Rainy Day Basement Systems Case Studies: Water Management in Acme, WA Crawlspace
Challenge
After Terry & Kerry T. had been living in their Acme, WA home for many years, they were finally preparing to move and sell, however an inspection led to the unfortunate discovery of an underlying water problem in their crawl space. The Rainy Day team came up with a plan to implement a waterproofing system that addresses the moisture in Terry and Kerry’s home for good. The main challenge was how tight the crawlspace area was to work in.
Solution
For this project, three team members spent roughly six hours digging and regrading the soil to allow better access in tight areas of the crawlspace. We followed that by digging shallow trenches along the inside of the exterior wall footings while preventing undermining. All the trenches were sloped toward the low spot of the crawlspace where they were then filled with perforated drain pipes and drain rock. This particular project required two sump pumps to be installed, so once the trenches were finished, the SuperSumps were put in their respective locations. We also installed an EverLast Door to allow for crawlspace access. Weight-bearing piers improve the structural integrity of the home after water damage has occurred, which is exactly what this crawlspace needed, so two Smart Jacks were installed for beam support under the home. These supports are made of galvanized steel and are fully adjustable. We also built in two discharge lines for water to escape from the sump pumps that both lead to discrete exit areas, the LawnScape Outlets, in the yard and away from the home. Rodents had been tunneling under the exterior foundation in numerous places, so we also added mixed concrete to seal holes and make access for critters more difficult. With a vapor barrier added, the final touches complete and cleaned, Terry & Kerry were able to successfully sell their home and leave it even better for the next homeowners.
