Basement Waterproofing Photo Album: Keeping a Drainage System in Good Condition

Homeowner Lucile B. was experiencing water leaks in her basement in Toledo, IL. The leaks would often come in through the gap where the floor meets the wall and through cracks in the walls. Lucile B. had previously worked to straighten and support her walls to combat the appearance of cracks and help with leaks, but there was still water entering her basement.   Foreman Ben S. knew how to fix these problems though. The first step was to have a system in place to get rid of water before it could leak inside. Ben installed WaterGuard™ just beneath the floor along the leaky walls. WaterGuard™ is a drainage system that sits on top of the footing and out of the mud. From that strategic position, WaterGuard™ can drain out water as it rises from below the floor and water that drips down from the leaky walls. Plus, because WaterGuard™ isn't sitting in the mud like other systems, it doesn't rely on filter fabrics that will clog up and prevent the system from working.   The WaterGuard™ system is designed to also catch water dripping down from the walls. To help the WaterGuard™ system with that task, Ben also installed CleanSpace™ wall liner along the bottom portion of the wall where leaks were most common. CleanSpace™ is a tear-proof liner that can permanently be fastened to walls to block leaks from entering the home. Instead, any water that leaks in behind the CleanSpace™ barrier is redirected down into the WaterGuard™ system below. CleanSpace™ can even be installed on the wall behind the wall support systems that were already there to ensure the entire length of the wall is protected.    All the water collected by these systems is channeled into the sump pump. In this home, Ben S. installed a SuperSump™ system. The SuperSump™ features a powerful main pump and a battery-powered secondary pump that can turn on to keep basements dry when the power goes out. The SuperSump™ also features an air-tight lid to prevent water from evaporating into the basement and an alarm that will alert homeowners to dangerously high water levels or water leaking into the sump pump from above like in the event of a plumbing leak. Water gets pumped out from the sump pit and through the IceGuard™ system outside. The IceGuard™ attachment will allow water to continue to flow outside from the pump even if the end of the drainage line is blocked or frozen shut.    With these systems in place, this leaky basement will be kept dry and protected from water damage. Lucile B. can rest easy knowing that her basement is protected by WaterGuard™ and a SuperSump™ system.