Basement Waterproofing Before & After Photos

Your sump pump is fine until the moment it isn't. It's in that moment that people usually realize their sump is outdated, inefficient, or just plain broken.

Such was the case in the photos above. The sump on the left wasn't the prettiest, but it was working.

And then it wasn't.

Luckily, we offer Zoeller sump pumps. The pump on the right is the Zoeller M98, which pumps 3,900 gallons of water an hour. It's also level with the floor and covered, which eliminates both the collection of debris and a trip hazard.

The homeowner called in with three cracks in his basement walls that were letting in water. Since he was giving the house to his son, he wanted to repair the cracks but was worried about the time and cost of a big job.

Using FlexiSpan, we were able to seal the cracks quickly and cost-effectively. WIth FlexiSpan's unique design, the sealant polymer will shift with the natural settling of the foundation, preventing further problems and eliminating the need for repairs down the road. 

In the photo on the left, the cracks are filled with the FlexiSpan materials and a drain is installed at the base of the crack to take care of any leaking water. On the right, the sealant is smoothed over so the customer can finish the wall however they wish.

A small leak capable of causing big puddles was the reason for this call. When snow would thaw or rain would fall, this basement would leak through a small crack in the wall. After the leakage would come the puddles, and with a big enough storm, those puddles could grow between 5 and 7 feet in diameter. Luckily, it was only occurring a few times a year, but that was more than enough to persuade this Grand Rapids, MI homeowner to look for a solution.

Our FlexiSpan system was exactly what he needed. The beauty of FlexiSpan is that it can treat small cracks like these without forcing owners into a full remodel. After the crew filled the crack with the flexible sealant, another drainage layer was added so that if water did permeate the membrane, it would flow down the original wall out of sight. The water will then enter the drainage system (located below the freshly poured concrete in the after photo) that the crew installed, keeping the basement dry and looking good at the same time.

Before these Grand Rapids, MI homeowners bought their basement, there had been a septic system in the basement that connected outside. However, when the house was connected to the city line, the system and pipe were removed. The contractors who did the job tried to plug up where the pipe had been with polyurethane. Sadly, the 6-inch-wide crack seen in the before picture would still leak when it rained. To solve the problem, our Ayers crew used our FlexiSpan System. The FlexiSpan System works by using two different layers of the same polyurethane that the contractor first tried to plug the hole with. The first step was filling in the cracks with the first layer of polyurethane. After the hole was plugged again, a second layer was used to cover the entire leaky patch seen in the before. This layer will act as a drainage layer that directs water to a drain well at the foot of the wall. 

Ayers initially visited this home to address a bowed wall concern in the basement. After assessing the situation, we found it best to install GeoLock wall anchors to hold the walls into position and straighten them over time. While the anchors provided functionality and addressed the homeowners' main concern, they left the walls looking a little unfinished. Not soon after the initial visit, the Grand Rapids homeowners contacted us again to add the finishing touches to their walls. As shown in the second picture, our team installed Hide-Away-Anchor covers to cover the previously installed anchor plates along with BrightWall paneling, providing waterproofing and a bright, clean finish. These additions make this basement feel more finished, straight walls and all.