Basement Waterproofing Photo Album: Fixing Leaking Cracks in Foundation Walls

There are a lot of ways water can leak into basements. One of the most common leaks occurs when saturation levels beneath the home rise enough for water to leak into the basement through the gap between the wall and the floor. Another common way for water to leak into basements is through cracks along the foundation wall. Water will build up outside the home and create pressure against the wall. When a crack in the wall appears, the water that build up outside will leak inside. Yet another way for leaks to occur is around basement windows. Basement windows often have window wells around them to keep dirt away from the window and allow light into the basement. These same window wells can also fill up with water, which presses against the window and leaks inside through the gaps between the window and the wall.   This home in Kirkwood, MO. experienced all of these leaks. These leaks threatened to cause serious damage to the basement, particularly the finished sections.    To protect this basement, foreman Miguel O. from Woods Basement Systems installed waterproofing systems perfectly designed for blocking leaks and preventing basement flooding.    The first system installed was WaterGuard™. WaterGuard™ would act both as a perimeter drainage system and the infrastructure to support the other waterproofing systems that would be installed in this home. WaterGuard's™ large, open design allows it to drain water quickly and efficiently while also being able to collect water from off the wall or below the floor before it has a chance to flood the basement.    While WaterGuard™ would protect from leaks that occur where the wall meets the floor, this home needed more direct attention to the leaks through the walls and around the window. Many homeowners (and not a few contractors) make the mistake of thinking that simply patching the crack would be sufficient to stop water from leaking into the basement. Unfortunately, patching the cracks often serves as only a temporary fix because water will continue to build up on the other side of the wall. When the pressure from the built up water becomes great enough, the water will be forced through the tiny gaps between the patch and the foundation wall. This will result in continued leaks and more patchwork.    Instead of simply plugging the leak, Miguel O. installed FlexiSpan™, a concrete patching system that would also drain the water from the other side of the wall. From the inside, a tough yet flexible surface covers the crack and keeps the inside of the basement dry. On the other side of the outer layer, a chanel is created that will drain water from the other side of the wall and direct it into the WaterGuard™ system in the floor where it can be properly drained away.    A similar, yet slightly different system is used to drain water that builds up in the window well. This water is drained away before it can rise up to the level of the window and leak inside. This hard-covered drainage system is also tied into the WaterGuard™ perimeter drainage system as well, allowing any water drained from the window well to be pumped out of the basement before it can leak inside and cause damage. For extra protection against rain water building up in the window well, Miguel O. also installed clear window well covers that would block the rain but allow light to enter the basement.    With these waterproofing systems in place, the finished walls and floors of the basement are protected against water leaks from outside. These systems all work together to keep the basement dry and to direct water from where it builds up into the sump pump so that it can be removed to a safe distance from the home. Thanks to the hard work from Miguel O., the homeowners won't have to make expensive repairs to finished walls and floors because of a flooded basement.