The blocks are brought to the site and laid by a mason with staggered joints.  If the joints are not staggered, the basement wall will have lower strength and it is a sign of . . . → Read More: The wet hollow block wall basements of Cleveland, Ohio]]> Basements are constructed with perimeter walls made with

1. hollow cement blocks, or
2. poured cement concrete.

Hollow block wall basement construction

The blocks are brought to the site and laid by a mason with staggered joints.  If the joints are not staggered, the basement wall will have lower strength and it is a sign of very poor workmanship.  After the blocks are laid, the hollows may be reinforced with steel bars and filled with a cement concrete to increase its strength and durability.  I am not certain if there is an easy method, for a typical home buyer or the second and the subsequent home owners to verify if the hollow block basement walls were reinforced or not.  If unreinforced, a hollow cement block basement wall is clearly inferior to a poured concrete basement wall.  The hollow cavities will provide a reservoir space for water which will eventually seep into the basement.  The unreinforced hollow block basement wall will have lower strength, durability and fire resistance.  The purposes and advantages of using hollow cement blocks is the speed and the cost savings using the the large sized blocks.  To meet the construction time parameter, a crafty home builder may decide that it is indeed desirable but not essential to reinforce the hollow blocks of the basement wall, particularly, if the applicable building codes do not explicitly require this reinforcement.

So, should a home buyer consider buying a home that has basement walls constructed with unreinforced hollow cinder blocks?  These basement walls which also act as retaining walls, will be weak in tension and are highly likely to develop cracks.  A poorly constructed basement is trouble and it is prudent to walk away from that home.

Hollow cement mortar cinder blocks used for basement construction

Concrete and steel reinforced block wall basement

Wet basements of Cleveland area in Northeast Ohio

Many homes in the Cleveland area of Cuyahoga County in Ohio have basements that are made of these hollow cement blocks.  I have seen several basements that have clearly visible whitish salt deposits known as efflorescence and patches of dampness; in summer .  One common reason among these homes for the damp basements is poor lot grading.

Jim LaRue, one of Cleveland’s best known home improvement and basement expert states in The Connection‘s article titled “Waterlogged basements defy usual explanations”,

I have seen as much basement water problems in brand new homes as I see in old ones.  My many years of basement investigations have persuaded me that we should not be using basements as living spaces and if we do, we should remodel them defensively.

Its estimated that 60 percent of U.S. homes have wet basements, and 38 percent run the risk of wet basements with mold.

Best time to buy a home

In the Northeastern part of the country, home buying and selling activity is at its peak range during summer and fall, when the rain and the snow are absent.  During these seasons, wet basement and leaky roof issues are likely to be less evident.  These seasons suit the home sellers and the commission focused real estate agents well.

According to Dr. Bruce Schantz, Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville and author of Wet Basement and Crawl Space Problems, Causes and Remedies-Tips for Homeowners and Home Buyers,

The best time to sign a home purchase contract is on a rainy day!

Waterlogged basement defy usual explanations

Witnesses to foreclosures, crime, sprawl, pollution, hype..

It was reported that . . . → Read More: Lebron James rightly picks Miami Heat]]> Here are some headlines from the local electronic media websites regarding Lebron James’s decision to move to play for Miami Heat.

1. Plain Dealer/cleveland.com- Heartbreak: Lebron leaving Cleveland for Miami
2. Akron Beacon Journal/ohio.com -James burns Cavs in favor of Heat

Witnesses to foreclosures, crime, sprawl, pollution, hype..

It was reported that people were tearing up Lebron James’s jersey in Cleveland.  People were driving by his 35,000 square feet home in Bath Township and yelling profanities at the 25 year old and his family.  He was being called a traitor and sell out. 

Lebron James said he chose Miami because he felt that Miami heat offered him the best opportunity to win, both this year and in future seasons.  He said that he did what was good for Lebron James and what would make Lebron James happy.  He said that he took his mother’s advice.  He explained that it was not an emotional decision and it was business.

Lebron James is a basketball player.  He excels at throwing a round ball through an elevated basket and therefore his influence on the quality of life of an average Northeast Ohio resident was negligible.  The newspapers and television placed him on an altar by giving him the moniker of King and now they attempt to denigrate him.  The emotional backlash from a minority of Northeast Ohio residents has been amplified by the media.  I am beginning to suspect that the popular media chooses to go along with the popular sentiment for dubious reasons.  I am not a big fan of basketball; it appears to me that the Cleveland Cavaliers failed to win a NBA Championship because they did not have the required firepower.  Millions come to our country in pursuit of better opportunities but according to some Northeast Ohio residents and an owner of Cleveland Cavaliers, its trief for Lebron James to do this

The appropriate response could have been to thank this young and successful Northeastern Ohio resident for his significant contributions to the area and wish him luck in his future career with Miami Heat.

“To Life” L’Chaim by © David E. Davis in the lobby of Cleveland Clinic facility at Beachwood, Ohio.

The double-helix (DNA), symbol of life’s secrets; the sphere, life’s source;  the figures, growth by care and medicine bind patient and doctor in mutual support, like the spirals, –recalling the caduceus, . . . → Read More: Observed at Cleveland Clinic Beachwood]]>

"To Life" (L'Chaim)

“To Life” L’Chaim by © David E. Davis in the lobby of Cleveland Clinic facility at Beachwood, Ohio.

The double-helix (DNA), symbol of life’s secrets; the sphere, life’s source;  the figures, growth by care and medicine bind patient and doctor in mutual support, like the spirals, –recalling the caduceus, symbol of medical profession.

Rising out of water, where life began, to a height of eighteen feet.  Eighteen is “chai”–life.  In honor of Rabbi Elias and Ida Davidowitz.

To Life

Click to enlarge this rainfall map of the June 22-24, 2006 storm.  This massive storm event caused some flooding issues in Broadview Heights, Brecksville, Solon, Sagamore Hills, Bainbridge, Twinsburg, Independence, Glenwillow, Oakwood, Bedford, Garfield Heights, Valley View etc.

100 Year Storm: A storm of a . . . → Read More: Flooding Issues in Cleveland Suburbs]]>

Rainfall Map for Solon Cleveland Suburbs-Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge this rainfall map of the June 22-24, 2006 storm.  This massive storm event caused some flooding issues in Broadview Heights, Brecksville, Solon, Sagamore Hills, Bainbridge, Twinsburg, Independence, Glenwillow, Oakwood, Bedford, Garfield Heights, Valley View etc.

100 Year Storm: A storm of a certain intensity and length of time that has a 1% probability of occuring each and every year.

500-1000 Year Storm: The June 22-24, 2006 storm poured 5.5″ of rainfall over a 4 hour period.  This storm damaged approximately 4, 580 homes and 48 businesses in Cuyahoga County.

What you need to know is that a typical stormwater collection system is designed for a 5 year to a 25 year storm!

Flooding in Brecksville

Reference: Flood of June 22-24, 2006, in North Central Ohio with Emphasis on the Cuyahoga River Near Independence By James M. Sherwood, Andrew D. Ebner, G. F. Koltun and Brian M. Astifan, Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5161, USGS and FEMA.

Related Posts:

Does your home need a backwater valve?

Installing a sign like the one above, near the area of the playground equipment at the the City of Solon Community Park might provide high benefit for the small cost.  Its likely that it won’t put an end to the rough play by younger and older teenagers.   . . . → Read More: City of Middleburg Heights Community Center playground rocks]]>

Park sign in Middleburg Heights

Installing a sign like the one above, near the area of the playground equipment at the the City of Solon Community Park might provide high benefit for the small cost.  Its likely that it won’t put an end to the rough play by younger and older teenagers.   This inexpensive park sign will serve as a helpful reminder to some of the playground equipment users.

The variety of playground equipment at City of Middleburg Heights Community Center playground makes it one of the best playgrounds in the Cleveland area.  This playground has something for children of all ages and its easily accessible.

Related post: Munroe Falls Metro Park

We decided to visit a friend’s father who was admitted and had been undergoing treatment for several weeks at Cleveland Clinic for a serious illness.

We were driving on the four lane Carnegie Avenue on our way to Cleveland Clinic.  We stopped at a traffic signal.  There was . . . → Read More: Nightmare on the way to Cleveland Clinic]]>

Hillcrest Hospital-A Cleveland Clinic Hospital

We decided to visit a friend’s father who was admitted and had been undergoing treatment for several weeks at Cleveland Clinic for a serious illness.

We were driving on the four lane Carnegie Avenue on our way to Cleveland Clinic.  We stopped at a traffic signal.  There was one more car ahead of us at the traffic signal.  A man started started crossing Euclid avenue.  After crossing half of the street, he turned back and started walking towards the car in front of my automobile.  I noticed the male driver of the car roll up his partially open window glass.  He did not want to have anything to do with the approaching man.   Now from observing the agitated man and the rolling up of the window glass, I realized that this was a potentially dangerous situation.  I locked my automobile and started praying for the traffic signal to turn green.  The man walked up to my automobile and repeatedly said, “Can I ask you a question?”.  I pretended to be confused and chose not to roll down the window.  After an enternity, the light turned green and I was relieved to be out of my nightmare on Carnegie Avenue and on my way Cleveland Clinic in my automobile instead of in an ambulance.

In 2009, there have been numerous media reports of murders within City of Cleveland.  I am not going to venture into Cleveland, if I don’t have to.

Humans treat, God cures.

Map of Munroe Falls Metro Park

Click on the location map of Munroe Falls Metro Park to enlarge it. Munroe Falls Metro Park in City of Munroe Falls is the best family park in the Greater Cleveland area. The highlight of the park is the gently sloping kid friendly beach. Life guards . . . → Read More: Best park and beach in Cleveland area-Munroe Falls Metro Park]]>

Map of Munroe Falls Metro Park

Click on the location map of Munroe Falls Metro Park to enlarge it. Munroe Falls Metro Park in City of Munroe Falls is the best family park in the Greater Cleveland area. The highlight of the park is the gently sloping kid friendly beach. Life guards are on duty. Munroe Falls Metro Park has an artificial lake that is is not large. The lake is in the middle of a valley in the topography and makes up for its small size with its cleanliness and beauty. There is an admission fee to the park, the parking is free. I did not see any dogs in the park and probably they are not permitted. Munroe Falls Metro Park does have cleaner toilets equipped with folding diaper changing platforms. Park rangers are seen patrolling the park on bicycles and they provide a degree of safety to the park visitors. Public barbecue grills are available but I am not sure if they are very clean.

Unfortunately, Munroe Falls Metro Park is one of the few parks in the Greater Cleveland area that is remarkable. The most disappointing parks in the Cleveland area are the Huntingdon Beach Park in Bay Village and Headlands Beach State Park in Mentor.