Portage, MI's Local Crawl Space & Foundation Repair Experts

 A homeowner in Portage, MI, noticed that the floors in her 70-year-old house were uneven and felt bouncy in several rooms. Concerned about the structural integrity of their home, they reached out to our team for help. During inspection, we found that their crawlspace had a dirt floor, precariously supported by cinderblocks.

Our team installed a heavy-duty vapor barrier to address these issues, seal the dirt floor, and prevent moisture from entering the crawlspace. We reinforced the structure with steel support beams and installed adjustable SmartJacks to stabilize the sagging floors. We rounded out the upgrade with a drainage system to control moisture and protect the crawlspace from future damage.

Now, the homeowners' floors are level and sturdy, and they have peace of mind knowing their home is safe and well-supported for years to come.

When a Portage homeowner noticed uneven, springy floors in their 70-year-old house by West Lake, they realized it was time for a permanent fix. For years, they relied on DIY repairs with random wood planks and cinderblocks, which did little to resolve the issue in their dirt crawl space.

Seeking a professional solution, the homeowner contacted Ayers. Our team assessed the situation and recommended installing SmartJacks with a supplemental beam for support. We excavated the soil for the SmartJacks and backfilled it with engineered fill to create a solid foundation.

With the SmartJacks installed, the homeowner finally enjoyed stable, even floors, eliminating worries about shifting supports and enhancing the comfort of their living space.

Gene is helping her parents in their old age and wants to ensure their home holds up just as well as they are. Wanting a thorough inspection, she contacted Ayers and allowed our resident foreman Bruce inspect the area. Bruce noticed the foundational soil had settled and there was water damage in various locations.

Bruce prescribed a Helical Pier to help correct the foundational issue, SmartJack piers to reinforce the home's Supportworks, a TripleSAfe sump pump to regulate the water flow, and a WaterGuard drainage system to help supplement, a CleanSpace protective lining, as well as treating the entire area with an industrial dehumidifier.

Ken, like any homeowner, was not pleased when he noticed damp walls and puddles in his crawlspace. Wanting to find the source of the water he contacted Ayers. Our resident foreman Bruce was able to listen to Hen's concerns and draft a treatment plan that would meet all of them.

Bruce prescribed that he and his team install a WaterGuard drainage system in the home's basement to control the home's water yield. Bruce and his team then fitted the home with a CleanSpace lining to provide an extra barrier between any moisture and the vulnerable material making up the supportive works.

Helical Piers are a tool trusted by Ayers due to their non-intrusive nature compared to other foundational repair systems. The piers are long screw-shaped drives that are driven deep under the home at an angle. The drives kee[ going till they pass the weak soil and find new firm ground. The tops of the piers are capped with load-bearing caps that provide a flat surface for the home to rest upon

Greg and his family have a pool outside their home in the back yard. The concrete around the pool has started to brake loose and sink. It is hazardous to have uneven concrete around a pool, especially if there are kids around. We used PolyLevel to lift and level the concrete keeping the pool deck safe. We also used NexusPro Crack Repair to seal the cracked up concrete. 

PolyLevel is an injectable foam that is lightweight and won't add pressure to the unstable soil below the concrete. It is also waterproof so it won't get washed away and stable so it won't react with the soil. It cures in about 15 minutes so the process is not an inconvenience. NexusPro is a silicone sealant that is made to withstand harsh weather so it won't crack, dry, or bubble. By sealing the cracks and joints in the concrete, you keep water and debris from getting under the concrete and degrading it from below. NexusPro also drys in a fraction of the time as other sealants so the whole concrete repair process is very quick!

This home in Portage, MI had some stair-step cracks in the foundation wall. Most of the time this happens from the soil outside your foundation walls expanding. This home had a special case where a tree root was actually causing the wall to bow inward and create the cracks they were seeing inside their home. 

To take care of the cracks we installed our PowerBrace system. PowerBraces can be tightened to allow for improvement of the wall over time. They are also zinc coated so you don't have to worry about them rusting out. These are also a good option if you don't have room for excavation on the outside of your home.

David M. of Portage, MI had water problems in his basement for quite some time. Water would appear in the corner of basement, especially when it would rain or when the snow would thaw in the spring. Thus, David gave us a call.

We installed our favorite pair of products: the SuperSump premier sump pump system and the WaterGuard French drain system. The SuperSump is a sump pump specifically designed to keep your basement dry for long periods of time. Capable of pumping 2,220 gallons of water per hour, it is suitable for heavy water intrusion.

The WaterGuard system rests below the basement floor but above the foundation footing, normally around the edge of the room. This French drain does a great job at collecting water that seeps into the basement from the walls. Once this water is collected it is redirected to the SuperSump to be pumped up and out of the basement. 

Mark W. form Portage, MI had a basement that was leaking water in one room. The basement is finished and was built in 2000 with poured concrete. They couldn't really tell where the water was coming in. They discovered the water issue last week, and decided to pull up the carpet because it was soaked. There are hairline cracks in the floor of the basement. There is no sump pump.

Our solution? WaterGuard, SaniDry XP, and the SuperSump. The SuperSump is a sump pump specifically designed to keep your basement dry for long periods of time. Capable of pumping 2,220 gallons of water per hour, it is suitable for heavy water intrusion. We installed that first.

Next, we installed WaterGuard. The WaterGuard French drain system is a drain systems that rests below the basement floor but above the foundation footing, collecting the water that enters into the basement from the walls. That water is then redirected to the sump pump -- or in this case, the SuperSump.

To finish off the project, we installed the SaniDry XP standing dehumidifier. SaniDry can collect up to 109 liters of water per day and has an air filter capable of removing particles as small as 2 microns. This is great for getting rid of any water vapor that lives in the basement. 

Chris D.'s front patio slab had sunk almost two inches when he called us. This makes for a serious tripping hazard and simply an unsightly appearance. 

Our solution? PolyLevel injection foam. PolyLevel is lightweight yet extremely durable foam that has a quick and easy installation. We start by drilling penny-sized holes into the slab for the PolyLevel to be injected through. Once the PolyLevel is injected, we refill the holes, making this a very noninvasive project. 15 minutes after the job is finished, the slab can be walked on!

Daniel K. purchased his house in June of 2016 and has found water leaking into the finished area in basement with heavy rains. He attempted to correct the problem with extending gutter downspouts and landscaping, but it continued to be an issue. That's when he gave us a call.

Our solution? The SuperSump premier sump pump system and the WaterGuard French drain system. SuperSump is a sump pump specifically designed to keep your basement dry for long periods of time. It is capable of pumping 2,220 gallons of water per hour, so the SuperSump is suitable for heavy water intrusion.

The WaterGuard French drain system rests below the basement floor and above the foundation footing, collecting water that comes into the basement from the walls. That water is then redirected to the sump pump -- in this case, the SuperSump -- to the pumped up and outside of the home.

Helen B. from Portage, MI had a dark, damp, dirty crawl space that she wanted to use for storage. Without an encapsulation system, this is practically impossible. Hence, she gave us a call.

We installed a customer favorite of ours: the CleanSpace crawl space encapsulation system. CleanSpace is a 20mm thick white plastic lining that, when installed, completely seals off Helen's crawl space from the elements surrounding it. No water, dirt, or cold air will pass through this barrier. As a bonus, CleanSpace is developed with anti-microbial properties, preventing mold growth. With CleanSpace, Helen can use her crawl space for storage without having to worry it will be damaged by the elements.

Nicholas and Aleisha loved spending time in their finished basement—until their egress window started leaking a lot of water into the space. Ayers visited the home and removed the drywall which revealed soaked insulation and traces of mold. The carpet was also wet in some places. The couple was panicked and concerned that the water would ruin their basement, so in they decided to invest in our waterproofing system to address and prevent future damage.

After sealing the cracks where the water was coming entering with FlexiSpan crack repair, Waterguard, a subfloor drainage system was installed along the perimeter of the room. This specially designed piping collects water and reroutes it to the sump, but it sits on top of the footing, so it won’t get clogged with mud.

Once the drainage system was installed, our team installed EverLast panels on the bottom of the walls. These cement boards are won’t be damaged by water, are much harder than typical drywall, and are visually appealing. ThermalDry tile also replaced the carpet. These inorganic subfloor tiles won’t be damaged by water, and since they sit on pegs, if there is a leak, water can easily be dried without removing the flooring.

Not only was the initial problem fixed, but this basement was waterproofed and finished with durable materials to keep it dry for years to come.