Dean Merendino

Insurance is something many homeowners don’t think about until they have to. You pay for the policy and hope you’ll never have to use it, but keeping up-to-date with your policy is also essential.

A customer in Markham, Ontario, called Clarke Basement Systems after finding out his insurance company was about to cancel his policy. Water was leaking into his basement from his backyard, and he was running out of time. System Design Specialist Dean Merendino met with the homeowner and working with company owner Don Clarke, designed a system for the customer. 

Don and his crew installed ThermalDry® Wall Membrane on the basement walls. This unique membrane works as both an insulator and a vapour barrier. To drain water out of the basement, Don installed a full perimeter of our WaterGuard® Drain System. For added security, Delta MS Drainage Matting was installed along the exterior foundation walls.

The customer is ecstatic about the work done. He can’t believe how quickly our team was able to repair his home, and he had no issues renewing his insurance policy.

When you pay for a repair at your home, you expect that's the end of it. What you don't expect is to redo that same repair only a few months later.

A customer in Stouffville, Ontario, has lived in her home for many years. Recently, she noticed a crack in her basement's foundation. The crack was allowing water to seep into the basement and pool on the floor, so she called a contractor to seal it.

Only a few months later the crack was already leaking again. Frustrated, this time she decided to call in the pros and reached out to Clarke Basement Systems. System Design Specialist Dean Merendino met with the homeowner and inspected the basement.

Dean discovered that the crack was never sealed properly, and the lower portion was only partially sealed. Dean recommended our FlexiSpan® Crack Repair System, and the customer eagerly booked a date for the repair.

Foreman Lucio Flores started by properly sealing the crack with our flexible, polyurethane sealant. Our FlexiSpan® System also includes a secondary drain to ensure the basement stays 100% dry, with a lifetime warranty for added peace of mind.

The customer is thrilled that her basement is repaired. She wishes she had called us right away but feels great knowing her home is protected and dry.

Extra storage is never a bad thing. It can be utilized or forgotten about, but people rarely complain about having too much space.

A couple in Ballantrae, Ontario, wanted to increase the usable storage space in their home. They have a good-sized cold room that sits below a wraparound porch, so they decided to make this unique room their new storage space. After a couple of months of use, though, they discovered their belongings were wet. Concerned about the risk of mould, they decided to contact Clarke Basement Systems.

System Design Specialist Dean Merendino travelled to the home and inspected the basement. He showed the couple our innovative Cold Room Encapsulation System, and they were thrilled to have a solution.

Foreman Don Clarke and his crew started by encapsulating the walls and ceiling. CleanSpace® Vapour Barrier was used for the walls, and a drainage panel was installed on the ceiling to collect leaking water. The customer chose to add BrightWall® Wall Panels, giving the space a finished look. 

The happy homeowners now have an extra 200 ft² of usable space in their home. They can safely store their items, knowing they won’t find them mouldy and wet a few months later.

Buying a home in Ontario can be a challenging and overwhelming experience. One homeowner in Newmarket, Ontario, found that out the hard way. The customer had moved in only three weeks previously and had plans to supplement his income by renting the basement as an apartment. Unfortunately for the customer, but not at all uncommon, almost immediately after moving in, they noticed that the basement became noticeably wet whenever it rained. Water was penetrating the perimeter of the basement in multiple locations making the space unusable.

The customer’s plan of making some extra income from renting out the downstairs unit went up in smoke. They had to figure out a way to quickly and economically waterproof and renovate their basement for use by a tenant. Not only do tenants require a comfortable space with quality air, but their health also deserves to and must be protected. No one should be physically sick just living in their home. Clarke Basement Systems is well known in the Greater Toronto Area for being an industry leader in wet basement repairs. Specializing in making basements safe, mould-free, dry and clean, and always getting it right the first time. This customer needed peace of mind, so they looked no further and got in touch with us.

After an initial inspection by our System Design Specialist Dean Merendino, Clarke Basement Systems installed a complete waterproofing perimeter system consisting of a handful of different unique patented technologies, all working in tandem. This waterproofing solution, already keeping thousands of basements dry across North America, is designed to last for decades and has multiple fail-safes preventing future potential issues.

First, the basement walls were sealed to the floor using our CleanSpace® membrane technology. Unique to Clarke Basement Systems, CleanSpace® is used to prevent any potential moisture from penetrating the basement in the first place. It cannot grow mould and is effective in encapsulating the space from the external elements. Next, the Foreman and his installation team dug a drainage trench, installed a WaterGuard® drain with an IceGuard® system along the floor where it meets the wall. This drain will direct any moisture down and towards a SuperSump® sump pump. This warranty-backed sump pump is one of the best on the market, and it is designed and guaranteed to last for years. These technologies all work together to ensure ongoing peace of mind for years to come. Last but not least, gravel is used as backfill the new drain, and fresh concrete is poured over it.

The basement space was completely waterproof and ready to be renovated cost-effectively and professionally that impressed the customer. Not only relieved but also now confident that he can, in good conscious, rent out the space to a future tenant and begin to get help paying his bills and mortgage sustainably for years to come.

The right temperature plays a vital role in keeping your home comfortable. We do our best to control our home’s climate with heating and air conditioning, but these tools aren’t always enough to compete against the elements.

A customer in Toronto, Ontario, noticed that the floors above her crawl space seemed colder than the rest of her home. There was also a foul odour leeching into the living area, which she assumed was coming from the crawl space. Unsure about how to remedy the problem, she decided to reach out to Clarke Basement Systems. 

System Design Specialist Dean Merendino travelled to the customer’s home and completed a thorough inspection of the house and crawl space. Dean explained how our Crawl Space Encapsulation System would not only eliminate the odour and keep her floors warm, but it would also give her a useable storage space. The homeowner was delighted to hear about this solution, and booked a date for the installation. 

Foreman Lucio Flores and Installation Specialist Dymytro Bohatyrov started the repair by laying down drainage matting on top of the dirt floor. This unique matting forces water to drain back into the ground rather than pool on the surface. The walls were encapsulated with ThermalDry® Wall Membrane, protecting them from moisture while adding an R20 layer of insulation. Lastly, Lucio and Dymytro encapsulated the floor and lower portion of the wall with CleanSpace® Vapour Barrier. This patented vapour barrier stops moisture from seeping into the space and gives the room a clean, finished appearance.

The customer is thrilled that her home is warm, and she has a new useable storage area. She couldn’t believe her eyes or her nose when she first walked into her house. “We are really happy with the way our crawl space turned out. The guys were great, efficient, and communication was excellent. Now we can use it as a storage space! The smell was much better right away... just wonderful.”