The Crackman Podcast

The Crackman runs into a lot of DIY disasters as he helps homeowners across New England deal with their basement water problems. In this episode, he shares two recent examples of desperate homeowners trying to solve their own problems.

It has been hot and downright soupy outside with all the seasonal humidity coming up from the Gulf of Mexico. This week, the Crackman has a timely case study for us regarding puddled water a customer discovered in her basement.

We've talked about the futility of using waterproofing paint on leaking concrete foundations before. This DIY disaster features a leak that looks like a water faucet. Check it out!

In this episode, the Crackman explains why someone would want to move their lally columns, and if they want to move them, important steps to take before doing do.

In the summertime when you have lots of thunderstorms AND hot humid weather you run into both foundation leaks AND condensation problems. How do you tell the difference? The Crackman answers in this episode.

Rich went to a structural engineering conference recently and lally columns were a particular point of concern. In this episode, he tells us about the primary lally column issues afflicting homes today.

One of our favorite subjects in the Crackman's arsenal of experiences is when he talks about DIY disasters. In this episode, Rich shares 4 horror stories to share with our listeners regarding basement waterproofing.

In our last episode, we discussed how you fix cracks in floating floors. But what if the homeowner discovers a concrete floor that has cracked and the concrete has started to sink?

In our last episode we discussed 3 different types of floor cracks homeowners face. Today, we are going to discuss the first of these types of cracks and that's the type of crack you find on a floating floor.

Floor cracks can range is size and style. In this episode, the Crackman talks about the 3 basic styles of cracks and how you get them. It is the first in a 4-part mini-series on this subject.

In this episode the Crackman talks about what parging is when dealing with stone foundations and they types of situations he faces to get parged foundations looking good again.

In this episode, the Crackman covers the top reasons why a homeowner would need a dehumidifier in their basement.

The Crackman has covered a lot of DIY disasters in this podcast series and he has a new one that is just...really...hard to believe. This time it deals with the lally columns or piers that hold up the support beams in homes.

How can you estimate how long it takes a concrete slab to dry? The Crackman gives practical advice.

If you are a DIYer and installing a sump pump and liner/basin, it's crucial to get the size right. In this episode, the Crackman explains how to properly size them.

We're heading into thunderstorm season so the Crackman thought this might be a good time to remind people what to do to keep their basement from flooding when a major rain storm approaches.

It's Spring! It's a great time of the year: mild weather, flowers, tree leaves filling in...and it's also the busiest time of the year for landscaping. People often embark on these great projects to redo flower beds or plant trees and shrubs around the house. In this episode the Crackman offers best practices when it comes to landscaping and avoiding basement water issues as a result.

John from Dedham Massachusetts asks the Crackman: "Why Does My Sump Pump Keep Burning Out?"

Lally columns are one of those hidden "gotchas" found by home inspectors all the time. In this episode, Rich talks about what home inspectors are looking for so your home sale won't be unnecessarily delayed.

We've done a lot of podcasts where the Crackman has covered extensively how often he serves the real estate market for both real estate agents and homeowners. In this episode he discusses how a wet basement can lower the value of a home and make it tough to sell.

A quick tip from the Crackman if you have basement water or moisture problems.

As Spring Showers increase the amount of ground water around houses, homeowners are likely to spot leaks in their basements. And as many of them do, they'll decide to fix it themselves with home remedies they find in stores like Lowes and Home Depot. And what happens when they get there? They grab the guy walking the aisle and ask his opinion of what will work. He points to the caulk or the cement...

Yes, homeowners procrastinate when it comes to fixing problems, even when it comes to basement water problems. In this episode, the Crackman offers his top 4 reasons for fixing basement cracks right away.

After a period of heavy snow, winter is giving way to warmer weather, which means melting snow can be a real problem for homeowners with basements. In this episode, the Crackman discusses 3 ways to keep water out of your basement during snow melt.

Imagine that you are a homeowner or real estate agent about to close on the sale of a house and your deal dies a horrible death all because of a tiny basement crack that has suddenly sprung a leak. In this episode, the Crackman shares sage advice on how to keep that from happening to you.