When Industries Collide

I want to relate a recent situation that a Connecticut homeowner had to experience. It all started about ten years ago when this Connecticut couple purchased their new home. The home had a water problem in one half of their basement so they called a local basement waterproofing contractor who gave them an estimate to install a partial drainage system. They agreed and had the work performed.

Several weeks later they had their home tested for radon and the levels came back at 7. They call the waterproofing contractor who proceeded to tell them it wasn’t something they handled and referred them to a radon mitigation company. The homeowner called this radon professional and he looked at the basement and recommended that their open backed drainage system should be sealed up and also proposed a radon mitigation system be installed.

The homeowner agreed and after the job the radon levels were brought down below a 1.
Fortunately the basement walls did not have any leaks so everything was fine for many years. Then about eight years later during a major April rain storm, their basement leaked heavily in the other side where they didn’t have a drainage system installed. The homeowner not having confidence in their first basement waterproofing contractor decided to call in another company.

This company gave an estimate to install their pipe and stone drainage system in that finished part of the customer’s basement. After their job was installed the homeowner decided to do another radon test especially since the area was their children’s playroom.
You guessed it! The radon test came back at 7. Imagine the frustration of these homeowners who did everything in their power to get a healthy basement for their family.

Throughout the world thousands of conscientious homeowners have to undergo the same run around as these Connecticut homeowners experienced. Isn’t it time for the basement waterproofing industry to be more professional and accountable for their customers health? Why are many basement waterproofing contractors installing open backed systems while claiming ignorance as to the effects that their drainage systems have on the homeowner and his family?

In fact over and over again I hear basement waterproofing contractors downplay radon and other air quality issues in buildings today. When a customer complains that they have higher radon levels in their home after the basement waterproofing contractor installed his open backed drainage system, most of these contractors respond “we don’t deal with radon – it isn’t our problem.”

Radon and ground humidity entering a living environment should be everyone’s concern.
How can basement waterproofing contractors ignore the facts and continue to install open backed drainage systems knowing full well of the dangers they create for homeowners.
I must go on record that for over 20 years, I as a responsible waterproofing contractor did install these types of systems. I must even admit that radon was not the main reason I stopped the practice. See, I would install a drainage system with an opening along the foundation wall in order to catch any water coming down the walls and allow it to get into my sub floor drainage system. What I would hear time and time again was “Steve, you solved my basement water problem but now I have a moisture problem”. My answer to them was to run a dehumidifier.

Several months ago while doing research on the internet I stumbled across a book entitled “Woman, Plumbers and Doctors” written in 1885 by a woman named H Plunkett. It was a real eye opener to read how in 1885 people in the United States were very concerned with indoor air quality. In fact men like Henry F French (the man the French drain got its name) believed that installing closed drainage systems in cellars would improve the air the homeowners breathed on the upper levels of the home. Reading this book convinced me that indoor air quality stemming from an unhealthy cellar was more of a concern for people in the late 1800’s than it is for our basement drainage industry today.

Back before radon was discovered as a health risk, informed men and women knew the importance of a healthy cellar (basement). In fact Henry F French said that if conditions in a cellar (he called them black holes) were not corrected, nothing one did on the upper levels of the house would negate its evil effects.

Back when I was a boy, I can remember sitting at my kitchen table and watching the curtains blow back and forth. We did not have double paned windows and our houses were not as tight. Then the 1970’s energy crisis occurred – which caused most homeowners to over insulate, close their fireplaces and replace with wood stove inserts. In fact when homeowners did this they actually eliminated the best air exchanger in the home.

With everyone concerned about heat loss they unknowingly created many health problems in their homes. All the while basement waterproofing contractors (like me) continued to install drainage systems with an opening along the wall allowing an abundant amount of moisture into the home. What has happened is a major housing epidemic that I believe is affecting millions of people.

I have come to realize with a little help from other industries such as radon, or indoor air quality, that something needs to be done and I have been on a mission to change my industry. Here is what I believe happens when a basement waterproofing contractor installs an open drainage system: 1) this type of system promotes radon entering the home environment 2) ground humidity (moisture) enters the home environment 3) iron bacteria colonies are encouraged to flourish and clog the drainage system 4) this added moisture in the basement promotes mold and mildew growth 5) increased heating and air conditioning cost.

During the last 4 years of my research I have come to realize that there are basement drainage contractors (some considered to be the leaders in the industry) who refuse to stop installing these open drainage systems, even though they know the bad effects on their homeowner/ customer. These contractors are simply ignoring their customer’s needs and refuse to change because they feel they will lose profits.
I had several basement waterproofing contractors say to me “Steve, be quiet, don’t shake the tree, we are all making good money, why do you want to ruin everything?” I must say that looking around the industry; no one had a closed drainage system I could use. So I decide that we needed to do something, and started to design a closed basement drainage system that would handle all these problems.

This article is not about promoting my drainage system but rather it is about doing the right thing for the customer. I made a decision that losing some profits was better than losing some customers. I wanted to write this article to bring awareness to the problem and encourage the EPA and others to test and promote “closed drainage systems” versus open backed systems and the effects on the house and its inhabitants.

I will not cease my mission until the time comes that radon, waterproofing, indoor air quality industries work together helping all our customers. I have a vision that someday all these industries will work together for the benefit of all homeowners. Imagine what we can all do when our industries truly work side by side for the benefit of all.

I live for the day when our industries work together without colliding. Please help me spread the message that we need to demand the basement waterproofing contractor install a closed drainage system- a standard homeowners deserve. For more information on open backed systems versus closed drainage systems visit my blog at www.basementwaterproofingboston.com