Basement Waterproofing & Drainage Case Studies: Waterproofing and Bowed Wall Repair

Water in the basement kept this homeowner from enjoying more living space.

Thrasher installed an exterior waterproofing system and helical tiebacks to repair a bowed wall.

The owners of this home were experiencing water in their basement. The homeowners needed additional living space for their growing family, so they had plans to finish the basement and put in a beautiful master suite. 

However, the water was keeping them from their dream. The homeowners said at first they didn’t know what to do and tried some band-aid repairs to see if the problem would go away. Unfortunately, the problem didn’t go away for the homeowners, and when telling a friend about the issue, the friend recommended that they call Thrasher Foundation Repair. Tired of the problem and wanting to finish the basement, the homeowner called Thrasher Foundation Repair and worked with our Customer Care team to schedule a free inspection with a System Design Specialist. Upon meeting with the homeowner, hearing about the water issue the homeowner was experiencing and the goal to finish the basement, the System Design Specialist went to determine the source of the water problem. 

Unfortunately, it’s pretty typical in the Kansas City area to experience water coming into the basement. Thrasher has many options to address water problems, including using French drains in the yard, exterior drainage systems and interior drainage systems. In this case, a combination of wall straightening and exterior waterproofing made the basement space usable.

Also, since the homeowners were going to finish the basement, the System Design Specialist inspected the rest of the home to ensure all problems were addressed before the homeowners finished the basement.  

The System Design Specialist identified that water was coming from the cold joint at the basement floor where the foundation footing and foundation wall meet. This is a common water entry point. The System Design Specialist also identified an issue the homeowner was unaware of. 

Water was also coming from a crack in the foundation. The crack was going to need to be addressed to stop water from coming into the basement. The System Design Specialist needed to identify what caused the crack in the first place so that the homeowner could finish their basement and have peace of mind. They wouldn’t want any issues down the road that could cause a problem to their dream basement. 

After completing his inspection, the System Design Specialist determined that the foundation wall was bowing into the basement. Bowing basement walls are caused by soil on the outside of the home that expands due to water and, as a result, puts pressure on the foundation wall, causing the foundation wall to fail. The failing foundation wall needed to be addressed, so it didn’t worsen and possibly completely fail. The System Design Specialist showed the homeowner what he identified in his inspection. The homeowner agreed both the water and foundation issue were problems that needed to be solved if they were going to invest in fixing their home. The field consultant discussed the question with the homeowners, and he recommended an external waterproofing system with an exterior sump pump. 

Unfortunately, it’s pretty typical in the Kansas City area to experience water coming into the basement. Thrasher Foundation Repair has many options to address your specific water problems to keep your basement dry and to accomplish your goals. Solutions include interior and exterior wall products, drainage systems, and sump pumps. Thrasher Foundation Repair has a certified System Design Specialist diagnose the issues you are experiencing with your home, listen to your concerns and goals and builds a solution with you. At the end of the free inspection with our System Design Specialist, you will know precisely what is causing your problem, the options to address the issue and exactly what it costs to complete the repair.

The System Design Specialist worked with the homeowner to design the appropriate solution to address the water and foundation issue after educating the homeowner on what causes these problems to begin with. Working together, it was determined the right solution to fix the basement waterproofing issue was to install an interior drainage system and a sump pump. 

The internal drainage system would be installed at the base of the foundation wall on top of the foundation footing to catch the water right at its entry point. The homeowner chose a sump pump that included three sump pumps. 

Two sump pumps that run off electricity and a battery back up pump. Since the homeowner was going to finish the basement, they didn’t want to take any chances on their basement getting wet and never wanted to deal with the problem again. To solve the foundation problem, the homeowner decided to have a wall anchor system installed and wanted the foundation wall excavated and straightened. Since the outside of the foundation wall was going to be exposed, Thrasher Foundation Repair recommended putting a waterproof membrane on the outside of the foundation wall to prevent water from entering through foundation cracks. In addition, an insulation board was to be installed to protect the membrane and help keep the basement warm.  

After completing the design of the solutions that would allow the homeowners to finish the basement, the System Design Specialist provided the homeowners with an installation date for their project. The work was completed on time and within budget for the homeowners. After the repair by Thrasher Foundation Repair was completed, the homeowner’s contractor could finish the basement. The homeowners were now able to enjoy their newly finished space and had the peace of mind; they were no longer going to have water in their basement or an issue with their foundation.