Traverse City, MI Basement Gets a WaterProofing Makeover

Water is never something you want to find in your basement, but that’s doubly true when the basement is at least partially finished. In addition to the normal problems it causes, you’re also looking at hundreds or even thousands of dollars of ruined finishes and furnishings. 

When Jenny called us, she had water coming in through the walls and floor throughout the basement, and feared for the fate of the flooring and drywall in the finished part of the basement. She needed answers, and she needed them quickly, so she could actually finish and use her basement without risk. We sent system design specialist Jeff N to design a custom solution. 

The problems with the basement were twofold. First, of course, was the water. We installed a perimeter system of WaterGuard below-floor drain in the basement, and encapsulated the attached crawl space with CleanSpace vapor barrier to prevent water entry and discharge any that came through. A TripleSafe sump pump was installed in the basement to discharge water outside, and a SaniDry dehumidifier will take care of ambient moisture. 

The second problem was that one of the walls was bowing. Constant water intrusion over time can be a symptom of soil movement, which also exerts pressure on foundation walls. The bowing was stopped and stabilized with the installation of CarbonArmor straps, which are stronger than steel and low-profile so that drywall or other wall finishes can be installed right over top of them.  

Once the water and structural concerns were addressed, we turned to providing that finished look that Jenny wanted, but this time with the added protection of water resistance. We restored the portions of the walls we had to cut back for the waterproofing system with our Everlast wall restoration system. We also installed new tile-look flooring that’s inorganic, waterproof, and even has a special backing to increase the temperature of the flooring a few degrees – no more cold basement floors! Unlike the existing finishes, everything we used is built to resist water and prevent mold growth, which means it’s perfect to use in an area that has experienced water issues. 

Water problems don’t mean the end of your plans to finish the basement – call us to discuss your options and let us design a basement solution that’s not only safe, but attractive and comfortable.