Most houses are built with a basement, and while this extra space is great for storage or even an extra room, it also comes with the risk of basement flooding. A basement waterproofing system can help to protect your home from water damage by redirecting water away from the basement walls and floors. In addition, a basement waterproofing system can also help to improve the air quality by reducing the amount of moisture in the air to keep mold and mildew in check.
SUB-SLAB BASEMENT WATERPROOFING SYSTEM
Standard Water Control installs a below-slab, rigid PVC drain tile system (recommended by the UofM) that includes our service-marked Diamond Plate airtight cover, protecting small children and pets. Add to that our patented Diamond Drainage Board, which allows for unrestricted water flow from the wall across the footing and into the drainage field. Importantly, Diamond Drainage Board allows our crews to patch the concrete to the same thickness as the original slab.
A DIRTY, DUSTY JOB
No two ways about it, this is a dirty, dusty job and Standard Water takes steps to minimize the impact on both you and your home. Doorways and vents are sealed with plastic, air scrubbers with hepa filters are used to help keep dust down. Your belongings are cared for as well; we put plywood on your grass, use rubber buckets to move debris from your house and cover anything left in the basement with plastic.
Our crew jackhammers the concrete around the perimeter of the basement, digs a trench that slopes down to the sump basin and pours washed rock into the bottom of the trench to keep the drain tile off the dirt, thereby preventing any dirt or mud infiltration. The crew then installs the drain tile and covers it with more washed rock to act as a drainage and filter medium. When installed properly, like this, you never have to worry about our drain tile plugging up.
WHY RIGID PVC DRAIN TILE?
This is important, our systems use rigid PVC drain tile so we can install it at a continuous downward slope to the sump and have the water pumped away from your home. 3 inch Rigid PVC drainage conduit, with an opening of 7.06 square inches, has a flow rate of about 44 gallons per minute. It follows a smooth downward slope to the sump basin and drains completely.
DIAMOND DRAINAGE BOARD
Our patented Diamond Drainage Board is installed to facilitate the free flow of water from the wall, over the footing and into the drainage field. A plastic moisture barrier is laid in to prevent moisture from wicking up through the concrete and to keep the concrete out of the drainage field. Now when water enters the block it is directed to the drainage field where it is carried through the drain tile into the sump basin where it is pumped out and away from the house.
SUPERIOR SUMP SYSTEM
We install an industrial grade sump pump for years of worry free service. We also install two of our service marked Seamless Discharge pipes guaranteed to never leak or break. The second discharge pipe is there to provide for additional pumping capacity in case you ever want to install a back up system.
Inside our Service Marked Superior Sump System you’ll find our exclusive SP 33, 1 third horsepower submersible pump capable of pumping 2,770 gallons of water per hour at a 10 foot lift. The pump includes the SWC 2 Deluxe Dual Controller, and a check valve, which only allows water to flow out of the system. The SWC 2 has two float sensors that back each other up as well as a computer that will alert you to an issue with the pump to help ensure your peace of mind.
Sump pumps can either be powered by electricity or by a battery, so they will continue to work even if there is a power outage. It’s important to have a sump pump that is powerful enough to handle the amount of water that could enter your basement during a heavy rainstorm. No matter how good your waterproofing system is, It’s useless without a high quality sump pump. The pump is the heart of your system, and if it doesn’t work, your basement will flood.
OPTIONAL BATTERY BACKUP SYSTEM
Our custom branded Battery Backup System is the perfect addition for anyone looking for additional peace of mind. The system includes a pump that can keep up with our main pump, a maintenance free battery, and a Backup Control Unit. The System will automatically switch to the backup pump if the power goes out.
The backup pump moves 2,400 gallons of water per hour at a 10 foot lift. The battery can run 7 hours straight or intermittently for days and will remain viable for 5 to 7 years. The Backup Control Unit monitors both pumps and will send an alert if there is an issue with either pump.
CONCLUSION
A good basement waterproofing system will keep your home dry and free from water damage, which can lead to mold growth and other serious problems. If you’re considering installing a new basement waterproofing system, be sure to do your research first. There are many different types of systems available, so it’s important to find the one that best meets your needs and budget. Here is an article from the University of Minnesota that covers the different types of drainage systems.
We hope this article has been helpful in giving you some insight into the world of basement waterproofing. Thanks for reading!
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. We offer free, no obligation consultations.
More on Basement Waterproofing; https://standardwater.com/services/basement-waterproofing/
More about our Sump Pump System: https://standardwater.com/services/superior-sump-pump-systems/