Foundation Restoration
Serving Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware since 2001

LEAKY BEAM POCKETS
MAY 24, 2013



Most houses that are framed have either a crawl space or full basement foundation.  A required center beam (or beam pocket) is needed to provide a level surface to support the floor joist system between the foundation walls.    
 

A beam pocket is a groove or a cut out near the top of the foundation wall in which a steel support beam is placed during construction.  The beam pocket is an opening in the form for a column or girder where the form for an intersecting beam is framed.  The pocket is created by cutting out a hole where the beam will sit and then creating a place-holder block out of lumber and putting that block in the hole. The wet concrete will flow behind and below the block to create a nice square pocket in the concrete.  Once the concrete has been poured around the block you would then take the block out and your left with a pocket in which the beam will sit.  Unfortunately, in some cases, this is where you may see a leak as pictured below. 

 

  leaking beam pocket

 

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  SUMMER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!
 spring flowers
Here are just a few reminder tips to stay cool and help save money.

 

1.  Open windows and use portable or ceiling fans instead of operating your air conditioner.
2.  Use a fan with your air conditioner to spread the cool air through your home.
3.  Use a programmable thermostat with your air conditioner to adjust the setting at night or when no one is home.
4.  Install window shades, drapes or blinds to reflect heat away from the house.
5.  You may want to purchase an attic fan to help pull air through open windows on the bottom floors and exhausts it through the roof lowering the inside temperature and reducing energy.
6.  Plant deciduous trees on the south and west sides of your house to help keep your house cool.  Just 3 trees properly placed can save between $100 and $250 annually in cooling and heating costs.
7.  Air-dry dishes instead of using your dishwashers drying cycle.
8.  Use a microwave oven instead of a conventional electric range or oven.
9.  Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater; 115 degrees is comfortable for most uses.
10.  Take showers instead of baths to reduce hot water use.

 

 Have a safe and enjoyable summer!

 
Sandy Theesfeld 
Director of Sales & Marketing
267 897 4009
 

  

  

Quote for thought..." The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle." - Steve Jobs
FOUNDATION RESTORATION NEWS!
FR is excited to announce an awarded contract for applying pedestrian traffic coatings to stairways and landings at an apartment complex in Collingswood, NJ! 
Quick
Fact  

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle; if the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle; if the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

Featured Industry "Word" of the month is...
MEMBRANE
 
A layer of material, typically impermeable (not allowing water to move thru), used as a lining on outdoor concrete walls.
 
 
TRUSTED CONTRACTORS CORNER


STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Drew Leone-Leone Engineering


REALTORS
David Brandschain-Keller Williams Main Line Realty
Click here to send David an email!


RESIDENTIAL REMODELING
Jay Stack
-Under Construction Builders, LLC.
Click here to send Jay an email! 


Crack Repair - Leaks and Structural
 Crack repair2
 
  
We judge our work, not just by its ability to stay dry, but also by the aesthetics of the finished product.  Our completed repairs are left smooth and paintable, unlike many of our competitors.

 

Which repair would you like to see in your homes?  The picture to the left is considered complete by some companies.  Our completed repair is on the right.  Which one would make your customers happier?  Hmmm........

   

Knowing our work carries a Lifetime Warranty at no extra cost, you'll have peace of mind knowing that you will never need to pay for another repair!

   

By the way, we can fix (and do fix) other companies failed repairs, like the one on the left, and still put a Lifetime Warranty on it.        

 

 


 

 

 

Water / sewer penetrations
repaired wall crackAs you know, any penetration in a below grade wall is susceptible to water leakage.  Precautions are made during construction, but they don't always work.

We can repair penetrations, in any condition, whether previously repaired or not.  Because of the different grades and viscosities of our materials, we can stop even the most problematic leaks.

Do you have a homeowner or customer that is in need? Just click here and let us know. 
  
Stone/Stucco/Brick sealants 
Sometimes you have mystery leakage in a stone, brick, stucco facade on a house. If you have eliminated the possibility of moisture entering around windows or vents, the problem may be caused by rainwater penetrating the exterior surfaces.  A quick test with a Rilem tube can determine water absorbtion into the surface and whether sealants should be applied.
The sealants that we use are water based and form a gel in all pores and capillaries of portland cement based products.  These sealants waterproof down to the molecular level.  Because a water molecule is bigger than an air molecule, our products will block water and more importantly, allow the surface to breathe without trapping moisture and creating a mold issue.
Foundation Restoration   3425 Bethlehem Pike  Unit B  Souderton, PA  18964
P 267 328 6654      F 267 382 0805