Basement Waterproofing in Greater St. Louis

Where do basements leak?

Many areas of your basement are susceptible to leaks, from moisture seeping in through your basement floor, to leaking basement windows.

Woods Basement Systems, Inc. offers free consultations to assess any leakage in your home, and professional basement waterproofing in Illinois & Missouri, including Springfield, St. Louis, St. Charles and all surrounding areas.

Woods Basement Systems, Inc. has identified several common points for water to enter your home:

• Leaking Basement Windows

  If water is entering your basement through leaking basement window frames, Woods Basement Systems, Inc. offers a waterproofing solution that can help. We install drains that will capture the water as it pools below your basement window, drawing it into the basement through a closed drain, and directing it into the perimeter drain.

  These can be combined with a covered basement window well that will deflect rain, water, and debris from the basement window opening as well as cold winter wind, reflecting as much sunlight as possible from the outside into your basement. Next, we prevent future leaks with our window sealing system.

• Flooding through the Basement Wall-Floor Joint

  The most common way basement water leaks into a home is through the basement wall-floor joint.

  Stop the water right at the point where it's causing the problem - along the perimeter of the basement floor. Woods Basement Systems, Inc. does this by removing a portion of the basement floor, creating a trench, and filling it with clean stone. On top of this stone, the patented WaterGuard® system, an innovation on old-fashioned French drains and Drain tile, is laid. The system is concreted over, and an extending wall flange creates a 3/8" opening to receive water from the basement walls.

  The drain leads the basement water to a sump pump system, which will then discharge it outside through a buried PVC pipe and away from your home.

• Leaking Basement Floors

  If there is leaking from a crack in the basement floor, a drainage system and a sump pump is still the answer.

  A lateral line can be installed along the crack, collecting the water and directing it to your sump pump system.

  A full perimeter system will be able to prevent most water from entering through the cracks in the first place - your waterproofer may not recommend a lateral line for smaller cracks in the floor for this reason.

• Basement Water from Hatchway Doors

  A perimeter drainage system can also address water leaking in through basement hatchway doors by collecting it and directing it to your sump pump.

  As the drain runs along the bottom of the hatchway stairs, it will reach a grated drain opening that extends along the hatchway entrance.

  The water will leak into this grated opening and enter the waterproofing system.

  From there, the sump pump will discharge it from the home and send it downhill away from the home.

• Water from Basement Wall Cracks and Pipe Penetrations

  The natural curing process of concrete can easily create cracks in even new home foundations. And when holes are drilled in basement walls to allow access for pipes, wires, and cables, they often leave an opening large enough to allow water access.

  Woods Basement Systems, Inc. solves the problem of leaking wall cracks and pipe penetrations by covering the walls with a vapor barrier and insulation, preventing flooding using a sump pump and drainage system. First, the opening is sealed with a special polyurethane polymer. This polymer can expand and shrink with the basement wall, meaning that it will not lose its bond as the concrete swells and shrinks with moisture and temperature.

• Failing Water Heaters

  Water heaters can be expected to fail approximately every 7 years. When they do, they often leak water directly on to the basement floor.

  If your basement is finished or used to store valuable items, this water can be a damaging threat.

  Woods Basement Systems, Inc. recommends surrounding the water heater with a PVC ring, which can either direct water into the perimeter drainage system or be combined with a water-sensitive alarm that will sound off to let you know a leak is occurring.

  This is especially relevant in a finished basement, where many valuable items may be ruined by a wet basement system.

• Bursting Washing Machine Hoses

  Washing machine hoses are not designed to take the continuous 60-80 psi of pressure exerted against them at all times.

  If they burst, they can shoot out an incredible 650 gallons of water per hour! In fact, there have been cases where Basement Systems® dealers have seen water flowing up to the basement windows from broken water heaters!

  If you do not shut off your water each time you do the laundry, you're going to be glad that you've installed one that's warranted to stay strong for 20 years.

Woods Basement Systems, Inc. has offered expert basement waterproofing since 1986 in St. Louis, Springfield, St. Charles and nearby. Whether your leak is in your basement floor, leaky basement windows, or from an appliance, Woods has the right products and services to prevent basement leaks in the future. We proudly offer free estimates in Greater St. Louis.

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