People love their fur babies and sometimes they need to get them out of the way. Is the basement a good choice to lock them away, or are there hidden dangers there that pet owners need to be concerned about? The Crackman explains.
Narrator: It’s time once again for the “Crack Man Podcast” hosted by A1 Foundation Crack Repair. I’m Darren Kincaid here with the Crack Man himself, Rich Comeras. Rich has 30 years’ experience in the construction industry and over 25 years as the president and founder of A1 Foundation Crack Repair. This podcasts provides expert basement waterproofing, concrete repair, and preventative maintenance tips for homeowners and businesses. A1 Foundation’s valuable insight will help avert a disastrous flood within the basement, health problems associated with water infiltration, and protect your biggest investment….your home. The topic of today’s podcast: Is it safe to keep a pet in your basement?
Narrator: So Rich, people love their fur babies and sometimes they need to get them out of the way. Is the basement a good choice to lock them away or are there hidden dangers they need to be concerned about?
Rich: Well what made me think about this is I went into a house in Marlboro, MA and went downstairs, and there was this little pond there that they had made, and there were 3 turtles that were in there. They started telling me that they’re Fred and Barney. I forgot the other one’s name, but part of the Flintstones, and they live down there. And then they come out there in the summer and they put them outside. So, this made me start to think, and I ran into a veterinarian, and I was talking all about it. And the vet said, if you keep an animal down in the basement, they, just like humans, there’s mold and mildew, and some of them could develop respiratory problems.
And I started thinking more, and I had noticed especially in fieldstone foundations, we’ve seen mushrooms growing. You know, if they eat the mushroom, we don’t know if it’s safe for them to eat it or not. We’ve seen all kinds of different vines, plants, actually growing from the voids in between the stone foundations, that may not be safe for them to be ingesting. Also, there could be a sump pump, or a basin with a pump in it without a cover in it, and animals go to drink, they could fall in that hole and you’re never going to know it until you go downstairs and maybe see your little FiFi there, drowned.
So to answer your question, no, it’s not a great idea to keep your pets in the basement especially if it’s an unfinished basement.
Narrator: Wow, thanks Rich for the warning on the hidden dangers of keeping a pet in the basement.
If you have a basement water problem and think you need a professional, or, if you’d like more information on foundation crack repair and basement waterproofing topics, please visit A1FoundationCrackRepair.com or call Rich at (866) 929-3171. Or you can email Rich at info@a1foundationcrackrepair.com. Thanks for listening and keep that basement dry.