Author: Digital Division

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3 Key Benefits of Installing a Sump Pump with a Battery Backup System Memphis, TN

Written by Digital Division on January 27, 2023. Posted in Battery Backup System.

Flooding causes notable damage to homes in the United States and other places across the world. Even if your home is not located in a flood plain or an area that is prone to flooding, the house could be affected by heavy rains. During heavy storms, surface runoff can flow into your home at a higher rate.

Another problem that you are likely to encounter during heavy storms is power outages. It is estimated that if your home has no power for just five minutes or your sump pump fails for the same amount of time, your home will be filled with more than 90 gallons of floodwater. If the flooding continues for more than one hour, your home will be filled with more than 1000 gallons of water, which will cause notable damage.

Fungus and mold are also likely to grow in your home within 24-48 hours after an event of flooding.

You can avoid the problem of flooding in your home by installing a sump pump with a battery backup system. Here is what you need to know about a sump pump with a battery backup system and the key benefits that you will get by installing this equipment.

What Is a Sump Pump with a Battery Backup System?

A sump pump with a battery backup system is a system for backing up your home’s sump pump. The equipment is installed next to your primary sump pump. The battery backup sump pump has a float switch that is set higher than that of the primary pump, so it will detect when the primary pump is not functioning and turn on automatically.

The battery backup sump pump also detects when AC power fails and switches on automatically.

Benefits of a Sump Pump with a Battery Backup System

Offers Protection Against Water Damage

When you install a sump pump with a battery backup system, you significantly reduce the risk of water flooding your home and causing damage.

Has Its Own Power Source and Turns on Automatically

A sump pump with a battery backup system has its own battery systems and turns on automatically when there is a power outage or when the main sump pump fails. These features enable the device to function and pump out water even when there is no AC power or when the primary sump malfunctions.

Provides Extra Help for the Sump Pump

Heavy rains or snow melt can increase the amount of water reaching the main sump pump and overwhelm it. Sump pumps with battery backup systems detect when the water level is too high and turn automatically, thus helping the primary sump pump.

Contact the Professionals at DFX Foundation & Waterproofing Experts Today! 901-295-0290

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5 Important Facts about Bowing Basement Walls Memphis, TN

Written by Digital Division on December 15, 2022. Posted in Bowing Basement Walls.

5 Important Facts about Bowing Basement Walls Memphis, TN

Bowing basement walls are not just an eyesore, they also denote that your home’s foundation has a serious problem. Often, basement wall bowing is associated with horizontal cracking. When this happens, the core structure of the basement becomes comprised and this affects the safety of your building. Here are some key facts about bowing basement walls.

What Are Bowing Basement Walls?

Simply stated, bowing basement walls are basement walls that bend inwards. If you look at a cross-section of the wall and use a plumb line to examine whether the wall is perpendicular, you will see that the wall is not straight but curved inwards.

What Causes This Problem?

Basement wall bowing is caused by several factors. Here are some of the key factors:

Settling of the foundation

The basement walls are part of the foundation. Hence, the walls have to be strong to sustain the weight of the building. If your building’s structure is weak, the settling of the foundation can cause basement wall bowing. As the foundation starts to settle, it can exert a lot of weight on the basement walls and lead to basement wall bowing.

Increased hydrostatic pressure

Bowing basement walls can also occur as a result of increased hydrostatic pressure. When the soil that surrounds the foundation and basement walls becomes saturated with water, its weight increases. The result is that the wet soil exerts a lot of lateral pressure on the basement walls, which can cause them to bend.

Frost heaves

Constant freezing and expansion of the soil around the basement walls can cause the walls to bend inwards.

Large roots

As large roots near the foundation and basement walls grow, they push against the walls, causing them to bow in.

What Are the Signs of Basement Wall Bowing?

There are several signs of basement wall bowing. These include:

Stair-step or horizontal basement wall cracks.
Signs of bulging, buckling, or inward movement of the basement walls
Walls that appear to lean at the top

What Is the Implication of Cracking Due to Basement Wall Bowing?

Cracks on the basement walls can cause water to seep through the basement walls and lead to notable structural damage.

What Should You Do If You See Bowing Basement Walls?

Basement wall bowing is a serious structural problem. If you notice that the walls of your basement are bowing, you should contact a professional foundation repair contractor immediately. The company will do a thorough inspection of your building and advise you on the best way to fix the problem.

Contact the Professionals at DFX Foundation & Waterproofing Experts Today! 901-295-0290

Should I Really Encapsulate My Crawl Space?

Written by Digital Division on August 21, 2021. Posted in Encapsulation. No Comments on Should I Really Encapsulate My Crawl Space?

Initial Signs: Stinky Home, Cracks, and Moisture

You’ve noticed that your home is stinky, cracks in your home, or moisture inside your crawl space. You contact a crawl space foundation repair specialist and they recommend crawl space encapsulation to fix your home’s mold, moisture, & settling issues that is occurring in your crawl space.

At this point, many people have different reactions, questions, and opinions. Some may question “Did our foundation specialist oversell our problem just to get another job?” Others may wonder, “My home has been here for decades; will my cracks, musty smell, or moisture REALLY get any worse than what it is now?” And others may think, “that problem seems too expensive to fix, I’ll just sell the home and let someone else deal with it!”

Our Philosophy at DFX Foundation & Waterproofing Experts: No Scare Tactics

At DFX Foundation & Waterproofing Experts we do not use any high-pressure sales tactics or scare tactics to try to win a job or sell you on work you do not need! Unfortunately, not all companies have the same mindset. We have run into countless customers that felt over pressured in the past by other foundation specialists or we have found that they were oversold on what their home needed to be stabilized & moisture-free. Our motto is the same, we create customized solutions for customers to FIX their homes. We don’t try to sell what will not benefit your home.

At DFX Foundation & Waterproofing Experts we also recognize that every customer’s situation is not the same. We take this into consideration when designing our repair plans and options for our customers to help suit their future home plans so that we can benefit & accommodate our customers as much as possible.

Risks of Ignoring Crawl Space Issues: Why Encapsulate Now

Many people who have noticed moisture issues & foundation issues in their crawl space received a quote for a crawl space encapsulation and deferred getting any work completed. Often the mindset is, “it hasn’t been a problem for decades, it shouldn’t get any worse.” However, home moisture issues are not just ‘rinse & repeat’ – they are cumulative. Meaning that every time your home is flooded or is exposed to excessive moisture in the crawlspace, it is attacking your home.

The Consequences of Deferred Encapsulation

Moisture in the soil will continue to cause your foundation footer and piers to settle, resulting in more cracks in your home. Moisture in the soil and your crawl space vapor space will continue to fuel mold growth. Obviously, the mold growth is terrible for your health as at least 50% of your home’s indoor air is from the crawl space.

Unfortunately, we have completed way too many jobs that were previously identified but deferred for an extended period of time. The more damage that progresses means to more expensive the job will be. On average, these customers could have saved 15-25% on their repair plans by not deferring fixing the problem. In some cases, we have even seen 100+% increased costs due to the damage that has occurred and increased scope requirement. Simply put, foundation & crawl space moisture problems can only get worse if you do nothing.

The Impact on Real Estate Deals: Encapsulate Before Selling

Many clients think about just passing the problem onto the next homeowner, thinking their crawl space moisture issues will go unnoticed. However, we provide many quotes to clients during a real estate deal because the buyer’s inspector has found crawl space moisture issues and foundation settling. This adds a lot of stress and anxiety to a real estate deal.

The Reality of Encapsulation: Pay Now or Pay More Later

Often, people don’t want to buy a house if it has existing crawl space moisture issues – unless they are getting a major discount on the home purchase price (usually much greater than what it costs to fix because the uncertainty for the buyer to fix after closing). The other scenario that plays out is the seller having to get a crawl space encapsulation (and/or any other required repair scope) completed before the buyer will close on the home. This adds a lot of stress to buyers and sellers due to the timing, coordination, and agreements required to align for a successful closing.

Our Promise: Peace of Mind with Encapsulation

Unfortunately, with crawl space moisture problems and home foundation problems, you can either ‘pay it now, or pay even more later.

DFX Foundation & Waterproofing Experts provides solutions to fix your home and backs it with our industry-leading warranties. Our solutions give you peace of mind by making your home solid for decades to come, increasing your home’s value, and reducing the stress and anxiety if you ever decide to sell your home.

What is the right way to stabilize my sinking foundation?

Written by Digital Division on June 19, 2021. Posted in Foundation. No Comments on What is the right way to stabilize my sinking foundation?

Many of our clients have a lot of confusion on what is the right way to stabilize their home to prevent further settling and damage to their foundation.

The truth of the matter is that there is not a one size fits all solution. However, there is a plethora of misinformation on how to stabilize foundations correctly.

Along with general misinformation is an abundance of professional AND Amateur systems to support foundations.

One common foundation repair solution is a push pier. Which is a cylindrical steel or concrete system that is ‘pushed’ down into the soil against the bottom of the foundation. Many professionals and amateurs Use a push pier system because it is a cheap and easy system to install.

A push pier certainly has applications where it is the most appropriate solution. However, there are many limitations and issues that are often overlooked just because it is a cheaper installation process.

A push pier’s depth is limited by the weight of the foundation. Often, a residential foundation does not weigh enough to push a pier all the way down to bedrock or unaffected soil. If this critical depth is not reached, your foundation is doomed to eventually settle once again.

Along with concrete pier systems that break or cable lock gimmicks that stretch, there are often too many failure mechanisms with push pier systems to provide you guaranteed peace of mind solution.

A helical pier is driven into the soil independently of your foundation with specialized equipment. It is essentially screwed into the soil similar to a screw or a bolt until it reaches a specified torque. This torque value is from an engineered calculation that is not reached until the helical pier is at a critical depth of unaffected soil or bedrock.

Once critical depth is reached, the foundation is attached to a helical pier with a heavy-duty bracket. This means your foundation has now transferred its weight to soils that have been stable for at least tens of thousands of years!

A helical pier provides one of the most reliable ways to be certain that your foundation will be stabilized for a lifetime!

Call DFX Foundation & Waterproofing Experts today for a free evaluation and be sure to ask about our warranty!

Crawl Space Encapsulation: Benefits for a Healthier Home

Written by Digital Division on February 5, 2021. Posted in Encapsulation. No Comments on Crawl Space Encapsulation: Benefits for a Healthier Home

This article offers helpful information on crawl space encapsulation. We’ll explain encapsulation, offer tips for DIY crawl space encapsulation, and explain how to maintain a healthy humidity in your crawl space.

What Is Crawl Space Encapsulation?

Encapsulating, or at least sealing, crawl spaces is a popular solution for avoiding indoor moisture issues. Encapsulation can be compared to the lining added to swimming pools to avoid leaks.

A heavy-duty polyethylene barrier is added to completely cover your crawl space – usually the floors, foundation walls, and sometimes even ceiling.

Why Encapsulate Crawl Spaces

Since up to 50% of household air can flow up from your crawl space, it’s important to keep it as clean and dry as possible. Adding a crawl space vapor barrier and dehumidifier is widely accepted as the best way to improve indoor air quality and make energy improvements inside your home.

Water vapor enters the crawl space from the ground (even through cement), leading many people to encapsulate their crawl space to keep the moisture out.

Benefits of Creating a Vapor Barrier

Improved air quality in your crawl space and home
Creates inhospitable area for pests and wood-destroying insects
Allows for more comfortable living conditions
Avoid fungi/mold issues and structural damage
Greater energy efficiency in your home

Why Should I Choose DFX Foundation & Waterproofing Experts?

Written by Digital Division on January 1, 2021. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Why Should I Choose DFX Foundation & Waterproofing Experts?

DFX Foundation & Waterproofing Experts was founded by two engineers who saw the need for a foundation repair company in the greater Memphis area that was focused on satisfying customers by FIXING their foundation, crawl space, and basement issues. Too many companies were founded by salesmen who were not focused on fixing issues, rather meeting sales quotas and profit margins.

At DFX Foundation & Waterproofing Experts we have the expertise to build new foundations. Foundation companies founded by salesmen will not have that capability because they do not have the expertise or full understand what a foundation really needs to be strong and stay strong.

We provide all sorts of custom solutions tailor-made for your home. We are pros at crawl space encapsulation, sump pump installations, basement drainage, basement waterproofing, helical tie backs, helical piers, and many many more solutions to FIX your home.

At DFX Foundation & Waterproofing Experts, we treat your house like it is our own home. Your home, like ours, is your largest and most prized asset and investment. Neglecting your home’s crawl space, basement, and foundation problems not only diminish the value of your home and lead to bigger foundation problems, it can also be a hazard to your own health.

Give us a call today for a free inspection to repair your home the right way! # HappyCustomersMakeUsHappy # DontCallTheJoesCallThePros