Damon Cheatham

This Fairfield, IL family used their basement as storage for decorations, exercise equipment, and old keepsakes. They started to experience water intrusion a couple of years ago, but they didn't think it was anything to worry about, but they learned they were wrong. The crack that once started small had grown, allowing a decent amount of water to get into the basement every time it rained and stormed. The homeowners were tired of worrying about the "what if's" and gave us a call.

Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, was sent to the home to do a thorough inspection. After he was finished, he concluded that the basement would need a few upgrades to keep it dry. First, a WaterGuard system was installed. This system is buried into the perimeter of the basement and covered with concrete so you can't see it. The water that is caught from the WaterGuard goes directly to the port, and it drained into the new TripleSafe sump pump and released through the discharge line. They decided to install longer discharge lines to keep the water flowing away from the home. Lastly, they installed a CleanSpace wall barrier acts as a barrier to keep mold and moisture out of the basement. 

This Fairfield, IL home had a cold concrete floor that was uncomfortable and just unappealing. Homeowner, Julie D., wanted to have a complete finish look to their basement so all can enjoy. After having us waterproof her basement to make sure it stayed dry, she opted to have the flooring installed by us as well. 

The solution for this basement was to install ThermalDry basement floor tiles. Unlike ceramic basement floor tiles, ThermalDry basement flooring will never crack or shatter. They are stain-resistant, and their interlocking design assures that damaged tiles can be easily replaced. Another great benefit of this product is that it cannot be damaged by water or humidity. Lastly, there is a thermal break engineered into the ThermalDry tile that allows the floor you walk on to be 8-10 degrees warmer than the concrete below.

This is exactly what the homeowner had wanted and was very impressed with the transformation. Just look at the difference! 

Hardin, KY homeowner, Jim and his wife were struggling to control mold and odor coming from their basement.  The basement seemed constantly wet and they never felt it ever got completely dry.  "Damon from Healthy Spaces came out for free and spent over 2 hours discussing issues and solutions with us", says Jim.

Damon and Jim decided the best solution for the home was to install a full-perimeter French drain in the basement.  Healthy Spaces has installed thousands of custom drainage systems just like this one in basements and crawlspaces across the area.  The systems are comprised of a rugged plastic drainage channel network called WaterGuard.  The Waterguard connects to a sump pump system that expels the water far from the basement to keep it dry.   

This basement had quite a few issues, with the main one being mold. The major issue was water entering the space, mainly through wall cracks. In a small area, a little water feels like a really big issue and a large amount of water means real trouble. The homeowners knew their basement had issues, and finally, enough was enough. They gave Healthy Spaces a call and Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, came out to the home and did a thorough inspection. 

A WaterGuard system would be installed around the perimeter of the basement to catch water and take it directly to the new TripleSafe sump pump. From there, the water would then be taken outside and released throughout the LawnScape outlet. The homeowners also decided to add IceGuard on to this in case the line would ever freeze, the water would still be able to come out of the basement. 

For the appearance factor of their new, dry basement, CleanSpace was placed on all of the walls. CleanSpace wall coverings provide an economical mold and mildew resistant layer to brighten up the space, and new expertly installed egress windows allow more light in and provide an emergency escape in the event of a fire. New double pane EverLast basement windows were also installed in the basement. These windows won't ever rot, rust, or even need paint. These windows won't ever ruin your finished basement from water running in. 

Crawl space access wells are typically ugly, unsightly pits. More often than not, they're made out of concrete, wood, or even metal. Over time, these wells will begin to fill with leaves, plants, and debris. The metal will rust, wood will rot, and when it rains or snows, they'll fill with water, causing the crawl space to flood. 

For this homeowner in Haubstadt, IN, they asked Healthy Spaces to replace their old crawl space access well, with The Turtl. The Turtl is a plastic crawl space entrance that provides an airtight cover, serving as an access well AND door combined!

These Henderson, KY homeowners were very concerned about the stability of their foundation wall.  It was bulging out due to swelling soils.  The soil was swelling because groundwater was present.  That created another problem--leaking walls.  The homeowners met with Damon Cheatham of Healthy Spaces and together, they designed a cost-effective, custom solution to both problems.

 First, the installation team would jackhammer out a trench around the perimeter of the basement to install Waterguard, a french drain-like system, that would capture the wall and floor moisture and direct it into a sump pump to be removed from the basement.  Second, the installers would place a wall moisture direction system called Brightwall on to the walls.  This will direct the wall leakage into the Waterguard before it comes into contact with the interior basement air.  This will keep the relative humidity lower and reduce the risk of mold growing in the basement.  Brightwall also has the added benefit of making the basement look brighter and cleaner--a real wow experience!  Third, the installation team installed several Powerbraces along the wall to stablize and reinforce it.  The Powerbraces are secured at the top and bottom to provide a rigid and structually sound reinforcement to the block wall.  As you can see, it looks like a completely new basement.  

The owners of this home in Sebree, Kentucky came to Healthy Spaces with the complaint that their living room smelled musty, old, and constantly dirty. Clearly, this is not the most pleasant smell to have in your home. The living room was built over a basement used for storing old belongings they no longer used, which was the culprit of the smell. Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, was sent to perform an inspection and discuss options with the homeowners. 

In the ceiling of this basement, there was mold growth due to moisture in the space. Mold thrives in dark, moist environments where organic materials are present. This is the reason why basements and crawl spaces are perfect places for mold to grow. In this basement, we did a mold remediation treatment so the family had a clean and safe space below them.

Mold is one of a homeowner's worst fears because it damages property, causes illness, makes a basement smell like a basement, and too often makes the whole house smell like the basement. If you have a mold problem caused by water or moisture in your basement or crawl space, Healthy Spaces offers proven waterproofing, moisture control, and mold treatment solutions. Call for your free estimate today. 

Signs of wall failure can show up differently depending on whether the home has a concrete block or poured concrete walls. For this homeowner in Robards, KY, they were showing signs of bowing walls starting to take place. 

Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, came out to asses their foundation and together they designed a solution that would permanently stabilize their home's foundation. Our Foundation crew, Tad and Garrett, installed 10 PowerBrace's. The PowerBrace system allows the system to be tightened over time, stopping wall failure without invasive drilling or digging on the property. PowerBrace's state-of-the-art brackets were engineered to provide strong joint reinforcement while also protecting the integrity of the home's floor system. 

Mary L. from Slaughters, KY was experiencing water in her basement, especially when there was heavy rain. She would have her shop vac ready to clean up all the water. Countless hours were spent worrying about what would happen to her basement if she wasn't there because many important documents, as well as memories, were stored there. 

Upon receiving Mary's call for help, Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham was scheduled to do a thorough inspection of her basement. When he arrived, they greeted each other with a smile and the work began. He recommended that a new drainage system be installed to prevent any more leaking. This drainage system would be under the concrete, so it wouldn't be noticeable. It runs straight to the new TripleSafe sump pump that was also installed. The CleanSpace vapor barrier on the walls helps protect and keep the space dry, as well as prevent mold growth.

Anita M. in Spottsville, KY was frustrated and tired of dealing with the standing water in her basement. Over time, the problem had only gotten worse, and she knew it was time to get in contact with a waterproofing professional. She did her research and was glad to learn that Healthy Spaces had the solution she needed. After speaking with our friendly office staff, she was able to schedule an appointment for System Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, to come out to give her a free inspection and quote. 

After the inspection, one of our production crews came out and installed a new TripleSafe sump pump to replace the one that wasn't working. This top of the line system sports three pumps in one sump liner that is engineered to work together. A vital part of this pump is the battery backup that kicks in if the power were to go out.

Many homes in Madisonville, KY are built with block wall foundations.  These foundations show horizontal displacement by stair step cracking.  Horizontal displacement is characterized by bowing, bulging, buckling, and shearing.  The easiest and most effective way to permanently stabilize a bowing wall is to have it professionally anchored.  

The Healthy Spaces foundation repair installation team will pneumatically drill wall anchor rods through the foundation wall at intervals.  The installation team will then dig earth anchor holes in the exterior of the home and the anchor rods will be drilled until they poke through into the holes.  You can see this in the before picture.  

Those anchor rods will be attached to earth anchors and tightened.  Then, the wall anchor face plates on the interior of the foundation walls will be tightened and the anchor rods tightened to stabilize the foundation.  Over time, the wall can be tightened more and straightened.

Some signs of your foundation becoming unstable are visible cracks, but what about the problems you don't usually think of? Do the floors above your crawl space seem bouncy, soft, or unlevel? This is exactly what Linda W. from Hanson, KY was experiencing. Her floors began to slope and was slowly creating a gap between the floor and interior walls. When she saw this problem arising, she gave Healthy Spaces a call to fix her problem. 

Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, came to Linda's home and provided her with a free estimate. He took a look at the foundation issues and provided her with a proposal to go over. Damon recommended a SmartJack System to cure her sloping floors. The SmartJack Stabilizer is a steel support system used to stabilize and level the girders and floor joists in a crawl space. The system has been laboratory tested to support loads of more than 60,000 pounds, making it the ideal system to stabilize your sagging floor, any walls sitting on top of that floor, and additional loads from the home. 

With the job complete and the floors stable again, Linda is enjoying the changes the SmartJack system has made to her Hanson, KY home. 

These homeowners in Newburgh, IN, were experiencing a lot of water in their basement whenever it would rain. In the before photo, you can see their old sump pump was unreliable, susceptible to problems sure to give the homeowners a run for their money. Instead of battling with the old sump pump, the Newburgh, IN, homeowners called Healthy Spaces and had the TripleSafe sump pump installed. The TripleSafe Sump pump system is our most reliable sump pump system and provides three levels of protection for your basement and your peace of mind.

Before Healthy Spaces came out to fix this Crofton, KY crawl space, there was a surplus of mold growing on every surface in their crawl space. They had been in their home several years but put the thought of a moldy crawl space in the back of their minds. What they didn't know was that a mold problem only grows bigger and bigger the longer you leave it alone. Ultimately, the mold will end up ruining your home, your health and your family's well being. 

Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, came out to the home to offer solutions to their problems. Here you can see in the before and after photo that our team worked to remove all the debris and organic material from the crawl space. With that out of the way, they could start the mold removal process. The first step is to seal off openings to prevent cross-contamination and then remove airborne contaminants by using air scrubbers. Next, we used a HEPA vacuum to remove any loose contaminants. And lastly, we applied a solution that foams on contact, then it penetrates the soil load which will leave a contaminate free surface.

The after photo shows the amazing difference that the mold remediation team at Healthy Spaces created.

Efflorescence is a mineral build up on walls caused by groundwater seeping through concrete and then evaporating.  It can be unsightly, especially if the walls are bright white!

The Healthy Spaces installation team used Biocide to treat the walls for mold and then installed a vapor retarding treatment called Cactus Juice.  The walls look good as new!

Homeowners Robert and Juliet of Lynville, IN began to worry when they saw visible cracks in their foundation. This is often a sign of your home settling. It was bulging out due to swelling soils.  The soil was swelling because groundwater was present. That created another problem--leaking walls.

Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, was called out to help these homeowners. Upon inspection, they decided that the PowerBrace System would be the best fit for the problem. The PowerBrace System is designed to permanently stabilize your home's foundation. Its purpose is to support basement walls and allows for straightening over time. It has a joist reinforcement method which helps with distributing the weight evenly. This eliminates the worry of damaged wood floor joists that are common with other foundation correcting systems. 

Homeowners Roger and Zelda H. from Calhoun, Kentucky were experiencing water flooding into their basement with rains. As time went on, the problem got worse. They constantly had fans running in hopes of keeping the water under control. With the problem worsening, they decided to call for help.

System Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, came to the rescue! He inspected the basement and presented them with a same-day quote before he left. The homeowners agree to have the work done and they got their project scheduled. They were starting with a WaterGuard system that wraps around the perimeter of the basement and takes water directly to the sump pump. They also added CleanSpace on the walls to protect mold growth and well as water. This gives it a nice clean finish without ever having to worry about wet drywall again.

The homeowners are thrilled with how this project turned out and aren't dreading the next rainfall.

Sheila D. from Rumsey, KY was having foundation issues, and with that came issues with her windows. As you can see in the before photo, they've tried to do a DIY and keep water and wind out, but their issues weren't fixed. When that didn't work, they gave Healthy Spaces a call and when System Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, came to inspect the basement, he recommended new EverLast Basement Windows.

These windows are energy-efficient, all vinyl, and don't let the wind in. They have double-pane glass, and never need paint which is perfect for the damp environment close to the ground. They will hold up for the lifetime of your basement, as well as improve the appearance, operation, and energy efficiency of your basement windows. 

With cracking in this Edwardsport, IN basement walls happening before homeowner, Seth S. eyes, he knew it was a project much larger than he could fix himself. A few years ago, the crack started out small, but over time it widened and grew. He decided to give Healthy Spaces a call about his foundation issues, and an appointment was quickly set. 

Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, came to Seth's home and did a thorough inspection of his basement. Once they put a plan together, our foundation crew came out and installed PowerBraces to support the walls. The PowerBrace is an adjustable steel I-beam system with two important benefits: stabilizing bowed or tilting walls, and (over time) forcing bowed or tilting wall sections back to their original position. All PowerBrace components are manufactured to exacting standards, with an anti-corrosion zinc coating that will keep them looking like new for decades to come!

The purpose of basement windows is to add appeal to your space by bringing in natural sunlight. When your windows are rusted, covered in debris, or doing little more than affording a view of an old, rusty window well, then they're not doing their job. So that's why we installed 4 of our EverLast Basement Windows. Our EverLast Windows are energy-efficient, vinyl-framed replacement windows. Having a covered window well keeps cold winter winds from blowing against the panes, while the Low-E double thermopane glass of EverLast Windows saves you on your energy bills. It's a small upgrade that really made a big difference in this homeowner home!

This home in Greenville, KY needed a way to stabilize their garage beams. They seemed to be sagging, and they didn't want it to become even worse than it already was. They gave us a call at Healthy Space, and Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, was happy to come out, and see the problem.

After Damon did a thorough inspection of the home, he concluded that SmartJacks would be the best fit for this home. SmartJacks are steeled support systems used to permanently stabilize and level girders and floor joists. They don't replace the existing columns and piers but add strength and stability to what is there. They should be used to lift the above floors and walls back toward their original position, reduce floor 'bounce' caused by excessive floor joist spans, and solve the problem once and for all. Because of their design, the SmartJacks can be adjusted over time to provide additional straightening and leveling action if necessary. They can also hold up to 60,000 pounds! 

Richard G. from Utica, KY was having water issues in his home. Granted, his home was over 100 years old. It was built in 1904 and the water issues were just getting worse as time went on. One of his friends had used our services and recommended us. Richard picked up the phone and scheduled a free inspection.

System Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, did a thorough inspection of Richard's basement and pinpointed the problems he saw. Richard agreed to the plan that Damon had come up with, and our production team did the rest. A WaterGuard system was installed to run any intruding water straight to the new TripleSafe sump pump. The water would then run outside from the discharge lines of the sump pump. A CleanSpace vapor is a heavy, durable, plastic liner that provides a vapor barrier while also draining water behind it and dramatically brightens the basement. 

If you're struggling with a wet basement problem, don't wait, we're here to help.

We've all seen the usual crawlspace door--plywood, old palettes, or scrap wood nailed together to cover the crawlspace opening. Even if the cover is painted or covered in shingles, it's usually warped and degraded by the sun. The metal hinges are usually rusted and in many cases, the hinges have pulled out of the siding. These old crawlspace doors lead to many problems besides just being ugly; they also allow pests, mold spores, and moisture into your home. Since these doors are not airtight, cold winter air will enter creating energy efficiency issues and increasing your heating bills.

Healthy Spaces offers several access door options to their homeowners. These are made entirely out of plastics and foams. Once installed, they create an airtight, waterproof seal between your crawl space and the cold or humid air outside.

This new crawl space doors is called a Turtl. It is constructed of rugged, durable plastic. It can be secured from the outside and it will not warp or fade in the sun. A Turtl is inexpensive, easy to install, and keep your home looking great!

This Odon homeowner purchased this home and was previously told that there was waterproofing around the perimeter of the home. They would continue to get small amounts of water in the basement until they removed the downspouts from going into the ground. That solved the water issue but now their basement continued to have that smell. They decided that they needed to give Healthy Spaces a call to solve the problem.

Our System Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, quickly came to evaluate the situation. He concluded that the crawlspace would need SilverGlo, a CleanSpace liner, and a SandiDry. 

SilverGlo Crawl Space Wall Insulation is able to resist heat conduction and boast a radiant barrier, which reflects heat back into their crawl space for ultimate energy savings. 

Next, we installed our CleanSpace liner on top of the SilverGlo. This 20-mil poly-reinforced crawl space liner prevents water vapor and humidity from passing through. Keeping their crawl space dry, and free from mold and rot.

With a plan set, our production team came to the home to start the project.

Wet basements are pretty common in Philpot and many cities in Kentucky.  With the proximity to rivers and streams, higher humidity, and an average rainfall of 45" per year, basement moisture levels are a common problem.  Increased moisture leads to mold concerns and problems with effloresence, mildrew and fungus, and increased pest activity.  

These homeowners were determined to stop the basement flooding cycle by installing an interior basement waterproofing system through Healthy Spaces.

The Healthy Spaces installation team installed 179 linear feet of waterguard, a SuperSump sump pump system, and 15' of discharge line.  The Waterguard system is installed along the perimeter of the basement and has a special flange to catch wall moisture as well!  The water is directed through the Waterguard into the SuperSump, then removed far from the basement through the discharge line.

This Lewisport home was experiencing the common signs of a wall failure problem: stair-step cracking on the inside of their home. Once these homeowners realized that the problem could (and would!) eventually get worse, they quickly gave Healthy Spaces a call to solve the problem.

Our System Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, concluded that the foundation would need to permanently stabilize the walls by installing PowerBraces. The PowerBrace is designed to support basement walls and allow for potential straightening over time. Some highlights on installing PowerBraces are: their zinc coating makes the entire system resistant to corrosion, clean-cut appearance, and professionally installed. 

With a plan set, Kye Devine and his production team came to the home to start the project.

Foundation stabilization technology has changed a lot in the last 150 years.  Unfortunately, many of the foundation components haven't.  This home, like many in the Hartford, IN area, is resting on a yellow brick foundation.  In order to stabilize the bricks and keep the foundation level, concrete pylons were poured at intervals along the foundation.  Now, the homeowners have noticed extreme settling and cracking throughout the home.  The best and most long-lasting way to stabilize this foundation is to clip the pylons and put the entire home on a rugged steel push pier system.  In the before picture, you can see the pylon and surrounding brick.  In the after picture, you can see the installed piers, which have been hydraulically driven to the engineer approved resistance depth and are resting on bedrock underneath. The piers have been capped off and the home is now off weighted from the failing soil onto the piers.

Whitesville, KY homeowner Ashlee K. had noticed that the dehumidifier in their vault room was no longer working. They purchased it from a big name box store, and it obviously didn't do its job. Without the dehumidifier running and filtering the air, the moisture was at an all-time high. It caused mold growth in their basement, which could also lead to illness and awful smells. Once they began to notice the mold, the panicked. They didn't want their home to be unhealthy, so they gave us a call.

Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, was sent to the home to complete a thorough inspection. He concluded that the dehumidifier wasn't doing its job and recommended that it definitely be replaced with a SaniDry XP Upright Dehumidifier which removes up to 109 liters of water per day. The latest generation of SaniDry dehumidifiers is more powerful and energy-efficient than ever! Each one includes a comprehensive, written warranty upon installation. 

Here, you can really see the difference that CleanSpace makes!  The initial crawlspace was lumpy dirt floor, covered in a clear plastic sheet.  When the sheet was pulled back, it was amazing to see how moldy and gross that plastic had become and how tattered and shredded it was.  Underneath the plastic, there was a failed trench system for drainage.  Instead of helping control the influx of water, it trapped over 4" of standing water in the crawlspace, which lead to mold and fungus growth among other problems.  

Damon Cheatham with Healthy Spaces came out and inspected the crawlspace.  He designed a comprehensive water removal system to keep the crawlspace dry all the time!  The installation team started by remediating the mold, removing the debris, and leveling the floor of the crawlspace.  Next, they re-dug the trench system to fit an EZFlow drainage system, which connects to a SuperSump sump pump system to remove the water.  The entire crawlspace needed to be more energy efficient as well, so SilverGlo insulation was installed along the walls and in the spaces between the subfloor joists.  The crew installed 1,134 sq feet of Cleanspace, two vent covers, and an EverLast Crawlspace well and door for entry.  Finally, a Sani-dry dehumidifier was installed in the crawlspace to keep the space conditioned and the relative humidity low so mold won't grow in there again.

This Hawesville, KY basement would leak every time it rained. The homeowners needed a solution to repair and prevent the damage from reoccurring because they were tired of worrying about it. Their basement was full of valuable tools, equipment, keepsakes, and even a treadmill that they frequently used.

Our Design Specialist, Damon Cheatham, quickly came to evaluate the home. After inspection, he concluded that the basement would need a WaterGuard system and a TripleSafe sump pump installed. The homeowners wanted something to cover the walls, so they decided on CleanSpace and Basement to Beautiful Panels.

A WaterGuard system would be used to take the intruding water straight to the new TripleSafe sump pump, where it would then be taken through exit lines and disposed of outside of the home. The CleanSpace wall covering brightens your basement, while also acting as a vapor barrier. The Basement to Beautiful Panels are custom engineered foam panels with studs that are fastened directly to your foundation walls. If the homeowners decide they want additional wall coverings over the panels, it will be an easy fix while still keeping it dry.