Basement Waterproofing Before & After Photos

This homeowner had been dealing with water seeping in for several years. It was entering in such large amounts that even when we did our inspection, one whole area of the basement was just a large puddle under the egress window. The owner was tired of dealing with the mess and wanted to know what could be done to stop it. Our production team came out a few short weeks later to install his new WaterGuard drainage system. This system requires the excavation of concrete along the perimeter walls to expose the home's footing. The drain system is put in place and the excavated area is leveled off with stone before replacing the concrete. This system captures the water along the base of the wall and diverts it to a sump pump for removal from the home. In this system, where a large amount of water was flowing through it, we installed several 4" pvc access ports. These ports allow us entry into the system to service and clean it out. This would be especially helpful in an area where iron ochre was present and had a tendency to muck up the drain over time. The finished walls that were cut out at the bottom for installation can now have the framing repaired and new drywall screwed in place. This former puddle should now stay dry, no matter the weather outside. 

Rick G. of Lansing, MI was having water seepage in the basement before reaching out to us. The customer believed it was coming from the foundation and side wall of the basement. The home was built in the 1960s with a black basement, which could be the reason for the water leakage. Thankfully, we had a solution.

We installed two of us patented waterproofing products: the WaterGuard French drain system and the TripleSafe sump pump system. The WaterGuard French drain system rests below the basement floor and above the foundation footing, collecting water that seeps into the basement from the walls. Once that water is collected it is redirected to the sump pump to be pumped up and out of the home. 

The TripleSafe is a sump pump that provides three levels of protection against water leakage. Whether it be normal water supply, heavy volumes of water, or in the case of a power outage, this sump pump will keep your basement dry. For normal water supply, the Zoeller ⅓ horsepower pump functions. At a heavier level, the Zoeller ½ horsepower pump activates. In the case of a power outage, the UltraSump backup sump pump will pump water on a backup battery.

Think of this as more of a "before" and "during," so you can see what WaterGuard installation looks like in progress.

The owners of the building that was once O'Rafferty High School in Lansing called us because the sump pump wasn't able to keep up with the water (and had a pretty nasty iron ochre problem) and the basement had a steadily increasing water problem.

After installing a new TripleSafe sump pump, it took almost 600 feet of WaterGuard, and another 100 feet of cross drainage and 200 feet of extra discharge line, to properly drain the water in this huge basement. 

When WaterGuard is installed, it's necessary to take out some of the concrete floor, as well as cut back the walls at floor level in order to properly install it. This, along with the cross tile drainage, is what is pictured in the after. Post-installation, it's just a matter of pouring new concrete and replacing the removed sections of wall, and the basement is good as new.

Signs of water damage led this couple to call us. The buildup of iron ochre bacteria had rendered their current drainage system ineffective and the entire setup needed to be replaced.

We installed a new TripleSafe sump pump system with IceGuard and a LawnScape outlet, and due to the presence of the iron ochre, we used the WaterGuard IOS Perimeter Drain Channel, which features a wider design and removable lid for easy access and maintenance.

The new WaterGuard system will direct water to the sump pump, and with its easy access lid it will be easier to maintain the iron ochre problem and stop the buildup from recurring.

This Lansing, MI homeowner was interested in waterproofing an outdoor stairwell that led to her basement. Originally, she thought about replacing the already in place stairwell with an egress window and well. After a talk with one of our system design specialist, she decided that the more cost effective solution would be to install a TrenchDrain Grated Pipe System outside of the door. The floor drain (seen in the after photo) will intercept any flowing water before it can pass under the door, thus, preventing flooding and water damage to the interior of the basement. This is another great example of how our system design experts work with our customers to create a system that best meets the needs of their home, all the while saving them time and money.