Basement Waterproofing Case Studies: Trouble Abounds in Mount Albert, Ontario.
Challenge
A customer in Mount Albert, Ontario, had a basement from some people's worst nightmares. Not only was the customer noticing they had a wet, leaky basement, they also noticed they had water coming up from the floor and the floor-wall joints around the entire perimeter of their basement. This moisture penetrating the walls and floor are perfect breeding grounds for dangerous airborne bacteria, mould and mildew. So not only are wet floors an evident and disgusting nuisance, but they can also be potentially harmful to anyone breathing the air in that home. This customer's issue had gotten so bad that they no longer just worried about the basement space being usable; they were also concerned that the entire house being unlivable due to the seriousness of the smell and contamination. Mould could easily be seen and smelled in the basement, and walls, floors and items stored down there had visible signs of mould damage. The customer's quality of life, individual peace of mind and the value of their home were all on the line. So, to ensure comfortable use of their basement and home for years to come, the customer reached out to Clarke Basement Systems for help.
Solution
After consulting with the client and understanding the seriousness of the situation, System Design Specialist Ben Wallis developed a unique custom solution for the homeowner using a combination of proprietary technologies from Clarke Basement Systems. Promptly, Installation Foreman Lucio Flores and his capable team began the first step of the basement waterproofing process, the encapsulation. Clarke Basement Systems uses our patented CleanSpace® system to seal off the walls to the floor, thus preventing any moisture from penetrating or seeping in. Then a sub-floor drainage system is installed. This technology is called WaterGuard®; it is effectively placed in a trench dug in the floor to the wall. Then, the team installed a window WellDuct® system, that will take any water trying to fill up exterior window wells and bring that water into the interior drain. If any moisture does find a way to enter the space and drip down the wall, it will drain down and away using the path of least resistance dug by Clarke Basement Systems; the WaterGuard® drain is designed to flow the water into a sump pump that will effortlessly and efficiently pump the water out. On this job, the potential for moisture penetration was highly apparent, so two sump pump systems were installed to guarantee long-lasting results. The TripleSafe® sump and the SuperSump® systems were the units chosen to work best with this customer's unique issue. They are tried and true pieces of technologies proven to withstand the worst of conditions for years. The customer was satisfied when the job was finished, knowing that any groundwater seepage or bad smells had been eradicated permanently. The house is now safer, the air quality much improved, and the customer can continue to renovate their basement with peace of mind knowing their beautiful finishes will stay beautiful forever.
