Waterproofing and Finishing a Basement in Mascoutah, IL
Challenge
This Mascoutah, IL homeowner has lived in his house for 15 years. Over this period of time, he noticed that his basement would leak a couple times a year. He could not pinpoint exactly where the water was coming in because there were so many places. Although it didn't leak that often, the water still managed to damage his home. Wood rotting occurred and mold started to grow. He was looking to find a permanent solution to this ongoing problem.
Solution
To correct the water leakage problem, the homeowner called Woods Basement Systems to get his free estimate on his basement. He ended up getting the WaterGuard, WaterGuard Port, a Trench Drain, a Smart Pipe, a TripleSafe, IceGuard, LawnScape, CleanSpace, SaniDry and Drainage Matting to waterproof his basement.
WaterGuard was placed around the perimeter of the basement to catch water leaking through the walls. This system was designed specifically to solve basement water problems without the worry of clogging pipes. It is installed on top of the footing rather than beside it, so the dirt and debris from below cannot enter to potentially clog the drain. A WaterGuard Port was installed so the owner could watch the system in action and make sure nothing unusual would be inside it. This system connects to the TripleSafe Sump Pump that makes sure any basement or crawl space has triple the power to keep the water out. This pump connects to a PVC Pipe that goes outside of the house and through the IceGuard system. The IceGuard is a preventive measure in case the pipe that trails out away from the house freezes. If it freezes, there is no way for the water to get out of the basement and can then cause leakage problems. The IceGuard makes sure this worry doesn't happen. LawnScape was placed at the end of this discharge line to make sure water flows away from the house. One TrenchDrain was placed in front of a door to catch any other water that could seep under it; the drain was build in with the WaterGuard.
Around the outer edges of his basement, Charles had a SmartPipe installed that would also lead to the TripleSafe. On top of this pipe, he had Drainage matting laid down to trap any other water that may have found its way inside. CleanSpace was then placed over these systems and on the basement walls to help reduce humidity and to help keep the basement dry.
After the basement was waterproofed, the homeowner decided he wanted to finish it with the options Woods Basement Systems had given him. EverLast Wall Panels would cover the walls, ThermalDry tiles would be the floor, and Linen tiles for the ceiling. EverLast Wall Panels are made from cement board, covered with textured washable vinyl finish, and the rim is all plastic, all installed over metal studs, so no mold has any chance of growing. ThermalDry tiles were installed next. ThermalDry has raised pegs on the bottom of them to suspend the basement floor above the cold hard damp concrete floor, allowing the floor to breathe. Water vapor does not get trapped in the finished flooring. Lastly, Linen Ceiling tiles were placed in the ceiling. Linen tiles are the brightest, richest looking tiles. Their attractive look makes any room seem larger, cleaner, and better-lit.
After these were put in place, the basement got its finishing touches with new doors and light fixtures and a SaniDry dehumidifer. This system was the last addition to the home. A SaniDry Dehumidifier dehumidifies the air and allows the owner to ensure how the basement stays dry. Overall, it improves air quality and makes the basement a much more comfortable place to in.
