Basement Flood Repair in Boxford, MA

Friday, June 7th, 2024 by Marcus Girard

Challenge

When basements are more susceptible to leaks and flooding, the space becomes difficult to be utilized. A homeowner in Boxford, Massachusetts experienced basement flooding during heavy rains, totaling up to 8 inches of water at once before. Water entered the basement through both foundation walls and concrete floor. Looking to reclaim his basement and use it for storage space, this homeowner reached out to Erickson Foundation Solutions.

Our team came out to the home to provide a free home inspection. After identifying problematic areas causing the flooding, the following waterproofing solution was recommended:

128' of WaterGuard perimeter drainage
4' of TrenchLock radon sealed surface drainage
20' of feed line
1 TripleSafe sump pump system
2 IceGuard antifreeze discharge systems
15' of exterior discharge line

Solution

After the homeowner accepted the proposal, an installation date was scheduled. Our installation crew arrived at 8am of the scheduled date. Before beginning work on the project, crew leader Abdou Taal performed a quick walkthrough to discuss objectives and expectations.

The installation crew then began chipping out 8" of concrete along the entire perimeter of the basement. This was done to provide space for WaterGuard and the sump basin to be put in. We then dug down 24" to create the basin that the TripleSafe liner rests in. The primary, backup, and battery-powered backup pump were then installed in the liner. After removing all the concrete that was chipped out, WaterGuard was installed. This system collects water along the edge of the foundation and filters it to the sump basin. The system is encased in crushed stone and cemented in place once connected to the basin.

TrenchLock is a form of WaterGuard that allows water to drain within the surface of the basement floor. It was installed in front of the oil tank where WaterGuard was inaccessible. While surface drainage can oftentimes allow air to come up from the ground, TrenchLock's design prevents this. With radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, being prevalent in the area, it was important that the homeowner was protected. The TrenchLock system connects to WaterGuard to continue the flow of water to the sump basin.

Water also entered the basement floor through cracks. With such a high water table, the installation crew installed a feed line to instead filter that water to the sump pump. The 20' of feed line installed prevent water seepage through the center of the basement floor. It is then connected to the sump basin and rests within crushed stone. Once the system is tested to ensure that water flows properly, it is cemented in place along with the TripleSafe and WaterGuard.

In order for water to get pumped out of the home, 15' of exterior discharge line was installed to the TripleSafe and plumbed to the backyard of the home. IceGuard was installed to the discharge system to prevent water from freezing inside the PVC pipes. When discharge lines freeze, water can get backed up and flood the basement. The discharge line was then buried in the ground and a bubbler pot was attached to the end of the PVP piping. This allows water to be spread across a bigger surface.

Once the job site was left neat and tidy, Abdou performed a final walkthrough with the homeowner. Abdou answered remaining questions that the homeowner had and informed him of important information to be aware of. With the basement now fully waterproofed, the homeowner was thrilled that he could reclaim his basement space!