An Exterior Solution to a Leaking Basement in Cassopolis, MI

Challenge

Sometimes, fixing a problem isn’t a matter of the biggest solution; it’s the right solution. This was the case with Ralph, who called because there was a leaking wall in his basement. He had built the home himself and noticed a leak near the sewer discharge - just water, not sewage, thankfully - that he wanted repaired.

He had had an estimate already, and the company told him that the only way to fix the problem was to redo the entire wall, which he thought was excessive. We initially suggested a FlexiSpan crack repair, which would keep the crack sealed while remaining flexible as the wall contracted and expanded with the changing temperatures, but Ralph wanted an exterior solution.

Solution

While interior solutions are often more cost-effective and less disruptive since there’s no excavating involved, there are times when an exterior solution is possible. In this case, we were able to provide Ralph his exterior solution.

We had to excavate the soil in the entire area surrounding the crack, and once that was taken care of, we installed Sentry Seal. Sentry Seal is a membrane (in the photos, it’s the black stuff) that seals cracks from the outside, preventing water from entering the basement in the first place. Its flexible nature allowed us to install it around the sewer pipes without losing effectiveness.

Because we like to be *extra sure* a crack is sealed, we also injected the FlexiSpan crack filler material on the inside of the crack. Between that and the Sentry Seal, Ralph’s basement will remain dry.