Your Respectable Basement and Crawl Space Waterproofing Experts in Fauquier County, Virginia

This well installed project in Marshall, VA not only showcases the workmanship and precision of the 3 Pros installation crew, it also includes an unusual feature that we don't come across too often! This homeowner's sump pump was located at the bottom of a recessed pit in the middle of the crawl space, so the 3 Pros team used the green Drop Down Ducts to feed the water from the higher level of the floor to the bottom of the pit where the sump pump was. Our approach successfully accommodated the customer's unique crawl space layout.

Occasionally, when conducting pre-project inspections, our team finds lead paint and/or asbestos that needs to be tested and properly disposed. This is typically seen in older homes constructed prior to the 1970s. In the case of a home in Delaplane, VA, the owners were hoping to get their drainage system replaced to keep their basement dryer. Upon our inspection, the 3 Pros team discovered this home had asbestos tiles under their carpet. In order to install a full perimeter interior drainage system, carpet and tile needs to be ripped up. However, when asbestos tiles and the mastic glue is broken up, harmful particles are expelled into the air and can be inhaled. 

While the 3 Pros team doesn't specialize in asbestos removal, we are able to test materials to detect it. A chip or piece of tile is broken off by a crew member and brought back with them to be tested for asbestos. If asbestos is present, it must be removed before work can be done, and we are able to refer asbestos removal companies to homeowners. 

In this situation, the homeowner did not want to deal with the process of asbestos removal so they opted to explore the option of an outdoor drainage system instead. Typically, our team installs interior drainage systems because they can be accessed by the homeowner if cleaning or flushing of the drain pipes is required, and come with a lifetime guarantee. With an outdoor system, the drainage piping is completely underground, cannot be accessed, and does not come with a lifetime guarantee. 

Our CleanSpace drainage matting is an optional, but highly recommended, product in our CleanSpace encapsulation system. Also called dimpled matting, it is made of semi-rigid polyethylene with divets (or dimples). It is installed directly on the crawl space floor and goes under our CleanSpace liner. It adds increased drainage function and durability, especially in dirt floor crawl spaces that may have rocks, sticks, or bumps. As a bonus, it also helps improve insulation value and the dimples create a comfortable cushion to make access to your crawl space easier. Check out this video from Basement Systems USA for an in-depth look at this product here.

Most of us rarely venture into those tight, stuffy, and smelly areas that we call crawl spaces under our homes. They're often placed over areas of bare ground or dirt, meaning there are usually creepy crawlers and dirty conditions. If you're lucky, there shouldn't really be a reason to go down there at all! Here at 3 Pros, we speak crawl space so if you're having any of the following household symptoms, give us a call and let us crawl!

The first thing to look (or rather, smell) for is musty, mildewy, and otherwise stinky odors emanating from the floors directly above and adjacent to the crawl space. This usually indicates mold growth, but sometimes it can be a combination of rotting wood, animal or pest droppings, and even decaying critters that have may have died in the crawl space. Check out here what a pest-ridden crawl space can look like.

Be mindful of floors, especially those right above or close by to the crawl space, that may seem uncharacteristically hot in the summer or cold in the winter. Often times, crawl spaces are poorly insulated or have water damaged insulation that does not retain conditioned air and can lead to these hot/cold spots. Because moisture damage is the usual culprit here, this means there is usually mold growth and rot to come if not already there.

Sagging floors are one of the most underestimated issues of damp crawl spaces. Every house has a spot that might creak a little when stepped on, but when that spot (or spots!) begin to tangibly yield slightly under your feet, then it's time to call in an expert. These are usually caused by rotting wooden joists in the crawl and this can bode poorly for the structural integrity of your home. If left untreated, the affected structures can quickly become a safety hazard because the floor could give way.

Last but not least is mold outside of the crawl space. This can be tricky, because there can be other factors that cause mold in your home. But if you find mold in an upstairs room that doesn't have food or high humidity, it's very possible it came through your HVAC vents from your crawl space. 

Overall, most of us want to avoid going into our crawl spaces - and for good reason. However, the long-term affects of an untreated wet crawl space can be harmful to your home and your family. If you are experiencing any of these problems in your home, call us today for a free estimate!

It depends a lot on 1) the type of crawl space you have and 2) the type of dehumidifier you have in it. If your crawl space is uninsulated, on a dirt/ground floor, or has active symptoms of excessive moisture (mold, musty odor, visible standing water or water damage), then it is likely that your dehumidifier will be getting more action than one in an encapsulated crawl space. You should be checking it more often if this is the case and emptying it accordingly. If you have had a SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier system installed in your crawl space, then you're in luck! The Sedona is an extremely 'self-sufficient' dehumidification system and does not require draining. It does it automatically and at a highly efficient rate; up to 95 pints of water per day. 

First, evaluate how much water is standing in your basement. If it is enough to warrant concerns about electrical issues (if your outlets or electrical box may have been saturated), then call your electric or utilities company to shut off your power to remove any risk of electrical injury. Although your first inclination might be to call a plumber, the best resource for water leakage and seepage is a basement waterproofing company - like 3 Pros! We are the local experts in the Northern VA market for diagnosing and applying waterproofing solutions, and your first estimate is free. Our technicians will examine every part of your issue and construct an individualized plan for each customer.

While small cracks in your foundation can be easily overlooked, it is important to call a professional if you begin to see water leaking from the crack, if the crack(s) spread to your stairs, or if there is any structural changes like bowing, buckling, softening, or tilting. All of these things will only get worse with time and any amount of rain will expedite this damage. If you notice a crack, even a small one, the best idea is to call a local expert like 3 Pros to evaluate if it is cosmetic or structural. 3 Pros offers a free, no risk estimate so if you have any doubts at all about cracks in the foundation of your home, don't hesistate to reach out to us today!

If you are experiencing any problems with water in your basement, whether it's mild pooling or full-on flooding, then you need a sump pump. Sump pumps collect and safely expel unwanted water from your basement. A truly effective sump pump will be able to not only keep your basement dry, but also determine if your home is at risk of flooding, water seepage, or standing water.

We highly recommend the TripleSafe sump pump for homeowners in this area. The TripleSafe provides 3 levels of pumps to make sure that your basement stays dry, even in extreme conditions. The first pump does most of the heavy lifting; collecting and displacing water that comes into your basement. The second pump is raised above the first one, and comes into action if water continues to collect and the first pump can't handle all of it. The third pump is a battery powered back up to give you peace of mind that your basement will be protected, even if the power goes out and the other two stop working.

The obvious answer here would seem to be "turn your AC/heat down" or "stop running your HVAC so much". But who wants to turn off their AC in the middle of the summer, just to save a few bucks? A great way to lower your electric bill, add value to your home, and allow you to remain comfortable is to insulate your basement and/or crawl space. Who doesn't love saving money without having to compromise quality of life? 

Outside air that enters through the basement or crawl space is able to seep upward into the rooms of your home, if these spaces are not insulated. If you have a room or rooms above your basement or crawl space that are sweltering in the summer and frigid in the winter, it's likely that you're over running the AC and heat to manage these extreme temperatures. By insulating those spaces, outside air will no longer be able to enter the rest of the home meaning those rooms that were once nearly unlivable will become comfortably conditioned. You won't be needing to run your HVAC on overdrive anymore to be able to use those rooms. You'll feel that in your home and in your wallet. 

In short, waterproofing your basement means you will eliminate excessive moisture that causes unfavorable effects. There are various ways to do this depending on how much water is affecting the basement, where the water is coming from, the height of the water table around the home, and the type of soil your foundation is on. There are methods to address water in the basement that are relatively inexpensive and that you can do yourself, like waterproofing paints and coatings. However, these are very temporary "band-aids" on a large problem that won't go away unless a full solution is completed. This usually entails a below-floor drainage system that goes around the perimeter of the basement, like our WaterGuard, and a sump pump. Drainage matting and a vapor barrier can also be included for added effectiveness. 

Each basement is different and solutions are not one size fits all. To best understand how to get and keep water out of your basement, you can schedule a free diagnostic inspection with the 3 Pros team. We will determine what the problem is and exactly how to fix it!

Homeowners living in Remington, VA noticed some musty smells in their home. They decided to inspect their crawl space and found mold in one spot. After a quick Google search, they gave us a call at 3 Pros Basement Systems. After our expert went out to do a thorough inspection, these homeowners decided to have the mold spot treated and their crawl space encapsulated. This encapsulation process involves completely isolating the crawl space interior from damp exterior conditions. It was moisture in the crawl space that caused the mold and musty odors and it could have led to some serious damage had they not caught it in time. Now these happy homeowners have better indoor air quality, no more musty odors, and are saving money on their energy bills. 

Homeowners in Markham, VA called our appointment center complaining of a humid basement that was irritating their children's allergies. They were concerned that mold would begin to grow and make things even worse for their children. We sent one of our sales professionals, Jason, to the home to investigate. Jason discovered that the basement did have very high humidity and that mold was definitely a risk, just as the homeowners feared. He suggested that we install a SaniDry Dehumidifier to mitigate the risk. Now these customers have a dry basement with no mold and happy, healthy kids. 

An upstairs wall in a Catlett, VA house was bowing from a loose basement beam wiggling. It was unstable and the homeowners needed to find a way to support it. Water seepage from cracks at two corners was also occurring whenever it rained heavily. The homeowners found 3 Pros Basement Systems online and gave us a call. They needed a solution fast, or the beam could collapse and the water infiltration could get much worse. 3 Pros Basement Systems quoted the homeowner for sealing the cracks and installing SmartJacks and WaterGuard below the floor drain. The combination of these products would stabilize the beam and collect any water that entered the house. Impressed with the knowledge of our Sales Professional, these homeowners signed the contract and scheduled us to do the job. Three SmartJacks were installed as well as the WaterGuard drain and these homeowners can now breathe easy. Contact 3 Pros Basement Systems for a free estimate in the Northern Virginia area. 

Our customers in Warrenton, VA had too much water flooding their lawn and walkway from the sump pump discharge line and downspouts. The area was so saturated that the homeowners could not use this part of the yard. It was a frustrating situation. The family loved to spend time in this area in the summer months. Our Sales Professional visited the homeowner and discussed ways to solve the problem. To get the water under control, our production crew installed a TripleSafe Sump System and buried the discharge line, heat line, and drywall. This system works together to send water below grade to the dry well and helps to eliminate surface flooding. The TripleSafe sump system maintains pumping capacity when needed. Now on beautiful sunny days, there's nothing better for the family than enjoying their well-drained yard together.