Basement Waterproofing Photo Album: Sentry Seal Saves a Frankfort, MI Basement

Our customer called with a somewhat complicated situation. There was a drainage system in the house that ran all the way from the roof, through the house, and then out through one of the block walls of the basement. The problem? Water was leaking in around the pipe fitting in the block wall. While many problems with wet basements are due to a need for a drainage system, sometimes the wall really is the problem and needs to be addressed from the outside. This time, we used the Sentry Seal membrane on the exterior of the foundation wall to seal off the wall from any intruding water and keep the basement dry. We also upgraded the drainage pipe and installed a new window in the walkout portion of the basement.

Gap in Block Wall Allows Water Entry

This clear gap between the wall and the floor is an entry point for water that needs to be sealed up outside.

Water Entry Point Around Pipe

The spot where the drainage pipe exits the basement was another point of entry for the water. This happens when you cut into concrete and don't fully seal the area around the pipe.

Water Damage Under Drainage Pipe

The staining underneath the pipe points to it being a source of water leaking.

Drainage Pipe Upgrade

We upgraded the old steel portion of the pipe to PVC, which is more durable and easier to seal.

Close Up of New Seal

One of the first orders of business was to seal the gap around the drainage pipe. This will close off a major water entry point.

SentrySeal Seals External Foundation Cracks

This membrane seals off external foundation cracks, which prevents water from entering the basement. It's not the prettiest setup, but it's underground, so efficacy is more important than looks.

Building a Custom Window in the Basement

Part of this basement was an above ground walkout and our customer asked us to put in a new window to increase the light in the basement.

New Custom Basement Window Lets in Light

Sometimes, even when they aren't trying to turn the basement into living space, our customers just want more light. In that case, we can do custom windows rather than egress.