Basement Waterproofing Photo Album: Jackson, MI Basement No Longer Wet

This basement had water coming in at the cove joint, where the floor and the walls meet. Its a common entry point due to hydrostatic pressure, that is, when water builds up in the ground the weight of the water itself creates a pressure that forces it to work through that seam. The best way to stop the problem is from the inside. WaterGuard, a french drain system installed along the home's footer, was the answer in this case. To install WaterGuard, concrete is removed along the perimeter walls and the drain is set along the footer. Drainage stone is filled in around it and concrete is replaced over top. The drain system carries water to a sump system for safe removal from the home. In this case, we installed a sump system equipped with a back-up pump that runs off its own marine-style battery. This ensures that when the power goes out, the pump wil still run reliably, keeping this basement dry at all times.

Moisture Spots On The Ground Provide Clues

Moisture spots along the floor of the basement provide clues as to where moisture is entering the basement.

Cove Joint Appears To Be An Access Point

The markings along the cove joint make it obvious that water is entering here. To stop the entry of water at the cove joint, WaterGuard is highly efficient and incredibly reliable.

The Drain Is Set In Place

Once concrete along the perimeter walls is removed to the proper depths is removed to the proper depth, exposing the home's footing, the drain is set in place and properly graded to ensure the flow of water to the sump system. Once the drain is in place, drainage stone will be filled in around it.

Drain System Continuous Around Installed Fixtures

The water heater could not be moved for installation of the WaterGuard system. That's not a problem. We can install the drain right around it and a flood ring above ground will help direct any moisture into it.

Sump System Protects Home

The sump system is set in the low spot in the basement and all water from the drain system is carried here. The sump system features an airtight lid to protect against damp smells in the basement. It also has a floor drain and a WaterWatch alarm that alerts homeowners if the crock is filling up and nearly overflowing due to a faulty pump or power outage.

WaterGuard Installed In Tight Spaces

WaterGuard is often installed around stairs and other tight places. Our team is great at making sure that the system is properly installed around unique obstacles such as these so that your home has reliable protection.

Battery Backup Installed

The sump pump is installed with a pump that handles water removal in normal circumstances. In this case, we've also installed a secondary pump that runs off a marine style battery, the edge of which is just barely seen in the picture. This battery ensures that even when the power goes out, the basement stays dry.

Trench Drain Protects Across Doorways

A trench drain across the doorway allows for a continuous drain system without any trip hazard. It creates an easy entry point for water to enter the WaterGuard system. It's strong and equipped to handle the weight of traffic over top of it.

Protection Around Water Heater

Flood rings protect around water heaters as in this case. The ring helps keep the basement from flooding in the even of water heater leaks or other issues. The ring diverts water into the WaterGuard system for safe removal from the basement.

Finished Product Goes Almost Unnoticed

Once the concrete dries, the finished product goes almost unnoticed aside from a small gap along the wall that is created along the cove joint to help guide water into the drain system.