Where escape of water in converted or new-build basements occurs, there is much scratching of heads when advisors in this field contemplate what to do and to what extent the existing waterproofing needs to be disturbed.

Well with WaterGuard channels and the other extensive range of basement products available to us from Basement SystemsUSA , a new approach is available in the UK, in that control of water pressure from the inside can now be achieved very simply, often with only limited disturbance to the existing waterproofing. This ability cannot be underestimated.

Although we are able to use and install many forms of waterproofing, our chosen method is always drained protection using one of the cavity drainage membrane on the market, such as supplied by Isola Platon, Newton or Delta. WaterGuard and the range of Basement Systems sumps and pumps, including battery backup, goes hand in hand with such membranes.

WaterGuard sub-floor drainage channel is installed within the basement floors at the wall and floor joints, usually around the perimeter. It relieves hydrostatic ground water pressure in both walls and floors. Can be used effectively in conjunction with most forms of planned tanking or waterproofing, and by controlling hydrostatic ground water pressure, commonly downgrades their role to that of a vapour barrier.

It is ideal for use when tanking or waterproofing has failed and standing water occurs, controlling water pressure at the vulnerable wall and floor joints, in most cases allowing the original system to remain largely undisturbed. This is perhaps it’s most unique feature.

Ideal for use with cavity drainage membranes in BS8102:1990 Type C, Drained Protection, but also an appropriate precautionary measure with Type A, External Protection and Type B, Integrally Waterproof.

Unlike conventional external or internal land drains that in time all silt up, WaterGuard is installed internally and contains service ports to maintain a clean environment, thus they will never silt up.Service ports can be used to dispose of water from dehumidifiers in ‘unfinished’ basements where moisture vapour is controlled.

Case 1 House Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire

This basement had been tanked cementitiously and covered in dabbed plasterboard. Five years later after heavy rain-fall, ground water pressure caused the floor screed to heave and crack, with water escape mid-floor and at wall and floor joints.

Instead of attempting to repair the tanking, an action that might have worked, but with fingers crossed,  WaterGuard was installed around the periphery, linked to an UltraSump.

Pressure is now controlled, the basement is dryer than ever and the original tanking was mostly left undisturbed.

The photograph shows how disturbance was limited to the wall and floor joints, with one section of cross floor channel to allow the water more than one way to travel to the sump.

Providing a drainage space around the periphery into which ground water can freely enter before coming to bear, is significantly more sensible that attempting to totally block the high pressures that occur during and after heavy rain. The market in the UK is slow to recognize this, whereas in the USA, drainage rather than tanking is the norm! Now with Trace Basement Systems the situation is changing.

See hyperlink below for article on basement drainage by George Hockey of Trace Basement Systems in Acrobat.pdf format published in Preserve Magazine.

For those that read the article and are knowledgeable in respect of concrete, the publishers failed to let GH proof read it before printing, so there is a glaring error in crack sizes that allow passage of water, i.e. 3mm should read 0.3 instead.

For those who want to contact Phil Hewitt, the leading UK expert on waterproofing, his telephone number was printed incorrectly, and should read 01494 766655.

During 2000 the extent of rain-fall in the UK dramatically increased, causing many basements that had never before flooded in living memory, to now do so. The Basement Systems USA philosophy, now in the UK via the Basement Systems UK fledgling network, has successfully dealt with many of the resulting disasters when such flooding has occurred, this both in older and new properties, a number of the latter even before completion of the construction process.

Furthermore, during 2000 we have dealt with problems in basements that have been tanked several times unsuccessfully, now dry only because we have alleviated the water pressure with WaterGuard.

Control of water pressure really is the only truly sensible way to ensure that your basement  remains free of standing water in the long term.