Basement Waterproofing Photo Album: WaterGuard Dries Out Low-Lying Scottville, MI Home

Michelle called us with water in her basement that she blamed on the slope of her yard. And it's true - when your house is at the low point of the surrounding landscaping, you're going to be at risk of water issues simply due to gravity. We can't change the nature of the landscaping, but we CAN install a system that efficiently removes the water so it can't cause problems. That's what we did here, with a full perimeter of WaterGuard below -floor drainage, and a new sump pump to replace the three floor drains (only one of which actually worked). We also installed extended discharge lines to counteract the slope of the yard and repaired a few cracks in the wall that had resulted from the water.

Water Damage in Scottville, MI Basement

The walls and floor show major signs of water damage, including standing water at the time of the inspection. While the basement had three floor drains, only one of them actually worked and it's difficult to drain water when the basement is at the low point and working against gravity.

Major Water Collection Point in Basement

The foot of the stairs was a major problem area, as you can see from the severity of the water damage on the adjacent wall and the mess that is the bottom stair.

Severe Water Damage on Basement Wall

This is what happens when you have too much standing water for too long. The wall is warped and a perfect harbor for mold.

Ineffective Floor Drain in Scotville Basement

Three of this drain were the only methods of water removal in this basement. And only one of the three worked. And given the slope of the surrounding landscape, the water had nowhere to naturally drain once the immediate soil had reached its saturation point. So instead, it sat in the basement.

Water Damage Encroaching into Basement

Once water problems begin, they only get worse. What started as a leak eventually turned into a major headache in this basement as the water took over and destroyed more and more of the flooring and walls.

WaterGuard Track Installation in Progress

After drilling out the perimeter of the concrete slab and laying drainage stone to help the water move through the track, we install the WaterGuard track.

WaterGuard Installation in Perimeter of Scottville Basement

By installing the WaterGuard system around the entire perimeter of the basement, any influx of water can be quickly dealt with.

Sump Pump Helps Remove Water

A sump pump is tied into the WaterGuard system so any water that drains is directed to it and immediately pumped out of the basement. A lot more reliable than a floor drain.

Alex is Ready to Pour Concrete

Crew member Alex shows off some safety gear and the concrete mixer as the crew gets ready to put the finishing touches on the basement.

Trench Drain Installed in Problematic Area

A trench drain is installed in the pesky area at the foot of the stairs. This is tied into the WaterGuard system as well, to eliminate standing water and help direct it to the sump pump. After installation, we pour new concrete to create a level surface.

New Concrete Restores Basement Floor

After the WaterGuard is in place, we pour new concrete to restore the slab. There are inspection ports installed in the WaterGuard track for easy maintenance and you're free to replace the flooring as needed.