Basement Waterproofing Photo Album: Waterproofing a Musty Basement in East Lansing, MI

Our customer called with water coming in through the block walls of his home and a definite musty smell. The basement didn't have a sump pump and it was evident that the water issues had started a long time ago. We installed WaterGuard below-floor drain system to collect the water and tied it into a Super Sump pump to quickly and effectively discharge the water outside. With a reliable water discharge method, the humidity and musty smell in the basement will dissipate and stop being a headache.

Efflorescence and Damage on Block Walls

Efflorescence - the residue of salts dissolved as water travels through concrete - is evident on the walls. While this is generally just a nuisance, constant water flow through blocks can erode them over time, which is shown in the upper right of the wall here.

Water Damage and Evidence of DIY Fixes

It's natural to want to try to solve a problem yourself when it seems so simple - it's just some water, right? But water is stronger than any spray foam, rubberized paint, or any other product on the market at home improvement stores. While it may obstruct the problem temporarily, the water will always come back.

More DIY Attempts

Here, you can see more clearly the rubberized paint in the joints between blocks as an attempt at deterring water.

Basement Humidity Affects Wooden Beams

Ambient moisture (humidity) will ruin wood fixtures present in the basement by allowing mold to grow and rot the wood.

Effects of Ambient Moisture

The stairs all show signs of water damage, and the white residue on the floor is indicative of efflorescence, which occurs when salts dissolved by water traveling through concrete are left on the surface.

Lawnscape Outlet Allows Discharge Line Burial

The Lawnscape outlet at the end of the discharge line allows us to bury the line while preventing clogging from dirt and debris.

IceGuard Prevents Winter Backups

In the event of a frozen discharge line in the winter, the IceGuard system on the discharge line where it exits the house will prevent water from backing up into the basement by allowing it to expel from the grates.

Concrete Restored

Once the system is in place, we pour new concrete to secure everything and restore the floor.

WaterGuard in Place

The WaterGuard system and inspection ports are secured and tied into the sump pump to ensure water is directed to it and out of the house.

Installing WaterGuard in Tough Spaces

We can work around fixtures, beams, or anything else in the basement that can't be easily moved in order to ensure total protection from the WaterGuard system.