The Power of Water

Water can be an absolute menace. Its reign of terror and destruction has been observed the world over. Hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, mudslides, snowstorms, hail, and typhoons are prime examples of why water deserves to be understood, studied, and respected. Various ancient groups and cultures feared and respected water almost like a god. It has the power to grow large, beautiful crops and harvests, but at the same time, it also possesses the ability to wipe out entire civilizations.

The Dutch are a culture with great respect and knowledge of the power of water out of necessity. The Netherlands is a country with many low-lying villages and towns that are below sea level, and these cities are at a real risk of flooding from the ocean and its hundreds of plentiful river systems. If not dealt with and addressed appropriately, these low-lying cities would eventually be completely underwater. Because of this, Dutch cities were designed like none other in the world. Rivers and waterways are embraced and run through, around, and underneath structures as a flowing network. This engineering idea is at the heart of Clarke Basement Systems; adapt, understand and learn to work with the water and let it flow safely and effectively away from your home, rather than working against it.

Cooperating and embracing water, rather than resisting it, is proving to be the best long-term solution for controlling it. But let’s look at when you don’t correctly respect the water and don’t take the time to research and engineer a proper system; the results can be catastrophic. The most recent example of this would be the New Orleans disaster. Levees can and will eventually fail due to the nature of water. Under extreme stress or corrosion over long periods, levees are not a fail-safe way to protect any land from large bodies of water. Water governed by the laws of nature and gravity will and must follow the path of least resistance. This means no matter how much you divert it and resist; water will find its way through; it is inevitable. The biggest reason why governments would opt to use a levee system is the relatively low economic cost. Similarly, like trying to use duct tape on an open wound, it may appear to work for a while, but it is by no means a viable long-term, well-thought-out solution to the problem.

Here at Clarke Basement Systems, we are proud to be using the most advanced techniques, products, and equipment in the industry today. Our proactive, well-engineered system is guaranteed to keep your basement or crawl space dry for years to come. There is no need to live in fear of a flooding basement.