Foundation Repair Photo Album: Waterproofing and PowerBraces Save Walls in Kalamazoo, MI

We received a call from this customer asking for help with a bowing wall. The added pressure had begun to take a toll on the basement walls in the form of cracking. Even worse, these cracks had turned into leaks and caused puddling on the basement floor. After an inspection, our team decided that the basement had more than just one wall to fix. To stop the bowing, a PowerBrace system was installed on each of the basement walls. The PowerBrace steel beams have the unique ability to be tightened, which can improve and straighten walls over time. Thanks to the existing cracks, our team needed to address the possibility of another leak. A WaterGuard system and sump pump were installed to combat this issue. The WaterGuard runs around the perimeter of the basement and then directs the flow of the water to the sump pump, so it can be deposited outside of the home. Now this basement will remain an upright and dry area.

Bowing Results in Horizontal Cracks

The large horizontal cracking was evidence to the homeowner that the walls had begun bowing. He had tried to solve the problem by filling in the cracks with caulk, but the bowing persisted. Notice how the shadow behind the pole appears to bend.

Stair-Step Cracks

Stair-step cracks run from the corner of bowing walls to the middle. When walls start to bow more severely, adjacent walls begin to relieve some of the pressure and the cracking occurs. If this is happening to your walls, you might have a bowing problem.

Breaking Ground for WaterGuard and PowerBrace

To install WaterGuard around the perimeter of the basement, we need to remove a portion of the floor. Our WaterGuard is a sub-floor system that is installed above the footing of the foundation to keep mud from clogging up the piping. PowerBraces are usually installed directly into the foundation floor, but this can be tricky when the concrete has already been excavated.

Installation of PowerBrace i-Beams

Here we can see the PowerBrace steel beams being installed into the foundation of the concrete floor. Since PowerBrace beams extend from floor to ceiling, they prevent the wall from any further bowing.

WaterGuard Mid-Installation

Here we see some of the final stages of installing WaterGuard. Once fully completed, the system will cover the entire basement perimeter; Then concrete will be put in place to cover all but a slight gap where water can flow down the wall and into the pipe. The piping can even be placed around obstructions in the perimeter, like the newly installed i-beam.

PowerBraces vs. Bowing Wall

This photo shows how severely these basement walls were bowing. The PowerBraces are in mid-installation and only half of their length is touching the wall. With a little time and tightening the walls will be restored to their upright positions.

Close-up Shot of Secure PowerBrace

The PowerBrace beams are attached to the wood floor system with a reinforcement system. This stabilizes the beam without applying all of the pressure to only one spot. From the picture, you can also see how the beams would be tightened.

Fully Installed Sump Pump

The sump pump is positioned in the lowest point of the basement, so all of the water collected by the perimeter WaterGuard will naturally flow to pump. This customer opted for the SuperSump, one of our more cost effective solutions. Thanks to the Sump Pump, any future leaks will not lead to flooding in this basement.

The Finished Product

Think of this as an after photo. Production is complete and you can see both the WaterGuard and PowerBrace system in place. Notice that behind some of the beams the walls still seem to be bowing; This will no longer appear as the walls begin to return to their original position and the i-beams are tightened.