Breaking up the concrete to make room for a drainage system
WaterGuard is installed beneath the basement floor. That means that a DryZone crew must use a jackhammer and chisels to remove some of the concrete. The good news is that we only need to bust up around 8 inches away from the wall. Many other basement drainage systems need over a foot and a half. WaterGuard rests on top of the footer which is concrete. The pipe sits up and out of the dirt so it it far less likely to clog.
Installing the WaterGuard drainage system
WaterGuard lays flat on the footer so it won't clog easily with dirt. Small stones are used to help filter and relieve pressure from ground water.
Sump pumps and drainage systems for the basement
Drainage systems are not much help unless you have a quality sump pump in the basement. There has to be a way to get the water out of the basement. Think of the WaterGuard pipes as highways and the sump pump is the city.
Sealed lid on a sump pump
Many people are familiar with an open sump pump container. DryZone believes that seling the lid will prevent several bad things from happening. It prevents the water left behind from evaporating and creating higher humidity and smells. Also, it won't allow debris to fall in and clog the pump. If you have pets, they tend to play in water and that can be dangerous if they fall in the container.
Fixing cracks in the floor
There were a few small cracks in the floor from age, so the DryZone crew asked the homeowner if he would like to just get rid of them. They cut out the little section and filled it with stone. Later they will add brand new concrete to that area and the floor will be good as new.
Laying a vapor barrier with the WaterGuard
The white liner on the wall is to keep small leaks from missing the drain. When the grey WaterGuard is fully in place, the crew uses a special layer of WaterGuard vapor barrier to keep moisture from leaking through the concrete.
Adding new concrete to complete the WaterGuard installation
Once everything is positioned, the crew can begin pouring new concrete. The difference between a DryZone system and other companies is that we only need about 8 inches of old floor removed in most cases. This means that the new concrete will be less noticeable since it will be so close to the original wall.