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2B • 2011 Spring Home Improvement Shoppers Fair - March 26 • Cheboygan Daily Tribune - April 1, 2011

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Guard against basement water problemsBY KATHRYN SUCICH

T his winter saw huge snowfall totals across much of the country. According to the National ClimaticData Center, in mid-January, 49 of the 50 U.S. states (all except for Florida) had snow on the ground,and more than two-thirds of the nation was covered with snow. Of course, all that snow in the win-

ter will mean lots of melting water in the spring, which could spell trouble for your basement. David Lupberger,home improvement expert with ServiceMagic, a Colorado-based website that matches consumers with serv-ice professionals, offeres these steps you can take to protect your home and belongings.

1 Make sure waterdrains properly

“My experience is that 90percent of basement floodingis due to improper drainage,”says Lupberger. He recom-mends walking around yourhouse and making sure thatthe grading has water run-ning away from the founda-tion for at least 3 feet. He alsosays to make sure gutters anddownspouts aren’t clogged,and to have a gutter extenderthat clears water at least 2feet away from your founda-tion.

2 Check on yourarea’s water

tableLupberger says even if your

water is draining properlyaway from your house, if yourarea has a high water table,water can still get in. He rec-ommends calling your countyoffices to see if your area hasa particularly high watertable this year.

3 Clean up any water quickly

Any water that comes intoyour house will probably notbe a surprise. Lupberger saysyou usually know when therewill be an issue because you’vehad water come in a certainarea before. He says to checkknown trouble areas to see ifthey’re wet. If water is comingin, roll up the carpets and re-move furniture if possible.Use a wet/dry vacuum toclean up water, set up a boxfan to get air moving, and usea dehumidifier to get mois-ture out of the air. You wantto remove any water fairlyquickly, because if it sits for aweek or more you can start tohave issues with mold.

4 Take actionagainst chronic

problemsFor recurring water in your

basement, consider an interi-or drainage system. This iswhere a company will comein and create a drain line inyour basement to a sumppump. Lupberger says youshould only take this step ifyou have repeated flooding,because drainage systems cancost several thousand dollars.If you have extensive waterdamage and have to takemore drastic steps to guardagainst water, check yourhome insurance policy to seewhether it will cover you.

Water issues in a home arecommon and can result in

many a sleepless night for home-owners. Leaks or damp condi-tions can lead to damage in ahome and a large financial in-vestment. Sump pumps are oftenpart of an easy water manage-ment system. Due to high water tables or

flood-prone areas, some homesare more susceptible to water in-filtration. The type of soil underthe home or even in the regionalso may contribute to water-entry issues in the home. Home-owners may find water accumu-lates in the basement or crawl-space, or other low-lying areas ofthe residence. A sump pump can

be an effective means to remov-ing water from the home.A sump pump is a device thatpumps water out of the home toa place where it can drain prop-erly. The pump is often placed ina sump pit, which is a hole duginto the lowest-lying point in abasement or crawl space. The pitis lined with gravel. Most sump

pumps are submersible types,which means the motor and elec-tronic components are housedwithin a sealed, waterproof plas-tic shell. The submersible pumpcan be placed directly in the pitin the accumulated water. Apedestal pump is another type ofsump pump that elevates themotor on a stick, keeping it out

of the water. Because the motorisn't contained, these pumps tendto be less expensive, but louder touse. Submersible pumps may notlast as long as pedestal pumps sim-ply because they spend a lot oftime below water.Sump pumps can work in a fewdifferent ways. A common typeuses a float that rests on the sur-face of the water, much like thefloat inside of a toilet tank. Whenthe water rises to a certain level,the float rises as well, triggeringthe motor to turn on and expel thewater. A pump with a pressuresensor works by having the water,which is heavier than air, trigger asensor that will activate the motor.Inside of most sump pumps is animpeller, which looks like fanblades that spin the collected waterand, through centrifugal force,pushes it into a discharge pipe.This pipe exits the house and usu-ally drains far away from the foun-dation. The discharge pipe likelyhas a check valve that preventswater from seeping back throughthe pipe into the sump pump.Homeowners also can choose man-ual sump pumps. But, unlike auto-matic pumps, manual pumps re-quire a person to turn the pump onand off.Due to the fact that sump pumpsare electrical devices that work offof regular household current, it'simportant to have a ground faultinterruptor (GFI) installed at theoutlet where the pump will beplugged. This way the power canbe turned off should an electricalsurge take place.Sump pumps can only be usedwhere there are minor water prob-lems in a home. Flooding or severeconditions may require alternativesituations that are best handled bya professional service.

Homeowners should learn sump pump basics

2011 Spring Home Improvement • 3BShoppers Fair - March 26 • Cheboygan Daily Tribune - April 1, 2011

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4B • 2011 Spring Home Improvement Shoppers Fair - March 26 • Cheboygan Daily Tribune - April 1, 2011

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MarchThe first step after the spring thaw is to de-thatch your lawn, says Luke Hawkins, mainte-nance foreman at Ground Effects Landscapein Marshfield, Mass. A lawn care company cancome out to do this, or for do-it-yourselfers,de-thatching essentially is a hard raking to ripup the dead grass from the previous season.

AprilThe Cornell Cooperative Extension at Cornell(N.Y.) University offers a lawn care almanac onits website,www.gardening.cornell.edu/lawn/almanac.According to that almanac, April is a good timeto think about weed control. First, identify whatweeds are growing, then take action. Bare spotswill promote weed growth, so this may also be agood time for grass seed. The soil needs to beat least 52 degrees for grass seed to take, so besure to wait until warm weather has set in. “Youwant warm days and cool nights,” Hawkins said.

MayMowing is an important part of lawn care oncethe weather has gotten wetter and warmer.Keeping grass clipped short may be attractive,but it’s important not to go too short, Hawkinssaid. The Cornell Cooperative Extensionalmanac recommends cutting no more thanone-third of the grass height with each mow-ing.

JuneIrrigation is very important during the summermonths. Hawkins recommends watering twicea day — once predawn and once at dusk — ifallowed in your town. Of course, adjust for rain.“Too much water can kill the roots,” Hawkinssaid.

July Now that your lawnmower has gotten somegood use, sharpen those blades to keep it cut-ting well for the rest of the season. If rabbitsare a problem in your area, invest in some deeror coyote urine; it will deter them from enter-ing the yard.

AugustStart looking for problems such as grubs. Ifthere’s a dead spot, dig out a small squareabout 4 inches down and look at the soil,Hawkins said. If there are grubs, treat for themimmediately to prevent further damage.

SeptemberNow that it’s getting cooler, it’s time to thinkabout getting the yard ready for winter. OnLabor Day, fertilize the lawn. This is also a goodtime to seed or sod if summer was hard on thegrass, the Cornell almanac says.

OctoberAerate the lawn to allow oxygen to get deepinto the ground, Hawkins says. Also, set up abarrier to protect the lawn from snow and coldduring the winter. The Cornell almanac recom-mends also raking or shredding leaves to pre-vent mold from growing.

BY ERIKA ENIGK

If there’s still a blanket of snow in yourfront yard, lawn care may be the last thingon your mind. But believe it or not, the spring thawis on its way. To ensure green, healthy grass this summer,follow these month-by-month steps for quality lawn care.

Alwaysgreener

Homeowners embracing ecoscapingEco-friendly or conservative landscaping is growing increasingly popu-

lar among homeowners. Often referred to as eco-scaping, conserva-tive landscaping includes removing invasive plants, conserving waterand reducing reliance on chemical pesticides. Homeowners looking tolandscape in a more eco-friendly way this gardening season can employthe following techniques.

• Remove invasive plants. Exotic plants are often invasive, as they havebeen brought here from different ecosystems and therefore have nonatural enemies to keep them under control. Though exotic plants mightadd significant aesthetic appeal, this may come at the expense of localwildlife and existing plants. Many mistakenly assume all non-nativeplants are invasive, but that's not always true. Consult a local nurserybefore removing a foreign plant to determine if it's invasive or non-inva-sive. If it's non-invasive, it does not need to be removed.

• Choose native plants whenever possible. Native plants have adapt-ed to the local climate and soil, which can offer numerous eco-friendlybenefits. Because they're accustomed to native conditions, native plantsdo not need chemical fertilizers and require less water to thrive thantheir non-native counterparts, which have not adapted to the climateand soil and, as a result, need help to grow and survive. In addition, na-tive plants won't harm surrounding wildlife or plants.

• Plant strategically. Plants can be very picky when it comes to grow-ing conditions. If placed in poor growing conditions, plants will requirechemical supplements to thrive and more water to survive. When plant-ing, do so strategically. Find the appropriate light, moisture and soil con-ditions for any new plants, and then plant accordingly. Doing so requiresless maintenance, saving you money while adding aesthetic appeal toyour property. A local nursery can help find the right growing conditionsfor your plants.

• Water properly. Far too often homeowners waste water, particularlywhen the mercury rises. Overwatering plants leads to excess runoff,which can result in pesticides and fertilizers being carried to localstreams and rivers. Excessive watering can also filter nutrients from thesoil. When watering, water early in the morning, which allows plants toconserve water throughout the day. Native plants that have establishedthemselves should not need supplemental watering.

• Pesticides should be a last resort. In addition to their potentiallyharmful effects on the local ecosystem, pesticides can be harmful tohuman health as well. Oftentimes, pesticides exacerbate pest problems,killing the beneficial species like earthworms that don't recover as quick-ly as their more harmful pest counterparts. Only use pesticides if ab-solutely necessary. Consult a landscaping or gardening professional andask about potential alternatives to pesticides.