Basement Waterproofing Photo Album: Salisbury home with a leaky and wet basement

This basement was pretty much always wet after a storm. The homeowner got tired of using a shop vac to suck up the water and called DryZone to have it fixed. The inspector immediately saw a few small challenges and was able to explain them to the homeowner. Together they came up with a great design that would waterproof the basement and protect a few other elements of the basement, as well.

Installing the WaterGuard drainage system around the water heater

Since it would be hard to move this water heater, and time consuming, the decision was made to go around it. The WaterGuard was installed close to the sides of the water heater, and then a small track was attached to the floor in front of it. The idea is that if any water leaks from behind the water heater, it will hit the track and trickle off to the WaterGuard system. Also, if any water should leak out of the water heater itself, that will be handled by the same system.

Small wall supporting the electric fuse box

Sometimes a basement will have little obstacles the prevent DryZone from installing a perfectly straight section of drainage pipe. In these cases, the designer (inspector) and the homeowner work together to figure out a solution that fits the situation. In most cases, these small obstacles can be avoided. More creative solutions are needed for more "outside the box" problems.

Installing WaterGuard around the small obstacles

When the obstacles are small and light the WaterGuard can often be installed around them. If the objects are too heavy (as in the case with the water heater) the floor cannot be removed from in front because it will tip over.

Finishing off the WaterGuard

This picture is the end of the process shown in the previous two photos. As you can see, the drainage pipes are completely installed and the floor has been fixed. When the concrete dries, the basement floor will look like the pipes have always been a part of the home. When the next storm hits, the homeowner will notice that the floor is dry and he can leave the shop vac in the garage.

Good picture of a corner with WaterGuard

Here you can see that the WaterGuard is a subfloor system. This means that it is installed below the existing basement floor. It sits on top of the concrete footing so it is up and out of the dirt. The installation is designed to keep the pipes clean and keep the water off the surface of the floor.

Installing WaterGuard at the base of the basement stairs

Sometimes the stairs can be tricky to waterproof. If they are the kind with wooden steps and no risers, the designer might use a different style to avoid catching your foot on the lip of the WaterGuard. In this case, the stairs are solid concrete so they are treated just like another part of the basement wall.

WaterGuard inspection port

A complete WaterGuard system will have several of these small ports. They are an easy way to see inside of the pipes. DryZone always recommends that you check the pipes every couple months to look for obstructions and clogs. These ports are also a great place to drain a dehumidifier or the drip line from your HVAC unit.