Wet Basement in East Lansing
Just a normal day, sweeping water in your basement and rolling up the rugs. Increased water pressure (for example, during a thaw or heavy rains) is a huge cause of basement leaks due to hydrostatic pressure - or, in less fancy jargon, good old water pressure.
Pooling Water with Iron Ochre
The presence of iron bacteria in the water is made obvious by the discoloration in the puddle shown here. Now, iron bacteria is common and not harmful, but it can lead to iron ochre problems and clog up your sump pump if not dealt with properly.
Iron Ochre in Basement Leak
Here's a closer view of the iron ochre bacteria - note how the puddle almost looks a little sludgey? That's because the oxidation of the bacteria creates a gelatinous effect.
Warning Signs Outside Your Home
Pooling water in the yard like this is a major red flag that your soil has reached its maximum saturation point. Any further water accumulation is probably going to look for somewhere to go. Like your basement.
Creative Storage to Avoid Basement Flooding
When your basement is dry, you don't have to worry about making sure everything is in plastic totes and safely up on shelves. You could actually...use the space.
Water Damage on Basement Block Wall
When water constantly leaks through walls, it causes paint bubbling and even strips the paint entirely.
Heavy Water Damage in Basement
Water damage is also visible on unfinished surfaces - here, leaking has caused heavy discoloration and staining.
East Lansing Basement Affected by Water Damage
Staining and rust on the walls and floor, and visible staining on wooden surfaces like beams and joists show that this basement has quite an issue with hydrostatic pressure.
WaterGuard Installation in Progress
Once the floor is removed, we can install the WaterGuard system and secure it with drainage stone.
Tying the WaterGuard into a Sump Pump
The best way to ensure that the water gets to the sump pump is to tie the drainage system right into it.
Drainage Stone Disperses Water Evenly
By pouring drainage stone over the WaterGuard track, we can ensure that water filters through into the track more evenly rather than causing backups.
WaterGuard Inspection Ports Make Service Easy
In the event that we need to access the system - like if the iron ochre gets out of control - these inspection ports give us quick and easy access.
Restoring the Floor After Installation
Once the WaterGuard is installed and secure, we pour new concrete to restore the floor.
Super Sump Ensures Water Removal
Instead of just waiting and hoping the water will dry up, the WaterGuard will funnel it to the Super Sump pump, which will discharge it through the line shown way out into the yard.
