Photo Album: Restoring a Ludington Basement After a Flood

Our Ludington customers were some of the many victims of the unexpected February rain event. Their basement had flooded, forcing them to pull up all of the carpet. It looked like there was some sort of drainage system under the floor, but it didn't connect to anything and wasn't collecting any water, and the incoming water had no way to get to the existing sump pump. We installed WaterGuard below-floor drain system in the affected room and tied it into a new TripleSafe sump pump. The basement had multiple low points, which can cause water to puddle and back up, so we also installed feed line to connect the low points to the TripleSafe. We also replaced the old windows with new EverLast basement windows and added a dehumidifier to keep ambient moisture at bay.

Water Damage Beneath Carpet

Once the wet carpet was pulled up, there were signs of water leaking up through the floor. Staining and white residue both occur when water passes through concrete and then evaporates.

Old Sump Pump Can't Keep Up

The existing sump pump couldn't keep up with the influx of water. But even if it could have, there was no system in place to route the water to the pump for discharge. A waterproofing system needs both a method of collection and a method of discharge in order to function properly.

Mitigating Effects of Moisture

The homeowners put a small dehumidifier in the basement to try and keep humidity at bay after the rain. While better than nothing, a basement with water issues needs a powerful dehumidifier to truly be protected.

Old Basement Windows

In addition to just making the basement look bad, older windows like these can be an entry point for water, cause energy loss, and let bugs in.

Excavating for Feed Line Installation

We cut a path across the basement to connect the low points and ensure that all water is directed to the sump pump.

Ensuring the Trench is Level

When excavating for drain installation, it's important that the space is level to prevent backups.

Ready for WaterGuard Installation

After the concrete is removed and the area is level, we're ready to place the drainage system.

WaterGuard in Place

The WaterGuard track is placed on top of the footer to prevent clogging but still ensure full drainage.

Tying the Waterproofing System Together

The WaterGuard is installed so it runs directly to the new sump pump. This means that incoming water is shuttled there for immediate discharge.

TripleSafe Sump Pump Ensures Protection

The TripleSafe sump pump contains three powerful pumps in one liner. This provides a high capacity for pumping and includes a battery backup on the third pump so it works even in a power outage.