Boyne City, MI Trusted Foundation Repair and Basement Waterproofing

Settlement caused several large cracks to form along the garage in this Boyne City home. New garage doors were installed and they no longer sealed along the bottom due to the settlement, and the homeowner wanted the issue resolved before it worsened over time.

We used the PolyLevel system to lift the sunken garage slabs and prevent the issue from occurring again. This system also dealt with the weak soil issue below the slabs, which was the root cause of the settlement in the first place. We drilled small holes into the concrete and then filled them with a specialized polymer material. The high-density and lightweight polymers expanded underneath the slab to lift it back to its proper position. The installation was quick and caused minimal disruption to the home, plus the cure time was only about 15 minutes!

To seal the cracks, we used the NexusPro joint sealant. This sealant caulked the cracks and prevented them from continuing to shift or grow in size.

These homeowners originally called because the crawl space in their home was creating cold floors in the area above. They hadn’t noticed any water problems, although the exposed dirt ground and block wall foundation allowed water vapor to easily access the space, which created high moisture and humidity levels.

In order to seal off the crawl space and prevent moisture from entering, we encapsulated the space with the durable CleanSpace liner. The liner was sized to fit the dimensions of the crawl space and then laid out directly on top of the dirt ground and up the walls, where it was then securely attached. This liner is waterproof and vapor proof to keep moisture out and has an anti-microbial additive to prevent mold growth. The piers in the crawl space were also wrapped to protect them from ambient moisture.

The crawl space had vent covers that not only allowed water or vapor into the space, but it also let cold, drafty air in that was contributing to the cold floors in the home above. To combat this we installed vent covers that created an airtight seal from the outside environment.

The crawl space floor was insulated with TerraBlock that works to insulate the space and prevent moisture from entering with its vapor proof exterior. The walls in the crawl space were insulated with SilverGlo and FrothPak insulation. The SilverGlo panels reflect heat back into the space to save the homeowners on energy costs while combating the cold floors above. FrothPak is a spray foam insulation that does not absorb moisture and is made from inorganic materials to prevent mold growth if it got wet. FrothPak will stay put on the wall and has the ability to seal off any small spaces that could let outside air or moisture in.

Lois was putting in a call for the sake of her family. They would use this Boyne City, MI property as a second home for family time and vacations. But as of late, they were just doing their best to keep it afloat.

Water was puddling all over the basement floor, and mold and mildew were about as well. They recently tried to solve the problem with an interior solution from another company. While the repair didn’t solve the issue, it didn’t convince most of the family that an interior solution was not the answer. It put our system design specialist in a rough spot. Luckily, he was able to explain to Lois and her family how our complete waterproofing system is different than other repairs and that it would be the best thing for their basement.

Once all the members of the family were convinced to give the Ayers waterproofing system a try, the crew got to work. The plan drawn up by our system design specialist called for a perimeter drainage system and sump pump to collect the basement water, a SaniDry XP dehumidifier to deal with the moldy conditions and keep the basement feeling as dry as it would look, and an exterior outlet for the water to discharge. A WaterGuard perimeter drainage system was placed in the floor and wall joint to collect water as it naturally flows to the perimeter of the room. In the hopes of making this solution a permanent one, the crew also installed several inspection ports so the WaterGuard system can be checked for clogging. Once in the WaterGuard, the water will be directed to our most reliable sump pump system, the TripleSafe. With backup systems that will continue to run during power outages or excessive loads, TripleSafe will keep Lois’ basement from ever flooding again. After the water is pumped out of the basement, it will be pushed to a lawnscape outlet where the water can exit without causing problems to the foundation.  

Lois and her family are now free to go back to enjoying their Boyne City vacation spot and before the end of summer, too!

David and JoAnn had been dealing with water issues in their basement ever since they moved into their Boyne City, MI home. There were multiple leaking cracks in the basement ranging from the floor to the walls and coves near the ceiling. With no sign of the water letting up, they decided to give us a call and learn more about our waterproofing system.

After hearing about and seeing the problems that the couple was facing, our system design specialist came up with a plan that would take care of the issue once and for all. It seemed pretty apparent that water wasn’t going to stop trying to find its way into the basement, so he created a design that would get the water out immediately. The first step for the crew was giving the water somewhere to drain. That’s where WaterGuard, a perimeter drainage system, came into play. The system was installed at the floor and wall joint and will collect any water that leaks down the walls or on the floor. To treat the cracks and make sure that the water is directed to the drainage system, the team installed the two-layer sealant FlexiSpan system. The inner layer is used to get deep into the cracks and block the majority of water from entering. The outer layer is for drainage; any water that does penetrate the seal will be led straight to the WaterGuard system resting below. Unfortunately, FlexiSpan couldn’t be used to seal all of David and JoAnn’s cracks. For the other walls, the team used our BrightWall panels. The waterproof panels were attached to the previous basement walls and create a barrier that won’t allow vapor or seepage to permeate. Any seepage will follow the same path to the drainage system as the water leaking behind the FlexiSpan system.

While we can’t control the elements, David and JoAnn’s home will be well protected if and when water returns.