Features to Consider For Egress Windows – Middlesex County, NJ

Posted by Jerome Fokas on

Egress Windows

Egress windows in basements are important for safety. They should be properly configured in order to provide a reliable route of escape in case of an emergency. They should also be able to provide an entry way for emergency personnel who may have no other way to access your home. Keeping these functions of the windows in mind is vital when selecting windows for your basement.

If you want to ensure that your egress window is able to meet the requirements for safety discussed above, you should consider the following factors when choosing a window:

  1. Ground and cored corners

The installation process involves cutting a hole into the wall of the basement. Most contractors rely on a concrete saw for this. The round cutting blade limits how the contractor will cut the opening in the wall. To prevent cracking and leaking, use cored corners before applying a grinder to get 90 degree corners is best.

  1. Install metal window well liners

If you want to avoid the effects of hydrostatic pressure on your windows and foundation walls, it’s a good idea to install metal window well liners. These window well liners will be able to withstand the constant pressure exerted by expanding soils especially in the winter and during heavy rains.

Plastic liners are a bad idea since they can be torn as a result of extreme pressure. They can also be heaved upward as a result of the pressure of freezing soil.

  1. Consider choosing casement windows

There are various types of egress windows to choose from in the market today. Where possible, it’s best to go for casement windows. These are easy to open when there is an emergency. They are also large enough for an adult emergency worker with emergency equipment to climb through.

  1. Install a working drain

It’s important to ensure that the egress window has a working drain. This will ensure that water does not collect in the window well like an aquarium. The window can break under this pressure and you will have to deal with a flooded basement and the expense of replacing your egress window.

  1. Include a cover

Consider having a window with a cover. This may be in the form of reinforced polycarbonate. These covers not only provide privacy for the basement but will also keep pets, children and even adults safe from falling into the window well. The cover will also keep debris out of the window well.

Elevator Waterproofing | New Brunswick, NJ | Select Basement Waterproofing

Elevator Waterproofing – Fixing Leaks in Elevator Pits – Bergen County, NJ

Posted by Jerome Fokas on

Elevator pits are sensitive areas. However, they are often forgotten. These pits are often below the ground floor of the building. Modern elevators are constructed in the foundation and have concrete poured around them.

Leaks often occur in elevator pits that are found below the water table. The water table rises and falls as a result of changes in seasons. This results in movements in the soil surrounding the foundation and the elevator pit. The elevator pit develops structural problems that result in leaks.

Faulty elevator waterproofing:

If you ensured that elevator waterproofing was installed in the construction phase of the building, you probably think that you won’t have any seepage problems in your elevator pit ever again. The truth is that the installation of these systems is often faulty. This is especially true when the contractor carrying out the installation is not a professional waterproofing contractor.

In other cases, the leaking may occur simply as a result of the wear and tear of time. As the elevator pit succumbs to age, the waterproofing system will also begin to fail. The membranes used to keep water out of the elevator pit begin to disintegrate and this affects the performance of the system.

Take action:

The solution you apply to solve the elevator pit leaks will depend on the cause of the leaks. It is best to deal with the root cause of the problem before you deal with the cracks that are letting water into the pit.

The solutions you choose for sealing leaking cracks in elevator pits will depend on the construction of the elevator pit.

  1. Sealing leaks in poured concrete walls:

If the elevator pit has poured concrete walls, you can seal the cracks using a crack injection. It is important to choose a crack injection that you can use in both wet and dry conditions. It should not react with water and should form a tight seal within a short time.

     2. Sealing brick and block walls:

If the elevator pit is constructed from block or brick, the water is most likely seeping through the joints between the individual blocks. These joints are points of weakness in the wall. Sealing leaks in this case would require the use of grout to seal the joints.

Talk to an elevator waterproofing contractor to determine your options. They will guide you on the best solution for waterproofing your elevator pit.