Water Seepage Threatens Basement in Toronto, Ontario

Before	After

Nothing is worse than going into your basement to retrieve something, only to find all of your belongings soaking wet. It’s an unfortunate situation that can be quite costly or destroy an important family heirloom. 

A customer in Toronto, Ontario, reached out to Clarke Basement Systems after he discovered that not only were his belongings wet, but there was potential for mould problems too.

System Design Specialist Ben Wallis met with the customer and designed a waterproofing solution that would save their basement and protect their belongings. Foreman Dave Jackson and his crew installed a WaterGuard® Drain System to catch and drain groundwater seeping into the basement. To encapsulate and insulate the space, we used ThermalDry™ Wall Membrane. Catching the water is one thing, but to remove the water, a SuperSump® Sump Pump and IceGuard® Discharge Line were installed. Lastly, since mould was threatening the structure, an Aprilaire® MoistureLoc Dehumidifier was installed to keep the relative humidity below 55%.

The customer is thrilled that they can finally use their basement again and no longer have to worry about their belongings being ruined. Their home is protected, and mould doesn’t stand a chance!

Melting Snow Causes Surface Water in Repair Shop in Toronto, ON

Before	After

A car repair shop in Toronto, Ontario has many cars coming in and out. In the winter the snow and slush melts and causes the garage floor to flood. The business owner and employees had to push the water to one small drain far away, taking time away from the customers. The business owner wanted a solution that would benefit the company and avoid loss of time.

The owner called Clarke Basement Systems and spoke to Claude Mathieu, who explained the process to our solution. Don Clarke and the team came in and installed interior and exterior TrenchDrain® Drainage System and a SuperSump® Premier sump pump system. The TrenchDrain® captures the melting snow and water and drains it into the SuperSump. The TrenchDrain® was located in the floor at floor level in areas that the snow and slush would melt off the cars. The owner and employees no longer waste valuable time dealing with pooling surface water. 

Apartment Building Basement Waterproofed in Toronto ON

Before	After

Getting into the real estate market is tough, and transforming your new space into a basement rental is much more challenging. In Toronto, Ontario, these new homeowners purchased a home with a basement that can transform into a great apartment. Unfortunately, before proceeding with renos, many health and safety measures needed to be taken, such as waterproofing the space. There were no signs of water entering the basement, but the homeowners knew that with an old house as such, they would need to be proactive before any water damage could make a repair more expensive. Clarke Basement Systems was just the company they needed to permanently keep the space encapsulated from the elements all year. Ron Monk, our experienced System Design Specialist, recommended 5 systems that all work hand-in-hand to keep this space protected. 

1. WaterGuard®: Basement Systems has developed a patented perimeter drainage system that has overcome the problems associated with other systems. It is less disruptive to the foundation during installation, it doesn’t clog with mud washing into it and is a serviceable system. As part of the Basement Systems family, we provide a nationally backed warranty for workmanship and materials and, more importantly, against groundwater seepage. 
2. Waterguard® is installed with the ThermalDry® Wall System. ThermalDry® creates a vapour barrier, ensuring wall leaks are directed to the WaterGuard® under your basement floor and protecting your finished walls in front of it.
3. The SuperSump® is a 1/3 HP cast iron sump pump that is housed in an airtight liner. The airtight liner prevents water from the sump pit from evaporating into the basement. It is mounted on a clean sump stand to lift it out of any silt on the bottom of the liner. There is an airtight floor drain in the lid and the Waterwatch alarm to warn of any issues with the pump.
4. The UltraSump® is a backup sump system that protects the home from flooding in the event of power loss to the home. It comes with the pump, a 120 amp-hour battery and the charger/indicator to charge the battery when the power is restored.
5. The patented IceGuard® discharge fitting is a critical component of the sump pump. It is a failsafe to ensure water consistently discharges from the home if the discharge line becomes blocked or frozen.

Our installation crew, constructed of Jose Martinez, Trevor Bowman, and Connor Pearce, arrived at the property to transform this cold, mucky basement into a liveable and clean apartment. The homeowners were not only taken aback by the hard work put into it but were thrilled that they did not have to worry about safety when finishing the basement.