Sealing up a Basement in Richmond, VA
Challenge
This homeowner in Richmond, Virginia gave The Drying Company a call about solving moisture issues within their basement. We sent out one of our professional Home Performance Advisors to evaluate the situation and draw up some solutions.
The first thing we noticed was that there was efflorescence along the walls of the basement. This chalky, powdery substance forms on the walls when moisture seeps through the porous walls, bringing along with it the inner salts and sediments to the surface. We will want to help mitigate the influence this moisture has on the basement’s environment.
We also found that there were basement windows lining the walls, which if not sealed properly, can allow outside air and moisture to seep through and enter the space. This can trap moisture and elevate the relative humidity. If the relative humidity reaches a certain point, mold and mildew can begin to form on any organic materials within the basement.
Solution
We quickly drew up a proposal of a variety of solutions and services we offer. Once the homeowner made their decision, we began scheduling for their basement project.
The first thing we did was move everything away from the perimeter of the basement. We needed a clear space from the walls to install our solutions. Our installers created a trench on the floor around the basement perimeter using a jackhammer. The trench is filled with some drainage rock and our WaterGuard XL drainage system. This system catches any moisture seeping through the walls and transports it to a sump pump, which will move any water collected out of the basement via a drain line.
The walls were covered with a 20-mil CleanSpace vapor barrier, which is a heavy-duty liner and will act as an air barrier and vapor retarder. This will help to direct any moisture seeping through the walls down into the WaterGuard XL system and will help decrease the relative humidity.
The final project was attaching a Super Sump Plus basin to the WaterGuard XL system. This pump includes a 1/3 horsepower Zoller pump, a WaterWatch alarm, and a CleanPump stand. Any water collected by the CleanSpace and WaterGuard XL is transported to this sump pump basin and moved out of the basement via a drain line, leaving the living space dry and clean.
The homeowner should now be able to enjoy their dry basement area, and the option of finishing their basement is still available to them! If you are also interested in insulating or sealing your basement, then give us a call at 757-566-8622 and schedule your free estimate and inspection! We’ll help you keep the outside, outside!
