Basement Waterproofing Experts in Woodridge
Keep your basement dry. Call (630) 474-5325 to get expert basement waterproofing in Woodridge, IL!
The basement is an important space in any property. While it?s a storage space for some, it?s another room outfitted for maximum comfort for others. Therefore, a wet basement is frustrating and could cause significant damage.
At Seepageseal, we?ve become a go-to option for people looking for basement waterproofing in Woodridge, IL, and nearby areas. We?ve helped many homeowners keep their basement dry and healthy, keeping the property in the space safe from water damage.
Call us today if you notice water, musty smells, or dampness in your basement walls. Let?s provide you with a quick estimate and speedy service.
What Are the Common Causes of Water in the Basement?
Some of the common causes of water in the basement include the following:
Indoor Plumbing Leaks
Plumbing work running beneath your house is out of sight and easy to ignore. However, any leaks in the overall design can lead to moisture percolation in your basement. Common sources of water leaks include your dishwasher, washing machine, toilet, sink, shower, or a broken pipe.
If you notice dampness in your basement just beneath a kitchen or bathroom, an indoor leak is often the cause of the problem.
Poor Grading
Homes with ineffective or poor grading often have wet basements because it?s easier for rain or groundwater to flow in. The ground around your home?s foundation needs to slope away from the house instead of towards it. This way, rainwater, and groundwater can easily flow away from your property.
If water accumulates against your foundation instead of flowing away, you will eventually get a wet basement. Water will accumulate against your foundation if the property features poorly compacted fill dirt. Over time the dirt will settle, triggering slope change and the direction of the water flow towards your house.
Lack of Proper Gutters and Downspouts
Gutters and downspouts are there to redirect rainwater away from your home?s foundation. If you don?t have these installed or if they are not working correctly, rainwater will make its way towards your home?s foundation. As accumulated water settles around your foundation, it will slowly make its way into your basement.
Foundation Cracks
If your foundation has any cracks, water will most likely enter your basements. The chief cause of cracks in foundation walls is improperly connected floor joists. However, in homes with poor drainage, accumulated water around the foundation can cause cracks.
Water accumulating against the foundation walls can cause hydrostatic pressure, leading to cracks. Regardless of the cause of the foundation cracks, you can expect water to find a way into your basement through them.
Basement Condensation
Warm, moist air coming in contact with the cool air in your basement floor and walls will lead to condensation. Condensation is the easiest cause of basement moisture to deal with.
At Seepageseal, we know how to figure out the cause of basement moisture in your home and keep it from repeating. Book an inspection with us today.
The Seepageseal Advantage at a Glance
Here’s a quick look at the reasons why your Woodridge neighbors love working with us on basement waterproofing projects:
- Quality products. Our expert technicians only use award-winning products with decades of history as basement waterproofing solutions.
- Speedy project completion. When we settle on a process for waterproofing your home, we work quickly. We always aim to complete all projects in less than two days.
- Highly experienced crew. All crew members at Seepageseal are basement waterproofing specialists working on multiple projects per week.
- Cost-effective solutions. We design the most effective basement waterproofing solutions in line with your budget.
- Versatile basement waterproofing. We can deliver the perfect waterproofing solutions for both finished and unfinished basements.
- Local company. At Seepageseal, all our team members are active in the Woodridge community. Our customers love the peace of mind that comes with having your neighbor work in your home.
- Free estimates. Property owners in our service area can rely on us for free basement waterproofing quotes. We don’t add unnecessary line items, and we explain each expenditure in writing.
Call us today to discuss your basement waterproofing needs.
Our Basement Waterproofing Process
At Seepageseal, we take a holistic approach to basement waterproofing. When you call us, we take some time out to carefully analyze the situation around your home. At this stage, we look at possible sources of the water leak.
Once we’ve figured out the source of the basement moisture, we’ll outline the best possible solutions to get rid of the existing moisture and prevent a recurrence.
Basement Waterproofing Options
Some of the common options for waterproofing your basement include the following:
Excavation and Coating
The excavation and coating process effectively deals with water penetration through your basement walls. This method involves opening up the exterior basement wall surface and applying a waterproofing membrane or coating to keep water from getting through. Done correctly, this method is highly effective.
However, it’s labor-intensive as you have to clear the area around the wall first. Digging up the sidewalk and relocating planting or other objects close to the wall can take a while.
Our basement waterproofing experts work on foundation repairs, including excavation and coating, and we know how to make the process less daunting. Our quote will cover all the work necessary for the project, and we’ll explain each line item clearly.
French Drain Installation
While it’s a good idea to seal off your basement wall with a coating to prevent moisture, it’s often best to keep the moisture from flowing through to your foundation walls. A French drain is one solution to the problem.
The French drain is a type of trench featuring perforated pipework, with a layer of rocks or gravel protecting the pipework. The goal of the French drain is to redirect water away from an area. It works because the position of the pipe allows gravity to pull water from a high point to a low point far away from your basement.
American farmer Henry French made French drains popular, hence the name. He borrowed the idea from ancient Romans.
In most cases, an exterior French drain is all you need to keep your basement dry. However, you may also need an interior French drain in basements with hydrostatic pressure or fluctuating water table.
French drains are useful in other ways apart from redirecting water away from your home. They can lead to a dry well holding groundwater or to your rain garden. Rain gardens feature wetland plants capable of absorbing excess water and returning it to the atmosphere via transpiration.
If you already have French drains installed, we can check them to ensure they are working optimally.
Sump Pump Installation
A sump pump is an electric pump installed in the basement to eject excess water. These units are essential in basement waterproofing. Basements with a sump pump also need a sump pit. The pit is a hole dug in the basement floor to collect water from the perimeter to keep it from coming up to the floor.
Different Types of Basement Sump Pumps
The types of basement sump pumps include the following:
Pedestal or Upright Sump Pumps
Pedestal sump pumps sit on the basement sump pit, exposing the electrical motor. The exposed motor means that these pumps aren’t the best fit for regularly flooded basements. Pedestal units are also typically louder than the alternative.
Structurally, these pumps work like a toilet. They feature a motor mounted on a pedestal and a pipe running from the motor to the bottom of the sump pump pit. The pump also has a float connected to a switch. As water fills the pit, the float will rise until it’s high enough to trigger the sump pump.
As the pump works, it will suck up water through the pipe and transfer it to your chosen destination for wastewater. It’s usually your septic system or sewer, but you can channel the water elsewhere, as we’ve mentioned above.
Submersible Sump Pump
As the name implies, submersible sump pumps go down into the sump pit. They start working when the pump is fully or partially submerged. As the water level rises, the pump will come on automatically.
The machines work in water because they feature seals preventing electrical shorts. There’s no connecting pipe drawing out water from the sump pit, so the water goes through the bottom of the pump and into the exterior-facing pipe.
There’s no risk of damage to the pump’s impeller because it has a screen or filter at the bottom. You can also channel the water from the pit into the sewer system or out into your yard. Many homeowners we work with choose sump pumps because they are usually quieter.
Backup Sump Pump
Backup sump pumps are either submersible or upright units with a battery backup system. They are for areas where power outages are common during heavy rain and storms. The systems have one or two 12-volt batteries. As you’d expect, these systems are generally costlier, so you should only choose them if you have a genuine need for battery backup.
At Seepageseal, we can help you choose the right sump pump for your home and is one of the best additions to a property with a below-grade basement. In such basements, an inch of water is all it takes to do extensive damage to your property.
Tips to Keep in Mind When Buying a Sump Pump
Here are some top tips to keep in mind when buying a sump pump:
- Choose the right size of sump pump to keep it from cycling on and off too frequently. Oversized pumps will wear out faster, and the performance will suffer.
- Check the pump spec sheet for important details such as the pump rating (gallons per hour), power efficiency, and floater design. For example, a backup sump pump with an electric-based floater isn’t convenient.
- Choose pumps that are easy to install and those with favorable warranty cover.
Sump Pump Maintenance Tips
Sump pumps maintained properly can last up to 15 years. General maintenance for sump pumps involves cleaning them out to remove debris from the water pathway.
For submersibles, you need to run water through the unit to ensure it is functioning as well as it should. Pour some water into the sump pit with a container or a garden hose to confirm that the pump kicks in or stops working at the proper levels. If the pump doesn’t respond, you may need to call us in for servicing or sump pump replacement.
Keeping an eye on the sump pump is the best way to catch a problem early enough and prevent water damage in your basement.
Basement Mold Removal
If your basement is already wet and moldy, you can count on our experts at Seepageseal to help. A damp basement is the perfect breeding ground for mold, mildew, and bacteria. So, by the time you call us in for basement waterproofing, you may have a mold problem already that needs tackling.
Ignoring the mold will lead to a foul smell in the basement and ruin the aesthetic appeal. Mold infestation can also affect your indoor air quality by spreading allergens around your home. Therefore, part of our basement waterproofing solution is to ensure we stop mold growth after plugging the cause of the basement wetness.
We spray our special anti-mold solution on completion of every job to decimate existing mold colonies. The solution is also strong enough to keep new colonies from forming because it can break down the spores.
Our mold removal spray won’t deface your walls or ruin your personal items in the basement. Talk to us today if you’ve noticed signs of mold growth in your basement.
Basement Waterproofing You Can Trust
At Seepageseal, we have more than two decades of experience providing holistic basement waterproofing in Woodridge, IL. Our highly trained basement waterproofing professionals have worked on many residential and commercial basements in DuPage County and the neighboring areas.
We convert your wet, damp basements into permanently waterproofed and usable spaces. Regardless of the basement size, you can count on us to deliver.
At Seepageseal, we’ve built a reputation for excellence on all projects, but we’re still devoted to continuous improvement. You can see this dedicated approach to service from our first contact person down to the on-site contractors we send over to your home.
With our decades of experience, we know what combination of systems you need to keep your basement permanently dry. We’ll go over each one with you, analyzing all the advantages and downsides you need to know about.
We choose only highly vetted products for basement waterproofing systems, from coating materials to our choice of sump pumps. Due to our expertise in working with these systems, you can count on us to always make the right choice at all times.
We work in the least intrusive manner possible on every project. Our speedy service ensures you can get back to using your basement in little to no time at all.
Sump Pump Repairs and Basement Waterproofing Upgrades in Woodridge, IL
Properly installed and regularly maintained sump pumps last more than a decade. However, they can still break down from time to time. At Seepageseal, we can examine and repair most types of sump pumps on the market today.
A common problem we experience is a sump pump working when the pit is dry. This scenario often signifies a more significant problem within the drainage setup.
Call us immediately to get speedy repairs. It’s dangerous to wait too long if you live in areas with regular flooding or water table problems. Also, ignoring repairs can lead to more serious damage. If your pump is beyond repair, we’ll help you pick a replacement.
You can also count on us to upgrade your basement waterproofing. Maybe your waterproofing wasn’t done right the first time or the systems put in place are failing. Seepageseal can work with you to return your basement to complete dryness.
Get Expert Basement Waterproofing Services Today
Think Seepageseal anytime you think of basement waterproofing in Woodridge, IL, and the surrounding areas. Our highly trained professionals work in basements like yours every day. We’ve seen it all, and you can count on us to choose the perfect mix of solutions to keep your basement dry at all times.
Call us today to request your free estimate if your basement floods or has pools or water. We can also help you get rid of that musty, mold smell as a part of our basement waterproofing service.
When you call us the first time, we will take the time to understand your needs before sending out a basement waterproofing specialist to visit your home for a thorough inspection of the worksite. Following our analysis, we’ll provide you with personalized solutions that will keep your basement dry for decades to come.
Call us today at (630) 474-5325 to get started. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Find more about DuPage Basement Waterproofing in the Daily Herald here.