When a foundation wall is damaged by settling or by lateral pressure from swollen soil it places the entire foundation at risk.  Whether the foundation wall is poured concrete that has cracked and begun to rotate inward or concrete block or other masonry that is bowed or bulging in the center, a damaged wall left unrepaired can disintegrate and collapse.  This leaves an entire section of the house unsupported and causes systemic damage throughout the structure.

It’s pretty common for first-time visitors to Niles who are cruising down Touhy Avenue to do a double-take when they spot a landmark they had expected to be far, far away.  The Leaning Tower of Niles, a half-scale replica of its more famous cousin in Pisa, Italy, has been attracting attention since it was first opened as part of a private recreation area in 1934.

Deerfield, IL is a town with a bit of a split personality.  The village is home to a number of corporate headquarters, including Walgreen’s, Baxter International and Takeda Pharmaceuticals, among others.  It’s also a desirable bedroom suburb with a variety of housing stock, excellent schools and a thriving commercial area.  In fact, it was named the 3^rd best town in the U.S. to raise children by BusinessWeek.com in 2007.

In the basement waterproofing business, drain tile is one of the most useful and versatile tools available to solve basement water problems.  It can be installed inside or outside the foundation (or both), can be done during new construction or after the house has been standing for decades and it rarely, if ever, needs maintenance.

The residential real estate market in Chicago has begun to bounce back and people are once again listing homes for sale and eager buyers are traipsing from house to house in search of their dream home. 

The Orland Park area was originally settled by English immigrants, followed by Luxembourgers and Germans, including the Hostert family whose original log cabin is still preserved in the village today.  The “father” of Orland Park, John Humphrey, was part of the second generation of settlers and he gave the town its name and served as its first village president; his home is also preserved and serves as the headquarters of the Orland Historical Society.

Des Plaines, IL is known these days as the “City of Destiny” and for its proximity to O’Hare International Airport and for its much-debated gambling casino.  Back in the 1940s and ‘50s, however, Des Plaines was the “City of Roses” and its proliferation of huge commercial greenhouses made it the world’s largest producer of hothouse roses.

Basements are supposed to be dry so they can safely be used as storage, work or living space.  When a basement has water seepage not only is its use compromised but the resulting dampness and mold growth can affect the health of the home’s residents.  So it’s a fairly simple conclusion that when a basement experiences seepage or dampness that it’s time to waterproof.

There are two basic types of foundation damage.

Morton Grove was originally part of the tribal lands of the Potawatomi, much like the neighboring village of Skokie and the nearby Chicago neighborhood of Sauganash.  Settlement by Europeans began in the 1830’s and the area, now a bustling suburb, was mostly rural and devoted to farming.