Your basement wants to dry up and function the way it should and here’s how Olivieri & Son can keep it moisture-free

By Olivia Bloom

More than half of basements in homes have a moisture problem—and they are not just old homes. According to the American Society of Home Inspectors, many new homes will develop a leak in the basement within 10 to 15 years of being built.

“All houses will develop small cracks when they are settling,” says Mark Olivieri, who, along with his father Rocco, owns Olivieri & Son Basement Waterproofing. “But large cracks or walls that are starting to bow are telltale signs of increased pressure mounting against the foundation walls.”

Water can enter a basement through these cracks in the block or in the footer of the wall. It can also enter through a malfunctioning drain tile.

“The clay outside basement walls holds water and moisture, which allows the soil against the walls to expand and create unneeded pressure,” he explains. “This pressure not only creates cracks within the foundation walls, but it also causes them to continue to grow.”

In order to relieve this pressure and eliminate further problems, the company goes through a process to ultimately remove the expanding soil that pushes against a house and replace it with #57 washed stone. This stone allows water and moisture to properly drain into a newly installed drain tile to prevent saturation and expansion against the house.

“During our excavation process, we pressure wash the foundation to highlight any cracks where moisture may be entering and patch and seal these cracks, tar the wall and insert a 1-inch insulation foam board to create a water barrier that prevents moisture from penetrating the foundation,” explains Rocco. “We also install new drain tile and stone to help reroute any excess water away from the freshly sealed wall.”

“A lot of companies do waterproofing from the inside, but that’s not really waterproofing,” Rocco adds. “It is just a bandage covering up the real problem. You are just diverting the water. But once the water is in, it’s in. You still have a damp basement. You still have pressure on your foundation and you are still likely to have problems. The correct way is to solve the problem from the outside and stop the water from coming through in the first place.”

All Things Underground
A family-owned and operated business founded in 1981, Olivieri & Son has solved and repaired hundreds of problems in homes in Northeast Ohio, earning the company a reputation for being the waterproofing experts in town. Whether your basement is flooding, your foundation is crumbling or your sewer lines are backed up, Olivieri & Son can fix the problem.

The father-and-son duo has the experience, knowledge and equipment to handle any job from start to finish. Olivieri & Son personally services these specialties:

• Basement waterproofing
• Foundation straightening
• Foundation rebuilding
• Sewer inspection
• Concrete solutions
• Excavating

“Throughout our process, we take extra precautions to protect your property because we believe the problem we are fixing is the only inconvenience you should have to deal with,” says Mark.

Fully licensed, bonded and insured, Olivieri & Son guarantees its work.

To schedule a basement or sewer inspection with Olivieri & Son call 440-342-6844. Find more information at BasementAndWaterproofing.com.