Basement Waterproofing - Protecting your Summer

Protecting Your Summer

Summer is starting here in the south and that means a few different things: humidity, heat, and random thunderstorms. Because thunderstorms thrive in moisture and rising warm air, the south is more susceptible to being plagued with storms. When these thunderstorm clouds form, they contain millions of water droplets and ice particles that pour down onto the ground. When large amounts of rain pour down onto the ground it causes severe flooding in some areas. Whenever this amount of rain is soaked up by the ground it falls subject to hydrostatic pressure. Hydrostatic pressure is when gravity pulls water down in the ground. Whenever this ground water is effected by hydrostatic pressure is will force itself down no matter what gets in the way. So whenever this water comes into contact with a basement or crawl space wall, the water will find a way in either it be through a crack, small hole, dirt, etc. This problem is bound to happen; it is better to take proactive actions against this before water gets into your home and causes damage. Once water gets into the basement or crawl space it can cause moisture that can damage your floors, walls, foundation, paint, and cause mold and musty smells.

Since it is summer time in the south, it is also grill time. Nothing says a southern Saturday night like BBQ and friends getting together. Also, nothing could be more embarrassing than having a gathering and your home smelling bad or having the floors and walls look terrible. So take action and get your basement or crawl space waterproofed today to avoid a mess that is sure to come!

There are several different ways and products to waterproof your basement or crawl space. The first one would be a sump pump. Sump pumps work as a vacuum to flush water from the area. Here at All-Dry of the Carolinas we offer several different types of sump pumps to fit different home’s needs. The SuperSump pump is one of the best sump pumps for basements. It is able to pump up to 2,650 gallons of water an hour and resists clogging by pumping up ½ inch of solids. It has a strong airtight lid that once it is placed into the floor, it is stable enough to sit objects on without fear of damaging the pump. Along with its great pump design, it has a WaterWatch Alarm system that will alert the home owner if the pump has stopped working and water has reached the top of the pump.

The SmartSump pump is designed for small spaces such as crawl spaces. This one pump is specifically designed for being placed into a crawl space with CleanSpace because it has a rim that provides an airtight seal around the liner. This pump is also equipped with a WaterWatch Alarm System that will alert the home owner when water reaches the top of the pump.

Last but not least, The best sump pump for large amounts of water would be the TripleSafe Sump Pump, which is recommended for homes in the south that take on heavy water regularly. The TripleSafe sump pump has 3 pumps that are placed in the liner for maximum work effort and a safety net. Pump “A” works to pump water from the space, but if pump “A” is unable to work or keep up with the intake of water pump “B” will kick on to assist. In the case of a power outage, an Ultra Sump is also in the liner that works on a battery backup system. The UltraSump is capable of pumping up to 11,000 gallons of water within 24 hours. The neat thing about UltraSumps is that they can be placed with both the SuperSump and the SmartSump.

There are other options for waterproofing basements verses crawl spaces. Although both can contain the same type of sump pumps, the floor of a basement is different than that of a crawl space. When it comes to adding drainage systems, the process varies depending on the space. We at All-Dry of the Carolinas typically place WaterGuard into basements as a draining method. WaterGuard is a drainage system that doesn’t sit on the soil so it avoids clogging. It has a special wall flange to create space between the floor and wall allowing wall seepage to drain while keeping dirt out. The WaterGuard then drains the water into whichever sump is used in the basement and is flushed from there.

When dealing with waterproofing crawl spaces there are different methods for dealing with moisture and water. Drainage tile is one of the methods that we use, it is placed around the perimeter of the basement and then covered to catch the water that enters the area and then drain it into the sump pump. Along with the drainage tile, CleanSpace is also used to keep moisture that is produced from the dirt floor from entering the air. CleanSpace is a heavy-20 mil-thick-liner that lies on the ground and can be wrapped around floors and piers. Our design specialist with All-Dry of the Carolinas will suggest the right combination of products to best fit your crawl space.

A Dehumidifier is also an important tool that is used to keep moisture and humidity from the air in the space beneath your home. Here at All-Dry of the Carolinas we suggest an Aprilaire system that will pull any moisture that is in the air and drain it into a sump pump. This device is important because even if CleanSpace and a sump pump are being used, the pipes under the home still produce heat that can lead to moisture. The Aprilaire is capable of covering 2,200 square feet of space and comes with a five year warranty.

It doesn’t matter if you have a basement or a crawl space; water is going to get in. Since it is getting to be summer and thunderstorm season the best thing you can do is prepare your house before you have an indoor swimming pool in your basement or crawl space. Keep your home looking and smelling good for guest and not worry about home damage in the middle of the heat. Give us a call at All-Dry of the Carolinas to get a free quote and see how we can help you protect your summer!