Insulating your foundation has two main benefits

When it comes to repairing your basement, there are many tasks that you can do without hiring a professional.

Foundation crack repair and waterproofing is one of these important tasks. Cracks in your foundation should always be repaired as soon as they appear to stop them from growing. You should have no problem finding an excellent crack repair kit.

The best part is you will not need to dig up your yard as most of these products can be injected into the wall from the inside. An important element of repairing these cracks is keeping your concrete waterproofing intact. Some of these products work so well that they can even be injected into a wet or leaking crack.

Another important basement repair task that you can do yourself is radon testing. You want to conduct a radon test to help ensure the health and well being of your family. You can learn more about radon at the EPA’s web site, www.epa.gov/radon/. It is easy to conduct a test for this radioactive gas. The tests are available for as little as around $10 and take just a few minutes to conduct. The short term level kits will do a good job of letting you know the radon level in your home. You can also buy more expensive test kits that will continually monitor your home for radon.

Constant water in your basement may mean that you need to install a sump pump. This is often the case in homes built in areas with a high water table where the ground water is at the same elevation as your basement. If you live in one of these areas you may need to install a sump pump to deal with the unwanted water in your basement. These pumps are installed into a pit, or sump, in your basement. You will most likely need to rent a jackhammer at your local tool rental outlet to cut through the concrete in the slab floor of your basement. Some sump pumps are plastic and can be simply glued into place.

When it comes to sump pumps there are two basic types:

1. Pedestal Sump Pump
These feature a column which is attached to the pump casing which supports the open motor. This motor for this model will sit above the basement floor, which many people find to be very unattractive.

2. Submersible Pump
This model features a watertight motor which has been designed to be placed in water. This way the motor is completely in the sump, coupled directly with the pump casing. It will not be seen or noticed.

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Repairing your basement without a professional