in damages that can cause a great number of issues not only to your homes structure but can potentially create hazardous environments that affect your health. May seem extreme but most of the time, especially if your basement is finished, you cannot tell you have water damage until the damage has been done. Another factor is if your basement is fully underground surrounded by saturated soils you may have a higher risk of water and/or water permeation.

Damage like this is quite common in basements with insufficient drainage. In a finished basement the damage would be hidden behind your walls creating mold and mildew not only to the foundation walls but your sheetrock, insulation and wall studs. Cement and cinder block foundations are the most susceptible due to their porous nature as poured foundations are far less porous not allowing water to permeate as easily. Evidence of water damage on the walls is more likely associated with runoff water that saturates the soil and infiltrates through walls due to failing exterior foundation coating. Evidence of water and/or moisture in the corners of foundation walls where meets concrete floor is evident your footing drains have failed and ground water has created hydrostatic pressure from rising water tables. Footing drains are your homes main drainage component to remove water from your footings and foundation walls. Failing footing drains largely increases the risk of water infiltration and structural damage to your foundations integrity due to water pressure buildup. Damaging water can reach as high as 33,000 psi causing great strain.

As water tables rise from the ground combined with water runoff the force of pressure can be crucifying to your foundations structure resulting in complete failure requiring replacement which can be very costly. Block and cinder block walls are more susceptible to failure and have less integrity than a poured foundation but both run the risk of damage. Common components can help relieve your water issues and when used in conjunction can greater lower your risks.

5 Key drainage components to protect your home and property:

• Footing drains
• Curtain drains
• Sump pump
• Extending downspouts away from home preferably underground if possible
• Create a swale to catch runoff on your property 

You may not need all components considering your properties grades and depending on the perc of your grounds soil. First you will have to indicate where the source of water and/or moisture is coming from. Once indication is made then you can come up with a solution. Like noted previously, finished basements may be harder to spot where water and/or moisture has infiltrated as its hidden behind walls and/or flooring.

7 signs to look for in a potentially wet/moist basement:

• Wet or moist walls
• Water or moisture in corner of foundation walls where meets concrete floor
• Water pooling and collecting outside of foundation from gutter downspouts 
• Any basement window wells that may not drain properly during heavy rains
• Musky smell in basement
• Wet or damn carpet and/or warping wood/composite floors
• Pooling water and/or grade of property sloping towards home
• Visible water and/or moisture in any cracks of foundation walls or floors

Sump pumps can be a great drainage application to relieve ground water from hydrostatic pressure under the concrete slab of your basement floor. These are installed by cutting open concrete floor preferably at the lowest point of basements floor and installing a permeable catch basin with sump pump that drains to the exterior of your home. As water tables rise water will most likely go to the point of least resistance into the basin and removed outside quickly. Also to keep in mind when installing they run off electric and many times when needed the most during inclement weather electric goes out leaving pump useless. A battery backup is recommended in to avoid a foreseeable issue.

When its comes to your property itself you must determine if you have water issues surrounding your home. Low spots and wet marshy areas are a good indicator of water issues. Some may not effect your home at all beside just creating marshy wet areas but when drastic slopes cause runoff towards your home or low areas of water that pools near foundation these can be potential problems. Curtain drains are a great application for removing unwanted water on your property. Essentially curtain drains are in ground gutter systems that efficiently move water from one area of your property to another area away from the home. 

Wet marshy areas around property can also be contained building a swale. A swale is essentially another gutter type system dug into the ground to catch water runoff. Usually installed when you have a grade coming off a hill and to divert water. This system does not use a pipe, just an angled hole for water to catch and divert. You can also install filter fabric and river rock to your swale.

After going over the few components of drainage the idea is to identify if you you have a water problem and if so then where. Once determining where, then you can come up with a solution to address the issue involved. Like noted all applications may not be for your home and property and must be assessed to see what application is needed. Footing drains on the other hand are on every home built and is a national code requirement. Water must be removed from foundation walls and foundation walls must be sealed from the exterior, Proper installation always requires an adequate amount of aggregate usually a 3/4" gravel around a 4" corrugated pipe in conjunction with filter fabric for a properly functioning footing drain system and maintain longevity to keep water flowing away from foundation for years to come.

              WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR

               HOMES DRAINAGE SYSTEMS

Every home across the country have footing drain systems that are located outside the home at the base of your homes exterior footing. Rain, melting snow and rising groundwater all lead to more moisture being stored in the soils that surround your homes foundation which can lead to more moisture being stored in the soils. If your drainage system isn't working properly and failing you run the risk of costly foundation problems and extensive water damage. As groundwater rises the hydrostatic pressure increases putting great strain on your foundations integrity. Hydrostatic pressure is the force created by standing or resting water. It is the constant force that water exerts on your basements walls. While hydrostatic pressure can come from runoff down a hill, most of the time, it comes from saturated soil around your homes foundation. Hydrostatic pressure may also appear in cracks in your basements floor as water tables rise especially after a winter of heavy snows followed by spring rains. There are a few main components to a dry basement that can be used together in coordination to maintain water infiltration.

7 Main components used when creating a dry basement and property:

• Footing drains around the entire perimeter of home
• Curtain drains may be installed on property to alleviate water before the home
• Sump pumps preferably at the lowest side of your basements floor
• French drains cut inside your foundation wall where meets the floor and drains to a sump pump system
• Swales created to catch water before reaching your home
• Extension of gutter downspouts away from you home
• Installation of a dry well for excess water

Water is the cause for billions of dollars of damage each year across the country and with a good working drainage system in place hopefully damage can be avoided. Hydrostatic pressure can build up to 33,000 psi which can put a tremendous amount of strain on your homes structure. Throughout the year inspecting your foundation for evidence of water is essential in determining where it may be coming from. With a finished basement this will be a lot less evident to see and moisture being absorbed by sheetrock, wood and insulation behind the wall creating a perfect environment for mold and mildew to grow rampant. Mold spores can be highly dangerous and create a toxic environment that can't be seen by the naked eye and cause many different health ailments.

Things to look for when determining you may have water:

• Musty smell
• Damp or wet walls(mostly noticeable on concrete and cinder block walls)
• Wet in corner where foundation wall meets floor(most always a sign of failing footing drains)
• Water coming through cracks of concrete floor
• White residue on block walls which could indicate mold spores growing or could just be efflorescence
• Cracks in foundation walls

 
 As noted before unseen water damage can created mold and mildew that grows rapidly that causes many different health ailments. These conditions usually go unseen and can cause a great deal of damage leaving your home unlivable and worthless without major mold remediation. Besides the potential structural damage to your foundation walls your quality of life could potentially be at stake.

Health ailments due to mold/mildew:

• insomnia 
• memory loss
• trouble concentrating and confusion
• numbness in extremities 
• respiratory problems
• fatigue 
• allergic reactions(wheezing, runny nose, watery eyes, etc.)
• asthma attacks
• bronchitis 

This article wasn't made to scare you but to realize the importance of drainage around your home and the potential damages it can possibly cause mostly always unseen. A few different drainage systems working in coordination can hopefully eliminate the headaches. Once damage is done it can be very costly to reverse the damage water can do.

Water is a powerfully force of nature that we we all deal from land, sea and air. It is responsible for billions of dollars in damages each year but mainly we are focused here on your home and the essentials of proper drainage. Every home built by national code requires footing drains to installed to remove any unwanted water from your foundation walls and footings. Without the application of footing drains you run the high risk of water infiltration and potential water pressure buildup that can potentially stress the integrity of your structure causing immense damage. Hydrostatic pressure is one of natures most powerful forces to your home where raising ground waters push up surrounding first under your home and keeps rising to your foundation walls. Between ground water and runoff combined the water psi keeps rising putting great strain on homes structure. Footing drains greatly reduce the amount of water around your home and removes water before it can cause potential damage.

What is a footing drain?

Footing drains essentially remove water from around the perimeter of your homes foundation. Hydrostatic pressure against your foundation walls  and basement floor can reach a staggering 33,000 psi. If not relieved it has the potential to cause major damage and complete failure to your foundation and interior of basement. Most common signs of footing drain failure is to look for evidence of water infiltration. This can be noticed where interior foundation wall meets concrete floor. To fix failing footing drains, the footing drains must be excavated from the exterior of foundation to install new corrugated pipes, filtration system and aggregate. 

What is a curtain drain?

Curtain drains are essentially trenches filled with gravel covering perforated pipe acting like a gutter system to remove unwanted water away from your home. The trench is lined with filter fabric to ensure that the perforated pipe with remain free of clogs from dirt and silt over the years.

Why you might need a curtain drain:

• Areas of your property where you have unwanted water pooling

• Water issues in your basement(curtain drains work great in conjunction with you homes footing drains)

• Remove water away from retaining walls and driveways

With any drainage project performed by WMB Construction , we always use more gravel than necessary. Gravel is natural drainage that quickly moves water from your perforated pipe and away from your home. Many drainage contractors skip this step leaving your curtain drain system practically useless in years to come as the dirt and silt infiltrates your corrugated pipe clogging it.

How we install a curtain drain:

• Dig a trench 18"-24" deep in the ground(extreme water conditions near foundations may go as deep as homes footing)
• Line trench with filter fabric
• Install a 4" perforated pipe in ground pitched out to daylight(some applications with nowhere to drain water, a dry well may need to be installed)
• Fill trench with 3/4" gravel
• Regrade dirt

 WMB Construction specializes in:

• Curtain drains
• Footing drains
• Sump Pumps
• Foundation sealing
• Gutter downspout underground extensions
• All phases of Home Improvements