Basement Water Proofing Enabling Space to be Finished and Protected

Challenge

This basement in Arlington, Virginia had standing water every time there was heavy rainfall. The homeowner wanted to finish their basement, but knew that a permanent water proofing system was needed to protect the space. If the basement was finished without being waterproofed, it could lead to significant damage and mold, which is bad for the home and the health of its residents and costly. The homeowner gave Fortress Foundation Solutions a call to come evaluate their situation and give a free estimate for the solution!

There were multiple challenges to the installation of this project, which is not uncommon. Upon inspection, our system designer, Caleb Stone, found an existing system attempting to waterproof the home, but it was not nearly adequate. It needed to be removed for Fortress's system to run efficiently. Additionally, there was an elevated concrete slab poured for a bathroom that was an obstacle. Lastly, that water heater obstructed the system around the perimeter. 

Solution

Fortress Foundation Solutions has encountered many similar challenges and is well equipped to overcome them in order to provide a permanent solution and protection for homes. The homeowner accepted Fortress's help because they trusted our knowledge and expertise, and we beat the price of other estimates!

First, we had to remove the existing system, with its two sump pumps, that was failing. The system ran through the middle of the floor. The installation crew jacked up the concrete, removed it, and poured new concrete restoring the floor to be smooth and level. 

Next, the crew installed our SuperSump Plus and UltraSump sump pumps to effectively and economically keep the basement dry and protected. The SuperSump Plus pumps up to 2,200 gallons of water an hour away from the home! The UltraSump sump pump has a battery backup, protecting the home in case of a power outage. It pumps up to 11,500 gallons of water on a single charge!

Since the homeowner wanted to finish the space, we installed our CleanSpace Wall, creating a vapor barrier, giving the walls a bright clean look. It catches any moisture seeping through the walls and ties in seamlessly with the rest of our system keeping the space clean, dry, and neat. 

The final step was to install our WaterGuard Below Floor Drainage system, which catches any water coming into the basement and drains it into the SuperSump Plus. WaterGuard is designed to go beneath the floor slab with minimal invasion. This is a full perimeter system which offers the most protection for the home. The elevated concrete slab was removed by our crew so the system could operate efficiently. The last obstacle was the water heater, which was circumnavigated with our TrenchDrain to keep the system flowing seamlessly. This system comes with a lifetime warranty!

Fortress Foundation Solutions was ecstatic to be able to give this homeowner peace of mind and help them transition the house into their dream home!