Preventing a Wet Basement in a Flooded Muskegon Neighborhood

Challenge

It’s always easier (faster and cheaper) to prevent a problem than to fix one. This is especially true when it comes to water in your basement. This is why Mark called us to check out his basement in Muskegon. While there weren’t any water problems at the moment, he had noticed a little dampness on the deteriorating walls in the past. Also, both of his neighbors had fully flooded basements. He wanted to get ahead of the problem rather than having to get out from underwater later.

As is the case with many block wall basements, there was some leaking between the blocks and especially at the noted points of deterioration. There was also a window that had some water leaks. But none of it was severe, there was no flashing warning sign other than the neighbors’ flooded basements. It would’ve been very easy to ignore the possibility and wake up to a flooded basement.

But that will never happen because Mark called Ayers.

Solution

First, we needed to install a waterproofing system. Obviously. We installed a perimeter of WaterGuard below-floor drain, along with three inspection ports so we can get quick and easy access to the system in the event that it needs service, or just a peace of mind checkup.

Once the water is in the WaterGuard system, though, it needs a way out. We recommended a TripleSafe sump pump, given the amount of water in the neighbors’ basements. The TripleSafe has three pumps and a battery backup to ensure that no matter what is happening to your home, flooding is not on the list. We also installed IceGuard and a LawnScape outlet on the discharge lines, which will protect against freezing-related backups and allow the water to discharge without disrupting the landscaping.

Finally, to give the walls a little help with the leaking, and to improve the look of the basement, we installed Brightwall panels. The panels are bright white, which gives a clean look without the extended effort of finishing, and they’re also water-resistant and inorganic, which means they won’t harbor mold. They also tie into the WaterGuard system so it’s guaranteed that any water seeping in will be discharged quickly.

Sometimes you’re lucky enough to realize the potential for a problem before it actually occurs. This is what Mark did, and because of that, he can sleep soundly knowing all that awaits him in the morning is a clean, dry basement.