newsletter for the waterproofing and structural repair...

Newsletter for the Waterproofing and Structural Repair Industry October 2007

What’s Inside . . .

President’s Message, Page 3

STAR Awards, Page 5

Safety First: Avoid Shock, 7

Above-grade: Q&A, Page 18

Digging Tight Sites , Page 25

Midwestern floods spur industry Contractors tell how to combat severe weather in disaster zones

The severe storms that ripped through the upper Midwest

this past August caused disastrous floods from southeastern Minnesota to Ohio. Northwest and north central Ohio was declared a federal disaster zone by President Bush on August 27, 2007. In one Ohio county alone, the tally of damaged homes was more than 700, according to a report by the Associated Press.

“It was a big shot in the arm for this industry,” says Gil Ramirez, Everdry of Toledo.

For area waterproofing and structural repair contractors, the service calls and appointments nearly tripled. “Our phone was ringing left and right,” Ramirez says. To combat the increased demand, he says he brought in extra phone people to field calls and added more permanent crewmen.

Ramirez is not alone in bulking up crews to manage the flood work. Andrew Rehner, The Basement Guys of Toledo, knew there was not enough man power in his office to

See FLOODS, Page 8

PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Sanders/APSandbags wind through a neighborhood in Fort Dodge, Iowa, bracing against the August floods.

8015 Corporate Drive Suite ABaltimore, Md. 21236

2 Foundation News

FOUNDATION news October 2007 A Newsletter for the Waterproofing and Structural Repair Industry

National Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors (NAWSRC)

8015 Corporate Drive Suite ABaltimore, MD 21236

PHONE: 800-245-6292; FAX: [email protected]

www.nawsrc.org

FOUNDATION news © 2007 National Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors. Foundation News is published by the Na-tional Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors (NAWSRC) 8015 Corporate Drive, Suite A, Baltimore, MD 21236. First-class postage paid at Baltimore, Maryland. Copyright 2004 National Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written per-mission is prohibited. National Association of Waterproofing and Struc-tural Repair Contractors and the NAWSRC logo are protected through trademark registration in the United States. Postmaster: Send address changes to: NAWSRC, 8015 Corporate Dr. Suite A Baltimore, MD 21236 Note: The opinions expressed by the authors of articles published in this journal are those of the author and not the National Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors.

NAWSRC Board of Directors 07-08President Rafael Rivas, CAWS Citadel Building Maintenance Services, Inc.(512) 218-0601

Vice PresidentLuke Secrest, CWSThe Basement Guys(614) 476-3960

Secretary/TreasurerBrandon Smith, CWS Smith's Waterproofing (810)798-2371

John Aiple, CWS, CAWS Terrycorp, Inc. (937) 223-0167

Denise Brown, CWS Basement Cracks & Leaks Metro, Inc.(517) 552-9111

Robin Bryan Culver, CWSBryan Plumbing, Heating & Waterproofing(410) 344-1121

Clark Campbell, CWS Absolute Waterproofing Solutions, Inc.(770) 427-9508

Alan Chandler, CWS, CSRS All-Dry, Inc. (615) 360-7000

Michael Hogenson, CWS Standard Water Control (763) 537-4849

Michael Trotter, CWS, CSRSTrotter Company (770) 458-0810

Anthony Valentine, CWSRusk Industries dba - Everdry of Toledo(419) 841-6055

Richard Young, CWS, CSRSYoung Waterproofing (716) 893-1939

Supplier Liaison Todd Jackson, CWS Fortress Stabilization (734) 424-0966

NAWSRC StaffExecutive DirectorClaudia J. Clemons (410) 931-3332 ext. 108

www.nawsrc.org Foundation News 3

Greetings!As your newly

installed President, I am excited about the future of our rapidly growing association.

The major tenets of the NAWSRC are total commitment to the clients, consumers, members and continued employee education in the waterproofing industry, combined with ethics, integrity, and professionalism. To improve our business and uphold the NAWSRC Canon of Ethics and Standards of Practice, certification testing is always available for members and their employees in the Above Grade, Below Grade, and Structural Repair divisions.

During our annual conventions and mid-year meetings, we will continue to involve our members in work shop seminars and non-competitive roundtables allowing them to promote and share field expertise. Facilitators and speakers will continue to update the association of changes in the waterproofing industry.

We will continue to inform you of the association’s happenings and industry news through the newsletter. The Foundation News is the association’s communication tool but it also gives you the opportunity to enhance the association by sharing your experiences throughout the year.

I would like to give honor-able mention to our suppliers and their represent-atives for their c o n t i n u e d support in our endeavors. The

NAWSRC Board of Directors is composed of talented and hard working members who are ready to serve you and the association.

I remind the member-ship that you are the NAWSRC. You are the main vehicle that keeps the association rolling and its professional integrity intact.

With great passion and interest, I look forward to working with you and being part of a growing and successful waterproofing association in the USA.

Warm regards,Rafael A. Rivas, CAWS,

President

Rivas named president, addresses membership

4 Foundation News www.nawsrc.org

The National Asso-ciation of Water-proofing and Struc-

tural Repair Contractors (NAWSRC) awarded the first STAR Awards since the new consumer-rated award program’s launch.

The Service and Techni-cians Assessment Report (STAR) recognizes tech-nicians and vendors in the waterproofing and struc-tural repair industry who received a high overall rat-ing from consumers on four criteria: quality of work, responsiveness, punctual-ity, and professionalism.

NAWSRC presented seven companies with the award at the annual meet-ing this past August in Baltimore, Md.: Absolute Waterproofing Solutions, Inc, in Marietta, Ga.; Bry-an Plumbing, Heating & Waterproofing, Baltimore, Md.; Smith’s Waterproof-ing, Almont, Mich.; The Basement Guys, Columbus, Ohio; The Basement Guys of Toledo, Ohio; Trotter Company, Doraville, Ga.; and Young Waterproofing Company, Cheektowaga, NY..

To earn this award, you must be a member of the association and re-

ceive a score of 3.5 or better on a minimum of 20 reports submitted by consumers per year.

Members will also be able to rate vendors and suppliers in the water-proofing and structural repair indus-try.

Consumers can visit www.

nawsrc.org to rate any member company. They can submit reports online or by mail.

Competition starts on June 1 of each year and ends May 31 of the following year.

For more information visit, www. nawsrc.org.

PHOTO CREDIT: NAWSRCSeven companies earned the STAR Award, an award earned by receiving outstand-ing consumer reports throughout the year. The following individuals represented their company in accepting the award at he annual meeting in Baltimore, Md. this past August: Klancy McMullen, Trotter Company, Doraville, Ga.; Andrew Rehner, The Basement Guys of Toledo, Ohio; Clark Campbell, Absolute Waterproofing Solu-tions, Inc. Marietta, Ga.; Robin Bryan Culver, Bryan Plumbing, Heating & Water-proofing, Baltimore, Md.; Richard Young, Young Waterproofing Company, Cheek-towaga, NY; Doug Secrest, The Basement Guys, Columbus, Ohio; Brandon Smith, Smith’s Waterproofing, Almont, Mich.

Contractors showcase track record with new association recognitionSeven companies earn consumer-rated award in programs’ first year


New Contractor MembersA.T. Caldarone Co., Inc.1909 Elmwood AvenueWarwick, RI 02888(401) 467-2555Fax: (401) 223-3496

TKE Enterprises16925 Manchester Suite AWildwood, MO 63040(636) 273-1150Fax: (636) 273-1022www.thecrackteam.com

Welcome Back MembersJack Boiman Sons & Daughters

9650 Cilley RoadCleves, OH 45002(513) 598-2800Fax: (513) 598-2802www.jbsd-inc.com

Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair, Inc.12320 Lincoln Highway, Route 30 Suite 10North Huntingdon , PA 15642(724) 861-5232(800) 771-3244www.keystonebasementwa-terproofing.net

Ram Jack, LLCdba: Waterproofing Systems, Inc.5017 Neal RoadDurham, NC 27705(919) 309-9727(800) 310-6354Fax: (919) 309-0627www.ramjacknc.com

New Supplier MemberHouseGuard8600 Berk Blvd.Hamilton, OH 45015(513) 874-0638Fax: (513) 874-6870www.houseguard.com

New Certified Specialists

Waterproofing Specialists: John BryantAquaGuard Waterproofing Corporation, Beltsville, Md. Mark CarderelliDry Guys, Inc.Waterproofing Solutions, Penn Laird, Va. Structural Repair Specialists: Dan JaggarsCL Support Services, LLC, Houston, Texas Greg McManiousTrotter Company, Doraville, Ga.

Klancy McMullenTrotter Company, Doraville, Ga.

handle the service calls. He added five inspectors from the Columbus office to his three that normally work the area and set them up in hotels so they could service more people.

“This hit a whole region,” says Rehner. “Every little town along the rivers was flooded. But there were about 10 towns that got absolutely slammed.”

In an industry dictated by Mother Nature, Midwestern waterproofing contractors can count on a busy fall season. “This is not a temporary thing,” Ramirez says. “We have guys driving around down there, and there is just a smell in the air—a moldy smell. You hear about stories of New Orleans after Katrina and that is what we are preparing for right now. We are preparing to clear the mold.”

With water still in the walls and the water tables high, the basement finishing sector of the business will definitely see an increase over the next few months. “Most basement finishing

didn’t withstand a storm like this,” says Luke Secrest, The Basement Guys, Columbus, Ohio. “Sewage and storm drains overflowed and ruined the finishing. It is going to spur the waterproofing industry in northwestern and central Ohio; but more so, it will increase the damage repair and basement remodeling industry. It is really structural repair that they need.”

The majority of the jobs in the flood zone had to do with sump pumps failing. But the homeowners all too commonly created more problems when their basement was completely flooded. The panicked homeowner starts pumping water out of his basement as quickly as possible not knowing that the unequal pressure will cause his foundation walls to crack and possibly collapse. “That is the last thing you want to do,” says Secrest. “They just turned a $3,000 fix into a $38,000 fix.”

How to Prepare YourselfNobody can fully plan to work through a region’s

FLOODS (continued from front page)


PHOTO CREDIT: Associated Press Lightening during the storms that flooded the Midwest this past August.


100 year flood but there are some things you can do to prepare your company to weather the most severe weather.

Rehner suggests looking at what has happened in the past in your region. “Think about what you would do,” he says. “Just like an emergency response plan. Have a backup plan.”

1. Stock up on supplies Have enough supplies on hand to

service an influx of clients. “Most of our customers stock enough pumps for when the rain comes,” says Jeff Hawks, Champion Pump, Ashland, Ohio. “It is smart to take a chance and bring in the inventory.”

Hawks says pump sales from Ohio tripled while sales from Chicago and Indiana at least doubled during the rain spout. “It was the largest month in sales for our business,” he says.

2. Know your supplier It is also important to create a

relationship with your supplier. Sometimes you need to call them in the middle of the night on an emergency. Find a company who will be willing to give out their cell phone numbers or meet you halfway to a project at midnight.

When you are looking for a supplier to work with, if you have the choice, then work with the manufacturer who sells directly to the contractor. Wholesalers run out of product before the manufacturer.

3. Be available 24/7 In an emergency, you need to be

there for your customer. Set up an emergency 24-hour customer call center if you don’t have one already. It could mean them choosing you over the next guy.

Tom Johnston, J&D Basements, Columbus, Ohio actually has a separate emergency services division with two full-time employees and half dozen on-call workers. He uses his emergency team all year when the bathtub water runs over or a pipe breaks. But he really needs them in serious emergency situations like this past flood. “Picture the fire department,” he says. “You call in more firemen when there are a lot of fires. It is like that for us when the rain comes.”

Train your crew to be ready in an emergency. Talk about it and know what you are going to do in a situation like this and practice it. Your crew has to be willing to do the things they don’t normally do. “The 9 to 5 mentality goes out the window,” says Ramirez. “You just put in extra hours and longer days

when duty calls.”

4. Diversify your businessTo survive the inconsistency

in the weather, Johnston suggests you work in all components of the business. In the dry seasons, he does more work in basement finishing because waterproofing slows down. Also when it is dry in the Midwest the soil consolidates causing movement and settlement, opening opportunity to do more work in the structural repair side of the business. “You have to be diversified to ride out the slow seasons,” he says. “We haven’t figured out a way to control the weather yet.”

5. Don’t be a storm chaserWhile you are planning for that

next big disaster resist the temptation to become a storm chaser. “Storm

PHOTO CREDIT: The Basement Guys, Columbus, OhioIn Findlay, Ohio, garbage piled in the streets and on lawns from out of flood victim’s basements. Most basement finishings and homeowner’s belongings did not survive the storm.

www.nawsrc.org Foundation News XX


chasers or stormees are like gypsies,” says Secrest. “Storm chasers would be an enemy to the association.” When a disaster is stirring up the economy, especially when there is federal money involved, they come in there and grab as much work as possible, do a quick job to just get the work done, and then get out of town. When the service calls come they are long gone.

In a disaster like Hurricane Katrina where there is going to be years worth of repairs to a city, then you could use a storm to establish an office in an area.

6. Stay Price Conscious You might be tempted to

raise the price of your products and services in time of disasters. Do not start doing that kind of stuff, Ramirez warns. “Be fair and honest even in times of disaster,” he says. “Don’t be one of those people who prey on people while they are down.”

7. Get FEMA ApprovedYou may already be in a disaster zone so you need to be

prepared when that big storm hits. If you aren’t already, then you may want to become a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved contractor. “Every member can go out and get FEMA approved,” explains Secrest. “It is just a matter of filling out simple paper work and a quick background check and you are approved to do work covered by government aid. You just sign jobs contingent on the insurance adjusters and FEMA approval.”

Over the next few months, Midwesterners will continue to call for basement fixes and preventative waterproofing. “You will get the people who say ‘Next time I want to be prepared,’” Ramirez says. “But on the flip side, we’ve got a lot of people calling and saying ‘Thanks again, everyone on my street was flooded but me,’” he explains. “Right in Findlay, Ohio, one of the worst hit towns, there are jobs that we did that didn’t

get wet.” That awareness is a reward for the entire industry.

PHOTO CREDIT: AP Photo/Madalyn RuggieroA view of downtown Main Street in Findlay, Ohio is shown, one day after heavy flooding August 23, 2007. Ohio was one of the hardest hit areas devasted by the midwestern storms.


Like many of you, I built my company’s reputation on going the extra mile. I always told my guys if it doesn’t cost

much more then they should do a little extra for the homeowner to let them know we really want their business. Things like adding some topsoil, filling around the perimeter of the foundation, planting shrubs back in the same manner as we found them, etc. A recent development, however, has made me rethink S&W Foundation’s mission statement.

The job was small, only six piers at the perimeter of one extended room. At the time of bidding, I told the homeowner verbally and in writing that we would not be responsible for patching the pool deck where we would install two of the piers. We would cleanly breakout segments for the piers but would leave patching and more importantly matching the pool deck aggregate to the homeowner. The exact words were: “Restoration of concrete pool deck sections by others.”

As is the case with most contractors, we were slow to start the job but when we started it progressed as scheduled and the homeowner was very happy with the final lift and clean-up. My guys, unknown to me, decided to help the homeowner by patching the pool deck with aggregate they purchased. The patch looked pretty good but I didn’t know they had done this extra work.

When the client did not pay, my wife called and found out she was an attorney. Since my wife/business partner knew we had done a good job, she asked about payment. The client said the patches were totally unacceptable.

I checked the file and called her back but she would not take the call. I then sent a fax pointing out that we were not responsible for

patching the deck but would gladly breakout the holes so that her concrete man could do the job.

Within an hour I received a fax that totally changed my perspective. The letter stated that she did not know that my wife was an owner of the firm but thought she was nothing more than a “secretary with no authority, e d u c a t i o n , training or e x p e r i e n c e to discuss a foundation repair and/or contract interpretation issue.” She added: “We did not contract with S&W Foundation to have you repair the concrete deck, but your crew did it anyway. Your fax describes your crew’s conduct as going above and beyond the contractual obligation. Texas law describes it as a breach of contract.

Regardless of your crew’s good intentions, bottom line is they breached the terms of the contract between S&W Foundation and us by undertaking work specifically reserved for others under the clear terms of the contract.

In addition, S&W Foundation was negligent. S&W Foundation’s crew assumed a duty to restore the pool deck and did so carelessly. Under Texas Law, if you undertake to perform a service you do so negligently, you are responsible for the damages stemming from the negligence regardless of whether you had an initial duty to perform the services in the first place. In other words, even in the absence of a contractual provision requiring them to do so, if your crew negligently performed a service, S&W Foundation is

In short, this attorney is morally bankrupt but legally right in stealing my money. -W. Tom Witherspoon

When going the extra mile is wrong

By W. Tom Witherspoon, Phd, PE

One contractor explains his hard lesson learned about keeping contracts


liable. There is no immunity from liability for going above and beyond the contractual obligation.

At this point, given the deterior-ation in our relationship and the work quality issues cited above, I do not want your crew to come back and work on our premises. In an effort to avoid further action on this matter, I will accept a 15% discount on the total price of the job. This amount is intended to avoid the further expense and hassle of prolonging this dispute and does not take into consideration my attorney’s fees that will be sought should you decline this demand of settlement and wish to proceed with litigation. This demand expires on May 9, 2007.”

My brother is my attorney and although he charges me reduced rates, he advised me that I would lose in court. In short, this attorney is morally bankrupt but legally right in stealing my money. I can’t tell you the anger I felt making a business decision to accept the offer.

Not to mention, looking down on a secretary just because she is a secretary is another problem that caused a significant outrage from my wife who has been working in this company for over 21 years.

The National Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractor’s (NAWSRC) has worked hard to raise the ethics of this industry but we don’t always deal with honest people.

So just remember when doing a job that you too may contract with someone with no scruples and this could happen to you. This has really made me review everything my company does. This was a small loss but what if it was a six figure project?

Just food for thought.

Board sets place, timefor regional meeting

It has been nearly a decade since the NAWSRC sponsored a regional meeting open to its members, especially one dedicat-ed to regional waterproofing and structural repair topics.

This year the fall regional meeting will be in Columbus, Ohio, for the Midwestern region of the United States on Novem-

ber 9, 2007. The conference is scheduled at the Hyatt Regency Columbus.

In addition to speakers ad-dressing local industry issues, there will be an opportunity for members to take the certification test in below-grade, above-grade, and structural repair. “A regional meeting gives you another oppor-tunity to certify more employees in your company that you can’t afford to bring to Las Vegas,” explains Todd Jackson, Fortress Stabilization, Dexter, Mich.

The next annual meeting is in Las Vegas in conjunction with the World of Concrete, January 21-25, 2008.

The Board of Directors voted Columbus, Ohio for the fall regional meeting this year set for November 9, 2007.

Save the Date

PHOTO CREDIT: NAWSRC Members and their families took time one evening to take a land/water tour of Baltimore, Md. during this summer’s annual meeting. The regional meeting is set for November 9 in Columbus, Ohio.


Most of the electrocutions – of laborers, carpenters, painters, and others – are from contact with

overhead power lines. Other causes include contact with power tools that have bad wiring, metal objects touching live (energized) wiring, and live electric wiring, equipment, or machinery. Workers are killed even by household current.

Before You WorkMake sure you are trained in electric safety.

OSHA says your employer must train you in “recognition, avoidance and prevention of unsafe conditions.”

Before outdoor work begins, your employer should call utility companies to find underground power lines and to turn off or insulate (if possible) any overhead power lines near your work. If overhead lines cannot be turned off or insulated, there should be warning cones or lines or other barriers to prevent equipment from getting too close. Unless you know an overhead power line is turned off, stay at least 10 feet away – more than 10 feet if the line is over 50,000 volts.

OSHA says your employer must check to see if there are any live electric circuits where you can contact them – such as overhead or underground power lines or circuits in walls where you might drill. If yes, your employer must put up warning signs and tell workers where the hazards are and how to protect themselves.

OSHA says each 120-volt 15- or 20-amp outlet that is not part of permanent building wiring must have a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI),

unless the site has a written assured grounding program.

Look over everything you will work with. Remove from service and tag as “Danger” anything that has exposed wiring, a missing ground prong, a cracked tool casing, or a frayed, taped, or spliced cord.

Lock out/tag out machinery or other equipment you will work on. This is so no one will turn on the power while you are working. Only qualified persons* may work on electric wiring and equipment (electric panels and boxes, motor controllers, circuit breakers). Make sure the current is off.

Keep at least 3 feet of clear work space around live parts of electric equipment.

OSHA says live parts of electric equipment must be inside cabinets, separate rooms, or other enclosures – or put them 8 feet up (or more). High-voltage equipment (more than 600 volts) must be in a controlled area open only to qualified persons. Electric equipment, tools, machinery, and a way to disconnect the power to equipment or machinery must be clearly labeled.

–––* For electric safety, OSHA says a qualified

person is “one familiar with the construction and operation of the equipment and the hazards involved.”

As You WorkIn wet or damp areas or hazardous locations,

use only tools or equipment designed and labeled for such areas.

Keep metal ladders, pipes, or other conductive objects away from live electric circuits, energized parts, and power lines. Receptacles for permanent mounting must not be used on the floor or ground.

Let only qualified persons replace circuit breakers or fuses.

See SAFETY, Page 20

Safety First

Tips to avoid electrical shockAbout 140 construction workers are killed by electricity every year; more than 90 of them are not electricians.

Building owners and managers often ask how to keep their commercial and industrial buildings in good condition.

After years in the above-grade waterproofing and structural repair business, Rafael Rivas, Citadel Building Maintenance Services, Inc., Round Rock, Texas, compiled a list of the most-asked questions.

Q. What is “weatherproofing”?A. Few construction problems are as poorly

understood as the effect of moisture penetration through exterior walls. For that reason, some unprincipled individuals tried to take advantage of the confusion by offering what they suggest

as cure-alls. Simplistic approaches do not solve a complex problem. Among conscientious professionals, the term “weatherproofing” has been adopted.

It is now used to describe the multifaceted approach that combines modern methods and materials with an understanding of nature’s forces and building construction. The results are the most effective means for combating structural deterioration caused by the forces of nature.

Q. What does weatherproofing do?A. Materials in nature deteriorate

continually as a result of normal physical, chemical and biological processes. No material is durable by itself. All building materials are subject to the same deteriorating effects like everything else in nature.

The proper use of weatherproofing techniques minimizes the natural deteriorative process by adding to the structural materials’ durability.

Q. Should I hire a specialist to inspect my building for structural problems?

If so, what kind do I need?A. An experienced individual is essential

to recognize the many different problems that can occur. It is most cost effective to call in a person with general experience for routine inspections. If he determines that a problem exists, then he will usually recommend the type of professionals needed for detailed examination and solutions to the problem.

Professional specialists who may be required include structural engineers or architects. Often a person with more general experience

See ABOVE-GRADE, page 22

Understanding building upkeepAnswers to most commonly asked above-grade waterproofing inquiries

PHOTO CREDIT: Citadel Building Maintenance Services, Inc. Rafael Rivas investigating reported leaks at the 18th floor of a high rise hotel in downtown Austin, Texas.

Above-Grade


By Rafael Rivas


GroundingOSHA says all electric

systems must be grounded. The employer should regularly check all electric systems (equipment, machinery, wiring and switches) to be sure the path to ground is continuous. All exposed metal parts of electric equipment must be grounded.

All machinery and power tools must be grounded with 3-prong plugs or double insulated.

CordsUse only factory-made

3-wire extension cords marked for hard or extra-hard usage. Do not attach ungrounded 2-prong adapter plugs to 3-prong cords and tools.

OSHA says do not run cords through door, window, or floor openings, unless protected. Do not run cords through holes or attach to inside walls, floors, or ceilings. Use clamps or other ways to secure cords at plugs, outlets, tools, and equipment. When you unplug anything, pull on the plug, not the cord – to prevent damage to the connections.

In case of electric shockCall 911. If your co-worker is still

in contact with electric current, do not touch him/her – or you may get shocked too. First, turn off the power or use voltage-rated gloves or another nonconductive material to remove

him/her from the power source. Then start CPR or other first aid, as needed. OSHA says there must be people trained in CPR and first aid on the site.

For more information, call your local union, the Center to Protect Workers’ Rights, CPWR (301-578-8500 or www.cpwr.com), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (1-800-35-NIOSH or www.cdc.gov/niosh), or OSHA (1-800-321-OSHA or www.osha.gov). Or go to www.elcosh.org

SAFETY (continued from page 17)

Sydney, Australia-based company says it has developed a

sealant that, after being added to concrete or masonry during the mixing process, repels water and protects against efflorescence, salt damage, and moss and algae growth.

Nanovations Pty Ltd says the product, known as 3001, significantly reduces rising damp, thereby preventing paint bubbling and lifting of exposed surfaces, and results in masonry being more stain resistant by significantly reducing the ingress of liquid water and any dissolved salts and dirt that it may carry. It is also designed to protect colored concrete products from unsightly discolorations.

“3001 is completely water-based and VOC free,” says Harry Stulajter, director of Nanovations. “This is the long awaited technology to avoid millions of gallons of polluting solvents currently used in penetrating sealers. The product has been tested for salt resistance, efflorescence, water absorption and frost/thawing behavior.”

Australiandevelops new sealant that cleans

Photo Credit constructionphotographs.com. A worker pulls electrical wire in a building project. About 140 construction workers are killed by electricity every year; more than 90 of them are not electricians.


can provide the expertise needed to identify and define specific problems before specialists are consulted, saving the building owner time and money.

Q. How often should my building be inspected?

A. This varies with the type of building, its use and location. For a high-rise building (six floors or more) in the Texas area, once every five years should be adequate. However, open type structures such as garages should be checked more often; probably every two years. Open structures are much more susceptible to structural problems and deterioration than other buildings of the same age.

Of course, in locations near a source of chemical pollution or salty air, I recommend more frequent inspections.

Q. How often should the exterior of a building be cleaned?

A. That depends on the reason for cleaning. Most often, cleaning is necessary to uncover structural or surface problems that cannot be otherwise detected. In other cases, you clean to improve the

appearance, therefore the value, of the building. Some buildings in the eastern seaboard and the southeast Gulf Coast areas are cleaned as often as every three or four years, others are only cleaned after twenty or thirty years.

Q. Does my building need to have a surface weather resistant treatment applied? Why?

A. In this area, the answer is usually “yes.” No material provides a perfect barrier to the effects of weather.

A weather resistant sealer increases resistance to airborne contaminants and water penetration. This reduces surface deterioration

and alleviates problems caused by water and chemicals after they pass through the building’s surface. A product of this water and chemical mix is atmospheric corrosion of steel.

High humidity or salt in the air, or both, accelerates corrosion. Some industrial pollutants cause even more corrosion.

The rate of corrosion of any piece of iron or steel depends on the specific conditions that exist in the area, and the effectiveness of precautions taken to prevent corrosion.

Typically, the first of these precautions is applying a weather resistant treatment.

PHOTO CREDIT: Citadel Building Maintenance Services, Inc. Citadel’s waterproofers sealing exterior building envelope of high-rise hotel in downtown Austin, Texas.

ABOVE-GRADE (continued from page 18)

Trotter Company, Doraville, Ga., is known for fixing

the basements that the other contractors avoid. Owner, Michael Trotter, says this challenging case was no different.

The original call was water in the basement caused by a broken water supply to the house but the problem was more than that when they got there. “The basement wall was cracked like an egg,” he says. “It was just a matter of time before the walls would cave in.” A stud wall was the only thing keeping the basement wall from collapsing.

Block walls cracking and bowing is common in Georgia and other areas where block walls are built higher than seven feet. Builders backfill with loose dirt and don’t compact it, Trotter explains. “Then when you get a major rain, you have a caved in basement,” he says.

This typical project became more of a challenge for two reasons. First, the basement wall was so cracked that it needed to be completely rebuilt; simply shoring this project would not do the trick. Secondly, the water supply that was causing the problem happened to run in the 15 feet that was between the house and the swimming pool leaving hardly any space to work. “With the swimming pool there was no where to put the dirt,” Trotter says. “We usually use rubber tire back hoes but we couldn’t fit the rubber tires in the area.”

After they placed jacks to support the main house, Trotter started carefully excavating. He ran a track hoe and two bobcats for this project. “The track hoe would track in, take a bite, spin around and drop it in the bobcat,” he says. Then the bobcats would trade off carrying the dirt to a pile in the yard. “The pile of dirt was nearly as high as the house,” he adds.

In order to work safely in the trench, Trotter had to tear out a portion of the pool deck to create the right angle of repose. “Our silent partner, the OSHA folks, require that for every foot you go down you have to go a foot and a half out,” Trotter explains. His trench on this house was two feet wide at the bottom and 15 feet

Case Study: Rebuilding collapsed basements, excavating in tight sites

Structural Repair

PHOTO CREDIT: Trotter CompanyDigging out a trench between a swimming pool deck and a house to fix a cracked basement was one of the most challenging jobs for Trotter Company, Doraville, Ga. Trotter used two Bobcats and a track hoe to get the job done.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Trotter CompanyThe basement wall was “cracked like an egg,” says Trotter.

wide at the top to avoid a cave in.

Now that the dirt was moved and the house was supported, they built a new reinforced block wall. The new wall has ½-inch steel rebar in every other cavity and then filled with grout like a solid concrete wall. Trotter says he estimates the new wall is six times as strong as the old wall. After the wall cured they went back to backfill and this time, compact the dirt with a good positive slope away from the house, Trotter says.

Trotter Company is one company that has its own excavation equipment. If you are just starting out doing

your own dirt work, then Trotter suggests at first to stay away from deeper excavations. “When you are first getting into excavation, never take a job deeper than five feet,” Trotter suggests. “It takes time and experience. There are hundreds of things that are critical in a job like this.”

Doing your own dirt work has its benefits. Having your own equipment gives you control over the job and the schedule. But machines cost money. Sometimes it is just easier, cheaper, and safer to hire a sub. “Sometimes it is better to just let the excavators excavate,” says Trotter.

PHOTO CREDIT: Trotter CompanyAfter the crew supported the structure, they demoli-tioned the unstable wall and built the new reinforced block wall.

PHOTO CREDIT: Trotter CompanyThe new basement wall was rebuilt with 1/2-inch steel rebar inserted in every other cavity and then filled with grout like a solid concrete wall. Trotter estimates the new wall is six times as strong as the old wall.

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