Waterproofing basement in Shafer, MN

Challenge

This basement had a couple of different issues, such as crack and bowing walls, water seepage, and no sump pump. The challenge was to eliminate the water and straighten the walls. 

Solution

To address the water issue, Design Specialist, Rich Jonhnsen found that using our 12mil wall poly in combination with WaterGuard and a new TripleSafe sump was the best solution to the problem. 

We first start with the installation of our WaterGuard product. WaterGuard is a vinyl drain that comes with a flange attached, which goes along the wall. It is grey, and it is specifically designed to catch a drain water without getting plugged up.

WaterGuard is installed around the perimeter of the inside of your basement. There are a couple reasons why we do this on the inside: 1) The drain is serviceable. 2) The drain is out of the “dirt” zone. 3) It is a lot less disruptive. 4) It is a lot less expensive. 5) Installation is a lot faster.

Additionally we would install our PowerBraces to straighten the walls over time. These braces are installed with bracets on the ground and in the floor joists. This installation is done in combination with the installation of the WaterGuard system. 

For installation of the WaterGuard system, the crew will begin jackhammering along the perimeter of the basement foundation walls. They will chip out 6-8 inches around the foundation perimeter. Once it is all dug out, the channel will be about 6 inches deep. Next, WaterGuard is installed in the trench. After that, rock is added alongside the WaterGuard to make a semi-level surface. Then, a vapor barrier is added on top of that. The vapor barrier is a 12 mill poly that attaches to the foundation wall to catch any seeping water and channel it down into the WaterGuard trench.  Finally, concrete is poured back over the WaterGuard and trench area to create a smooth transition from floor to the wall. 

Our TripleSafe sump was installed and all the water that comes into the basement is directed into the pump through the WaterGuard system. 

All three of these systems are sure to stand the test of time and leave the customer feeling safe and secure in their home.