Basement Waterproofing Photo Album: Road Work Causes Flooding Problems in Muskegon, MI

From the time the city did some road work a few years ago, homes in this Muskegon neighborhood had been experiencing problems with water in their basements. At the time they called, our customer had had as much as 5" of standing water recently in their basement and had been pumping water out for six weeks. They had water coming through the walls and the floor and needed a solution that didn't involve a shop vac. We installed a full perimeter of Water Guard below-floor drain system, as well as a TrenchDrain system at the foot of the stairs where there was a ton of water. We also installed a Super Sump to proactively remove the water from the basement.

Water Flooding Through Walls and Floor

There's heavy staining on both the walls and the floor in a few corners - particularly near the hot spot at the foot of the stairs. And if you had any doubts that water was coming through the floor, check out the water-stained cracks.

Water Damage On Basement Walls

Heavy water damage is visible at the join of the wall and the floor - this is unsurprising since a lot of the water issues were originating in the floor. This is likely a result of soil shifting in the road work that was done a few years ago, and the resulting hydrostatic pressure.

Heavy Water Concentration at Foot of Stairs

In addition to entering through the walls, you can see a crack at the foot of the stairs where water is coming up and pooling.

Close-Up of Damage in Stairwell

You can see the crack much better here - doorways and the foot of a stairwell are both known for heavy flooding and need something a little stronger than WaterGuard.

Removing Floor for WaterGuard Installation

In order to install the WaterGuard track, we first have to remove a portion of the floor around the perimeter. We'll be showing you this section of the floor at multiple points in the process so you can see how it all works.

WaterGuard Installation in Progress

After the floor is drilled out, we install the WaterGuard track and cover it with drainage stone to help the water filter into the track.

WaterGuard Installation Ready for New Concrete

Once the WaterGuard system is installed and secured, it's time to pour new concrete and restore the floor.

The Finished Product

This is what that same stretch of floor looks like once the concrete is poured - good as new.

Area at Foot of Stairs Needs Special Attention

The spot at the base of the stairs is one of those notorious trouble zones in basements with flooding problems. It needs something a little more intense than WaterGuard.

TrenchDrain Allows Quick Removal of Water

In spots where a lot of water invades in short order, like doorways and the base of stairs, we can install a TrenchDrain system. The large grates allow for quick draining and it's tied right into the WaterGuard for easy removal.

SuperSump Proactively Removes Water

Instead of waiting for the water to soak back into the ground (it won't), we installed a SuperSump pump to actively remove the water and discharge it outside.

Floor Restored After WaterGuard Installation

After everything is installed, new concrete is poured to restore the floor to its original state - that is, a floor - but better, since the flooding will be taken care of.

Discharge Line Ensures Water Removal

We extend the discharge line as far as we need to in order to ensure that the water won't just flow right back into your basement. And by installing an IceGuard cap on the line, we give the water an emergency escape route in the event that the discharge line freezes in the winter.

Flood Ring Prevents Appliance Overflow

Sometimes water doesn't come from outside - sometimes it comes from an overflowing water heater or other appliance. In that case, we can use a Flood Ring to keep the water contained and direct it right back to the WaterGuard.