Basement Waterproofing Photo Album: Double Trouble: Waterproofing a Scottville, MI Home's Basement AND Crawl Space

We were called to inspect Tom's home because his fieldstone basement was underwater every spring, AND the adjacent crawl space was starting to experience water problems. This was another basement with no sump pump and multiple low points, which meant that the water had a tendency to just pool and hang out wherever it landed. There was also a major issue at the bottom of the outside entrance steps and the crawl space was, indeed, dealing with high moisture that was causing mold. We installed a full waterproofing system in the basement, and encapsulated the crawl space with our CleanSpace vapor barrier system and FrothPak insulation.

Standing Water and Water Damage in Scottville Basement

There are signs of water damage basically everywhere you look in this basement. The mortar on the fieldstone walls has degraded in various places, the stairs have noticeable water spots even at this distance, and, well, there are puddles.

Water Invading the Basement

In addition to being a headache, water in your basement can ruin basically anything it's in contact with for too long. The bottoms of the walls are clearly affected, and even the bottom shelf of the shelving system on the left is rusted through.

Basement Stairs are a Major Source of Water Leak

These are some really inviting basement steps. By the amount of damage to the stairs (the bottom one in particular) and the door and surrounding walls, it's clear that water sticks around here.

Fiberglass Insulation Ruined by Ambient Moisture

Fiberglass insulation is a bad choice for crawl spaces. It absorbs any ambient moisture, which not only makes it ineffective for insulating purposes, but eventually it gets so heavy that it just falls to the ground in a gross, damp, itchy heap.

Severe Water Damage at Basement Stairs

Well, this is gross. A close-up view of the bottom of the steps from the outside entrance shows how much havoc the standing water has wreaked on this entryway. The wood and concrete are both covered in mold and mildew and the wood will eventually just decay if the water isn't eliminated.

Heavy Water Damage on Fieldstone Wall

What a delightful corner for those two small bunnies to hang out in. Parts of this wall have just washed away in the presence of constant water.

Drainage Stone Covers WaterGuard

Stone to help the water drain faster is placed on top of the WaterGuard track. (Pardon the blur - the light in this basement was doing some funny things to our cameras!)

WaterGuard Installation in Progress

After the WaterGuard track and drainage stone are in place, we secure everything with the white tape seen here before pouring the concrete.

WaterGuard Installation Complete

After the WaterGuard is installed and new concrete is poured to restore the floor, the basement is better than new.

TripleSafe Installation in Progress

Before we get the pumps in place, this is what a TripleSafe looks like - a humble bucket. But it's a bucket that will keep your basement dry.

New TripleSafe Sump Pump is Up to the Task

Going from no sump pump to a TripleSafe is like going from a ten speed bike to a Porsche. With three pumps and a battery backup, the TripleSafe can handle anything you throw at it.

Attached Crawl Space Encapsulated with CleanSpace

The space was so small (yet still problematic) that it's difficult to see, but we encapsulated the crawl space with our CleanSpace vapor barrier, and insulated the space with FrothPak spray insulation (the bumpy off-white stuff you see in the foreground). This will protect the crawl space from ambient moisture, and the house from the crawl space.

Lawnscape Outlets Don't Interfere with Landscaping

The Lawnscape Outlet (the little green vent in the middle of the photo) allows the water to be discharged away from the house, but doesn't present a trip hazard or interfere with your landscaping.