Every homeowner who has dealt with a flooded basement would gladly avoid having that problem ever again. Cleaning this area takes days, and scrubbing the floors and walls is not even your biggest problem. Since most homeowners use their basements for storage, they must clean each item they have down there after a flood and determine what can be salvaged and what should be thrown away.
Even if a homeowner is lucky enough to notice that their basement has been flooded right away and take the necessary steps to clean the area, mold growth can still occur. Mold thrives in dark and moist places, so a basement full of standing water is a haven for these fungal species. The biggest problem with mold is that it releases airborne spores that can contaminate the air you breathe and cause health problems. It is especially dangerous for people with asthma and other respiratory problems.
Floods also lead to rot, which can then attract pests such as termites. This is why waterproofing the basement is essential. With adequate waterproofing methods, homeowners can avert water damage and even convert their basement into a comfortable living area.
As mentioned, every homeowner would gladly avoid dealing with a flooded basement. Unfortunately, our customers from Augusta, GA, located 75 miles southwest of Columbia, SC, were dealing with this problem four times a year. With our waterproofing solutions, we were able to help them transform their humid, flooding basement into a clean and dry place.
Meeting the Customers and Our Initial Inspection
When these homeowners from Augusta, GA, called us, they were desperate to find a solution for their problem. We were not the first company they called. According to the customers, they had already called several other companies which inspected their place and left them with no solution for their problems.
The house in question was built in 1940, so it was more than 80 years old. The homeowners had been living there for 28 years. Dealing with a flooded basement was nothing new to them, but they were getting tired of cleaning their basement after every heavy rainstorm. These were no small leaks. More than 30 gallons of water would pour into their basement due to hydrostatic pressure each time. As the homeowners mentioned, they were just getting too old to deal with problems like this four times a year.
This time we were hired to waterproof a basement in a two-story home. The basement had a slab floor. When our expert went down to the basement, it was very evident that this area had been flooded many times. The water would rise up from the ground and enter the basement through the doorway of the basement kitchen.
It was clear to our inspector that the walls had also suffered damage. Every time it rained heavily, the walls became soaked with water. Wooden elements in the bottom of the wall have begun to rot and the paint was peeling off. Those tremendous leaks have left a visible trace and customers were tired of dealing with the same problem over and over again.
After a thorough assessment, our inspector suggested several possible solutions, explaining how each of them works. In the end, our crew was tasked with installing our interior drainage system, along with several other waterproofing methods.
Repairing the Damage
Every time it rained, the water penetrated the walls and leaked into the basement. With the BasementGutter™ interior drainage system, we were able to ensure that this space will stay free of water, even during rainstorms.
The system is installed along the perimeter of the basement and its main purpose is to catch the water that penetrates the walls before it can damage the interior. This is the best option if water leakage is a persistent problem.
Since this system is installed below the ground, it does not impact the visual aesthetics of the space. All water that enters the basement through the wall-floor joint ends up in the drains, along with any water that seeps through the cracks in the wall.
BasementGutter™ features a clog-free design, so it won’t get clogged with debris over time. Unlike an exterior drainage system, this one does not require heavy excavation and will not ruin your landscaping in any way.
To install the BasementGutter™ our experts removed concrete where needed. They also drilled weep holes in the interior cores of the block to let the water trapped inside of the walls out, lowering hydrostatic pressure. Afterward, they placed drainage rock and reinstalled the removed concrete.
Since the BasementGutter™ system comes with a longtime warranty, the homeowners could relax knowing that it will serve them for years to come.
Our crew also installed a sump pump. Although there was already an old sump pump in the basement, it was no longer functioning properly. We installed a new one, along with a battery backup. This way, the basement will be protected from flooding even in the event of a power outage.
We completed the project in three days. With these waterproofing solutions, our customers could finally relax knowing that dealing with a flooded basement is a thing of the past.
Are you interested in waterproofing your basement? If so, do not hesitate to contact professionals at Mount Valley Foundation Services and schedule a free consultation. One of our experts will come to your home, inspect your basement, and recommend waterproofing solutions that will keep your basement nice and dry for years to come.
