What Is An HBC Certificate?
An HBC (Healthy Building Certificate) is a certificate that ensures a building meets the necessary requirements for a healthy indoor living environment. More often than not, basements and crawl spaces are sources of moisture and water intrusion in the home, which can lead to the growth of mold and mildew, and the proliferation of dust mites, roaches, and termites. Mold and mildew spores in the air can get into your lungs and cause you to have allergy symptoms, and dust mites are the number one source of what we know as the dust allergy. Roaches can also carry many allergens, as well as harmful bacteria. The goal of an HBC certificate is to make sure your home can successfully eliminate air pollutants and excessive moisture, promoting a healthy indoor living environment.
Levels of Healthy Basement Certificate
Level One – Ground Water Control: the first level involves installing a sump pump, a closed sump system, an empty GrateSump liner, a GP water alarm, and a radon test kit.
Level Two – Pump & Power Failure Backup Protection: the second level is all about making sure you have a backup system in case the first sump pump fails. It involves installing another FastSump Pump inside the empty GrateSump liner, as well as a FastSump Inverter with 100 AMP 12 volt backup battery.
Level Three – Full Perimeter GrateDrain System: the third level focuses on installing a perimeter drain to keep the water flowing away from the home. It involves a GrateDrain System, Corner Ports, T Ports, a FinishShield Strip, and a Flexi-Flange.
Level Four – Full Wall Protection: at the fourth level, we will install wall vapor barriers at the ground level to protect your basement walls.
Level Five – Moisture Control: the fifth level features the installation of a heavy duty dehumidifier to remove any moisture from the air in your basement, as well as a carbon monoxide detector.
Level Six – Maintenance & Upkeep: the sixth level is all about keeping your waterproofing systems functioning optimally with regular maintenance, including the cleaning of GrateSump pumps, Grate Drain, and discharge lines, as well as the changing of filters in your dehumidifier.
Levels of Healthy Crawl Space Certificate
Level One – Basic Ground Water & Leak Control: Involves the installation of a sump pump, a FastDrain Floor Drain, and a GrateSump water alarm. This ensures that any groundwater is pumped away, and alerts you if there are any problems.
Level Two – Ground Moisture Control: involves encapsulating the crawl space with a dual layer vapor barrier (DimpleShield and CrawlShield) and then sealing and caulking all the seams with FinishTape and FinishSeal. This level ensures that water vapor and moisture cannot accumulate inside the crawl space.
Level Three – Humidity Control: this step is where an advanced dehumidifier system is installed to keep humidity levels down and prevent mold and mildew growth.
Level Four – Ground Water Control: here is when we install a FastDrain System, a backup FastSump sump pump, and a backup battery system.
Level Five – Maintenance & Upkeep: the final step involves regularly cleaning the sump pumps, inspecting the FastDrain and discharge lines, changing the dehumidifier systems, and checking the alarms.
Advantages of Healthy Crawl Spaces/Basements
Getting your home HBC certified can have several positive effects on your home and your health. People living inside homes with damp or moldy basements and crawl spaces have a 75% greater risk of developing respiratory symptoms. Reducing mold in the building can prevent upper respiratory tract infections, coughs, and asthma symptoms. Additionally, the guidelines set by an HBC certification can make your home less susceptible to harmful indoor pollutants like radon gas. Healthy buildings can also prevent the intrusion of harmful pests like termites and cockroaches.
Crawl Space and Basement Waterproofing Near Me
If you want to prevent the growth of mold and mildew and infestations of roaches and termites by getting your home HBC certified, contact the experts at Summit Waterproofing. We will work with you every step of the way to get your home up to code. We offer crawl space encapsulation services, basement waterproofing services, and sump pump installation services to homeowners in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, and the rest of Northern Virginia. Contact our team of experts to get started on your waterproofing project today at 703-291-1516!
