Standing water in your basement can damage your home’s foundations and lead to mold growth. Basement waterproofing is a necessary step in protecting your home from water damage. There are a number of ways to waterproof your basement, including external drainage, internal drainage, and sump pumps. External drainage involves redirecting water away from your home with gutters, downspouts, and grading. Internal drainage involves installing a French drain or similar system to directed water away from your basement walls. Sump pumps are installed in a pit in your basement and pump water out of your home to prevent flooding. Basement waterproofing is an important step in keeping your home safe from water damage.
Our basement waterproofing services are the best in the business. We have a team of highly trained and experienced professionals who are experts in basement waterproofing. We use the latest technology and equipment to ensure that your basement is properly waterproofed. We also offer a free consultation to discuss your specific needs. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Our waterproofing services include the following:
If you have a problem of water entering your basement through cracks in the basement floor or water entering the basement at the cove joint (Cove: where the floor slab and foundation wall meet) the waterproofing solution needed is the installation of a new sub-floor drain tile system.
Hydrostatic pressure from too much groundwater puts pressure on your basement or crawl space floor and can cause water to seep in through floor cracks or the cove joint in the wall. This can cause standing water in your basement or crawl space and creates a damp, humid and unhealthy living space that can affect your entire home.
Installation of a new interior subfloor drain tile system includes removal of about 10-12 inches of the existing floor around the perimeter of the basement. Excavating and removing the soil or non-functioning original drain tile next to the footing creates a trench around the perimeter of the basement or crawlspace. Clean #6 wash-stone is laid in the bottom of the trench. New 4â rigid PVC or corrugated drain tile is installed based on the given property and problem.
The drain tile is then completely covered and surrounded by #6 wash-stone to ensure the highest amount of water flow. The drain tile is connected to a new sump pit installed level to floor height. A sump pump is installed and a discharge line to the exterior of the home is installed to empty the sump pit of water.
The floor is then re-poured and finished with new concrete for basements. If the drain tile is being installed as a waterproofing solution in your crawl space instead of a basement, the stone is leveled to the top of the footing.
Additional Waterproofing Solutions for Interior Drain Tiles:
A good exterior drainage waterproofing system is important for any home, but it is especially important in Chicago. The city experiences a wide range of weather conditions, from hot summers to cold winters. This can cause the ground to shift and settle, which can lead to cracks in the foundation. When water seeps into these cracks, it can cause serious damage to the structural integrity of the home. A well-designed exterior drainage waterproofing system will help to keep water away from the foundation, preventing it from seeping into cracks and causing damage. In addition, a good system will also help to regulate moisture levels in the soil.
A dirt or gravel crawl space is typically damp and saturated with moisture. Warm air rises and with that, the moisture in the crawl space rises and enters your home or commercial building. By installing a sealed vapor barrier, this provides the crawl space with a moisture protection layer to protect the building from the damaging effects of moisture. This protects against things like mold, odors, insects, increased energy costs and damage to wooden floor joists.
Moisture and humidity from a crawl space can cause or worsen medical conditions such as allergies and asthma. Have USS encapsulate your crawl space and enjoy the benefits of reducing condensation, mold growth, and inhibiting the migration of moisture and soil gas such as Radon.
Improve the air quality of your entire home or building with crawl space encapsulation and other basement waterproofing services! An encapsulated crawl space is the perfect place for additional storage in your home and it has a much cleaner, brighter, and more professional appearance.
If your gutter downspouts and/or sump pump discharge too closely to your foundation, you are creating a problem that can slowly lead to major repairs and high costs. When water exits discharge and gutter lines next to the house, it increases the amount of water going to the drain tile system (if you have one installed) and can increase the amount of debris and silt that can clog a drainage system sooner, resulting in backing the drainage system up and causing flooding and seepage into the basement.
Have USS connect the gutters and discharge line of your home to underground solid PVC and bring the water away from the house. The underground discharge lines can be run to small basins or bubblers or in some cases connect to storm sewers located in backyards.
Are your window wells rusted, bent, detached from the home or just plain ugly? USS will excavate and install new galvanized steel or molded plastic window wells to replace the existing damaged or non-functioning window wells. We install full egress and escape window wells as well as half window wells. We order window wells custom fit to your home and install them within one day.
If your existing window wells are in good condition but the existing drains no longer function correctly, USS can help. The existing drains run to the bottom of the foundation footing and typically connect at a “T” and run to the existing perimeter drain tile. Over time these drains can fill with leaves, dirt, stone, and debris, causing the drains to clog at that "T" connection and not properly drain the well.
USS can help by excavating around the window well (or in some cases from inside the well, if it is an escape well) to get to the clogged area and repair the connection. Install a new ATA connection to the drain tile and a new drain in the well. The well is then back-filled with clean #6 wash stone to ensure proper drainage.
A sump pump is one of the best methods of basement waterproofing. If your existing sump pit is damaged, broken, cracked, too shallow, or too small, a USS will break and remove the existing sump pit.
We can install the proper size sump pit at that location or in some cases fill in that area and relocate the sump pit to a new location. We remove the existing pit, dig and install a new, proper size PVC sump pit with a tight, safe lid. Then we surround the pit with new, clean #6 wash-stone and pour concrete around the pit and finish the floor properly.
Replacement of your primary sump pump should be done every 4-5 years. It is impossible to tell when a sump pump will quit, but it is never at a good time.
Contact USS to install a new sump pump when the time comes. We install 1/3, 1/2, and 3/4 horsepower pumps based on the size of the home, drain tile length and sump pit location and discharge. A new quiet check valve and PVC above grade discharge is included in installation.
A battery back-up system is a must for all homeowners who have a finished basement or for those who utilize their unfinished basement for the storage of important items.
USS installs Storm Pro Battery Back-up Systems. The best in the flood control market, Storm Pro automatically converts to 12V battery when the power goes out or runs off 115V electricity when power is on.
The system is designed to automatically kick on and convert to 120V battery power when the power goes out or automatically run off electricity if the power is on and the primary pump fails or cannot keep up with water flow in heavy rains.
You can also download the Storm Pro Battery Back-up Systems information. Please read the specs and call USS to install your new Storm Pro Battery Back-up System.
