pressure washer gutter cleaner image
starman
I have a 2 story townhouse with vinyl siding and alum gutters and soffits. I purchased a 24 foot telescoping ext. but have never done a house. How about a good wash detergent? Do I actually have to get really close at the top in order to get it clean? Any tips much appreciated....Starman
Answer
using a non toxic detergent will help with any runoff.dont get to close or use a tip that has to much pressure or you will make a hole in the siding.depending how old and brittle the siding is will determine what tip to use.the north side may have algae and/or fungus and the south side may be more brittle due to exposure to the sun.you will have to take your time .start from the top and work down.good luck
using a non toxic detergent will help with any runoff.dont get to close or use a tip that has to much pressure or you will make a hole in the siding.depending how old and brittle the siding is will determine what tip to use.the north side may have algae and/or fungus and the south side may be more brittle due to exposure to the sun.you will have to take your time .start from the top and work down.good luck
I would like your opinion on the proper way to waterproof a basement.?
Marie
I have had 4 contractors out for an estimate. Three out of four said the way to go is to install a system inside by breaking up the concrete floor 1 foot around the entire basement and putting in a drain system which means drilling two holes into each cinder block around the bottom of basement and installing a drain system, then putting up a special two board two foot up the wall from the floor and then re-cementing the floor. The other contractor wants to dig around the outside of the entire house and tar it from outside.
Answer
First of all it is important to understand why basements leak: basements leak because the dirt around the foundation, which was once excavated to pour or build the basement walls, and then back filled tend to be always more lose than the undisturbed soils around the hole. As a result it tends to soak up water like a sponge and become over saturated.
When that happens, the resulting hydrostatic pressure pushes water against the basement walls and eventually it will find its way in through cracks and joints.
That said, the only way to stop basement leak is to keep that soil around the foundation as dry as possible by providing adequate drainage:
Simple measures to improve conditions in the basement:
- Keep gutters clean or install them if you don't have any.
- Extend downspouts as to discharge as far away from the foundation wall as possible.
- Grade the terrain as to slope away from the foundation
- Avoid using garden hoses and sprinklers too close to the house and keep plants that need constant watering away as well.
With these measures in place you will then need to provide better foundation drainage and there is two ways of accomplishing that:
1 - Digging out the foundation from the outside and laying drain tiles (also known as french drain or weeping tile) by the footing, to collect ground water. French drain installation is messy, disruptive and quite expensive, specially if you have porch, deck or sunroom, as those need to be taken down to install a french drain.
2- By installing an internal perimeter drainage system. These systems do exactly the same thing a conventional french drain does. They intercept and collect ground water, diverting it to a sump pump system that will them discharge it away from the foundation, thus relieving the hydrostatic pressure and stopping leaks.They are not to be confused with simple baseboard systems which allow the water in and then divert it.
Internal perimeter drainage systems have been used with succes for over 20 years, and have many advantages over conventional methods.
- They cost less . around 50% less that convetional methods
- They also take care of other water sources, such as plumbing leaks, water heater tanks, running faucets and toilettes, burst washer hoses.
- Unlike conventional french drains, they are serviceable throughout the years, which is why good companies back them up with a Transferable Lifetime Warranty. Just make sure the company you hire has been in business long enough, so that you know they will probably be there for many years to come, to honor that warranty.
As for the tar option, just don't do it. It does not to relieve the hydrostatic pressure and the water will eventually find its way in. Tar is an old fashioned foundation damp proofing (not waterproofing) method proven to deteriorate overtime. Just think: Driveways are paved with it. How many times a homeowner needs to reseal the driveway because the tar was deteriorated or washed away? Can you trust that stuff to keep your basement dry?
First of all it is important to understand why basements leak: basements leak because the dirt around the foundation, which was once excavated to pour or build the basement walls, and then back filled tend to be always more lose than the undisturbed soils around the hole. As a result it tends to soak up water like a sponge and become over saturated.
When that happens, the resulting hydrostatic pressure pushes water against the basement walls and eventually it will find its way in through cracks and joints.
That said, the only way to stop basement leak is to keep that soil around the foundation as dry as possible by providing adequate drainage:
Simple measures to improve conditions in the basement:
- Keep gutters clean or install them if you don't have any.
- Extend downspouts as to discharge as far away from the foundation wall as possible.
- Grade the terrain as to slope away from the foundation
- Avoid using garden hoses and sprinklers too close to the house and keep plants that need constant watering away as well.
With these measures in place you will then need to provide better foundation drainage and there is two ways of accomplishing that:
1 - Digging out the foundation from the outside and laying drain tiles (also known as french drain or weeping tile) by the footing, to collect ground water. French drain installation is messy, disruptive and quite expensive, specially if you have porch, deck or sunroom, as those need to be taken down to install a french drain.
2- By installing an internal perimeter drainage system. These systems do exactly the same thing a conventional french drain does. They intercept and collect ground water, diverting it to a sump pump system that will them discharge it away from the foundation, thus relieving the hydrostatic pressure and stopping leaks.They are not to be confused with simple baseboard systems which allow the water in and then divert it.
Internal perimeter drainage systems have been used with succes for over 20 years, and have many advantages over conventional methods.
- They cost less . around 50% less that convetional methods
- They also take care of other water sources, such as plumbing leaks, water heater tanks, running faucets and toilettes, burst washer hoses.
- Unlike conventional french drains, they are serviceable throughout the years, which is why good companies back them up with a Transferable Lifetime Warranty. Just make sure the company you hire has been in business long enough, so that you know they will probably be there for many years to come, to honor that warranty.
As for the tar option, just don't do it. It does not to relieve the hydrostatic pressure and the water will eventually find its way in. Tar is an old fashioned foundation damp proofing (not waterproofing) method proven to deteriorate overtime. Just think: Driveways are paved with it. How many times a homeowner needs to reseal the driveway because the tar was deteriorated or washed away? Can you trust that stuff to keep your basement dry?
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