Basement Photos

Below Floor Drain System in Progress
Here a proper sized, below floor drainage system also called a Hydrostatic Pressure Relief System is shown just prior to cementing the system back up.  A 12” Deep trench lined with crushed stone with a perforated ADS pipe laid in the center of the trench is topped with more crushed stone and then a dimpled drain board.  The drain board is folded up the wall and serves as a vapor barrier to prevent moisture in the drain system from wicking up through the cement as well as a way for water to reach the system in the event there is any penetration from the wall above.This system is connected to an automatically operating sump pump which removes the water to the outside of the home.

 

Box Drain Sump Liner
Every drainage system requires a method of removing the water.  Typically Basement Waterproofing Nationwide utilizes a mechanical method or Sump Pump.  The Sump Pump is installed in a liner set below the floor.  The typical sump liner or catch basin is 30” in diameter and 24” deep making it the lowest point in the drain system.  Sometimes, as pictured here, it is more appropriate to install a smaller sump basin due to space constraints.  Here we have located a 12” square PVC box liner that is 24” deep.  The installation is compact enabling a solid 12” cover (not shown) to be fitted flush with the floor.  In this case we were able to remove and reinstall the bookshelves over the pump location and the homeowner did not lose an inch of floor space as a result.  Neatly plumbing the discharge behind the paneling hides everything from plain sight yet the pump is accessible for testing or maintenance simply by folding a small flap of carpet back revealing the cover.  An elegant solution.Also shown is a 4” channel grate which catches any water that possibly pushes in around the basement door obviating the need to remove and replace the exterior door.
Buried Downspout
Roof water can aggravate a wet basement problem.  Oftentimes diverting the roof water away from the home is a good place to start.  Typical solutions usually involve unsightly and clumsy downspout extensions that lay on the surface of the yard extending 10 feet or more into the grass or landscaping.  While appropriate in some situations these pipes must be moved each time the grass is mowed and, often, not placed back correctly so they do not function when you need them the most or the next time it rains.   There are also so-called “Roll up” extensions that claim to unroll with water and roll back up when it stops raining and the gutters are not directing water to the downspouts.  In our experience these are ineffective and frustrating giving an illusion of help without delivering solid performance and should be avoided.
Basement Waterproofing Nationwide has identified and employed thousands of effective, permanent solutions utilizing a “bubbler pot” product.  This hearty, solid PVC basin is set flush with the ground.  Water is hard-piped from the downspout to the pot and water ‘bubbles up’ flowing passively onto the grass at the termination point.  Each drain is custom designed for the elevation, pitch and landscape details of your yard.  Multiple downspouts can be routed to one pot including the discharge of your sump pump.Floor System Finished with Wall BoardThis cement block home in Newark, DE was waterproofed using a Below Floor Drainage System including a sump pump as well as a high performance, vinyl wall board to control moisture and seepage through the walls.  The combination of these two effective waterproofing systems by Basement Waterproofing Nationwideare guaranteed for the life of the structure regardless of ownership.  (See warranty for details) 

FRP

This commercial building rests at grade and presented with a complaint of water penetrating the exterior wall at unknown points along its 250 feet in length.  A trained waterproofing specialist identified the source of the problem as a seam at grade which had separated from the floor slab over the years.  Further investigation revealed severe degradation to a course of block just below the level of backfill.  Repair of the wall structurally along with the application of a Bentonite waterproofing membrane and exterior curtain drain were specified and installed.

 

OC Basement Waterproofed

A basement finished with the Owens Corning Basement finishing System in 2001 complained about a black stain he discovered on the wall upon removing a panel to gain access to a water meter.  Inspection revealed no water penetration and, as there was an existing below floor system, Basement Waterproofing Nationwide specified the installation of it’s high performance vinyl wall board as a vapor barrier.  This vapor barrier was tucked behind the dimpled drain board and secured to the cement block walls.

 

Stairway Drain and Channel Grate

Often the source water seepage in a Wilmington, Delaware basement can be the stairway that leads to the outside from the basement.  A builder will typically install a small, circular drain in the floor, at the bottom a set of basement stairs.  This drain may lead to a storm drain, sump pump, drywell or, in the experience of Basement Waterproofing Nationwide, too often to nowhere at all.  Even when plumbed directly to a sump pump these small drains are easily overwhelmed by quick moving storms and, furthermore, readily blocked by one or more large leaves much like your sink drain is by food and debris.

Basement Waterproofing Nationwide uses high capacity box drains in these applications to yield permanent results.  In this case size definitely matters and a 12” box drain is the right size for nearly any stairway drain problem.  The grated cover is anti-clog providing enough surface area to catch even the largest volume of water Mother Nature can throw at it.  The drain is hard-plumbed into the sump pit for removal outside.  Very often it is appropriate to install a channel drain on the interior of the door both as a back up system as well as to avoid replacing the basement door should there be a sealing problem around the door and it is not convenient to replace the door at this time.

 

Window Well Drain

When you have basement windows in your Baltimore home’s foundation they can be a problem.  Given the right amount of rain and the wells that keep the dirt back can actually fill with water allowing it to spill over onto the walls and floor of your basement.  Basement Waterproofing Nationwide’s solution in these cases is custom made window well drains.  Often a builder or remodeler or even some waterproofing companies will post hole dig on the outside to the footing filling the hole with stone on the premise that:

 

  1. There are footing drains present
  2. That these supposed drains are in working order
  3. That the excavation to these drains will not compromise them down the road.

 

We find that approach to be fraught with difficulties.  BWN prefers to positively control the flow of water plumbing it directly into the sump pit by means of these custom drains.  A cement floor is poured at the base of the well making clogging less likely and facilitating easy cleaning of leaves and debris.  An atrium drain allows for the water to continue to drain even in the presence of moderate leaves or debris.