Basement Waterproofing - What to Look for in a Good Waterproofing System | Ask the Expert

In this video, Rob Videon helps a customer in Savannah, GA who is shopping for a good basement waterproofing system. According to Rob, there are a few features homeowners should look for:

1. How easy is it to install?
   Installation of conventional foundation drain tiles (French drains) require digging out and exposing the entire foundation in order to replace the old French drain system, which was buried by the footing when the house was built. This is a messy, very disruptive and quite expensive process – especially if your home has decks, porches and other similar fixtures, as these all have to be removed in the process.
   The WaterGuard Drainage System, offered by Lowcountry Foundation Repair is installed internally, along the interior perimeter of the basement walls.
2. Will it be a permanent solution to my basement problems?

Conventional French drains, and some internal interior basement systems have a basic flaw. They are mostly comprised of generic PVC or corrugated pipes, which are perforated to collect ground water.  These pipes are wrapped in cloth to filter out debris, and then are buried in the dirt. All of these systems are known to clog with mud and silt overtime, and it is just a matter of time until they fail again. The WaterGuard Drainage System is specifically designed to sit on top of the foundation, where it is less likely to clog. The WaterGuard can also be fitted with service ports for periodic maintenance and to flush the system as needed. This is why for over 20 years WaterGuard has been used as the only reliable, permanent basement drainage system, nationally backed by a Transferable Lifetime Warranty.

1. How good is the sump pump system?

The sump pump is the heart of the system. If the sump pump fails, the system fails and your basement floods. It is always important to have a backup pump available, in case the main pump fails.

However, if you really want to reduce the odds of a basement flood to statistical insignificance, Videon recommends the TripleSafe Sump Pump System.  The powerful main pump in the TripleSafe, can pump up to 2000 gallons of water per hour, but if it ever gets overwhelmed, the secondary pump kicks in. Combined they can pump up to 6000 gallons per hour!

But what if there is a power outage? In that case, the battery-operated sump pump will kick in. removing up to 12000 gallons of water in a single full charge!