Ayers Basement Systems Before & After Photos

This Lansing, MI homeowner gave us a call when water started pooling around his drain. The owner was concerned about possible water damage because the partially finished basement included a bedroom, full bathroom, and living area. With a sump pump and lawn discharge already in place, he wasn’t sure what more needed to be done for protection. But, our system design specialist was happy to lay out the options.

Eventually, the owner decided on an upgrade to his previous system. While the new system would include a perimeter drainage system and an additional discharge line, the big upgrade was from his previous sump to our SuperSump system. The base 1/3 horsepower of SuperSump makes it one of our more reliable and economical sump pump systems. As you can see in the after photo, the sump pump also comes with an airtight lid to prevent water from pooling over and debris from falling in and causing clogs. It’s also perfect for helping this basement maintain its partially finished look. The additional power of the SuperSump, combined with the rest of their new waterproofing system will keep this basement constantly dry. For added protection, we recommend homeowners consider our optional backup pumps to keep your basement dry even during power outages.

We got a call from this Lansing, MI homeowner when he noticed that the basement walls in his rental property were starting to crumble. Horizontal cracks running down the middle of a wall, like the one in the before picture, are one of the biggest hints to a bowing foundation. The foundation had been bowing inward for some time, and when it wasn’t addressed, things only became worse. With no sign of the walls improving on their own, the owner sought out help from the foundation experts here at Ayers.

The crew was able to save several of the walls with our Geo-Lock Wall anchors. However, the one pictured was beyond repair. To keep the foundation from completely giving in on itself, the crew excavated next to the wall and replaced the crumbling stone blocks with new ones. But before the crew could take away part of the structural integrity of the home, they had to stabilize the floor above. To do so, they used our PowerBrace system in a slightly different way than usual. PowerBrace is typically set up against bowing walls and spans from the floor to the ceiling to take pressure off of the foundation walls. In this case, it was set a few feet away from the crumbling wall, so that the floor joists remained supported while the old blocks were replaced. With all the walls stable again, the owner can go back to enjoying this property worry free.

The Before picture shows just how badly water was entering the basement when it would rain or the snow would melt. The homeowners were tired of dealing with this and were ready for a solution. Our team visited the home and got right to work installing the WaterGuard system. This sub-floor drainage system works to collect water from wall leaks and reroute it to the sump pump to be discharged from the basement. Special piping is laid on top of the footing of the foundation, instead of along, so it won’t get clogged with dirt or mud. WaterGuard ensures that all leaks are taken care of ASAP, so they don’t make their way to the rest of the basement.

This Lansing homeowner called us when they noticed that their basement walls were tilting in and one had a crack the length of the wall. We knew this was a big issue and wanted to fix it right away. We installed PowerBraces which are great for stabilizing foundation walls that are tilting inwards. The PowerBrace Foundation Wall Repair System not only halts movement but can potentially sraighten the wall. The PowerBrace System is made up of  steel beams that are secured to the joists above the wall for extra strength. This system has a very quick install and causes minimal distruabnces to the basement.

 Water can cause a lot of damage in a basement -- not only structural damage, but also damage that is clearly visible. That's why this Lansing, MI family had us install our patented BrightWall basement wall panels. BrightWall is a plastic sheeting that's attached to your basement wall by drilled-in plastic fasteners. Its bright white color opens up your basement for a space that you'll want to be in. BrightWall is completely waterproof and washable, preventing the passage of water vapor and humidity into your basement. No need to worry about these panels ever rotting or collecting mold!