Basement Systems Vancouver Q&A

Yes, we have full, active WCB coverage along with $5 Million liability insurance to ensure the safety of our crews and our customers.

Yes, the patented products that Basement Systems use are designed to be installed on the interior of your basement. The key advantage with working from the inside is we are away from the soils that can cause an exterior drainage system to clog and fail. When we install our patented WaterGuard system around your basement and drain to one of our sump systems your basement will carry a lifetime warranty against groundwater seepage that is fully transferable should you decide to sell your home.

The CleanSpace liner is a vapour barrier and not a water mitigation system and will not prevent water under the liner. To ensure your crawl space stays "dry all the time" a sump pump and interior drain tile system are required to prevent groundwater seepage.

In most cases it takes many years for a basement to leak. The primary reason why a basement leaks is due to hydrostatic pressure. Ground water moves upward when the soil becomes saturated during heavy rains and pushes up from under the floor and leaks through the floor wall joint of the basement causing the basement to flood. This buildup of water occurs because the drain tile has failed, or was never installed, or was never installed properly.

The most affordable way to relieve hydrostatic pressure and pooling is to install an interior drain tile system on the inside perimeter of the home as opposed to digging up and replacing the exterior drain tile. Replacing the exterior drain tile can be very costly and there's usually obstacles in the way like patio decks, driveways, and sidewalks that makes it nearly impossible without causing significant damage to these structures.

Absolutely! A crawlspace without insulation can result in higher energy bills and cold floors on the main level of your home.  A properly sealed and conditioned crawl space will keep heat in and allow it to rise throughout the home creating a more energy efficient environment. Traditional fiberglass insulation is vulnerable to moisture and mold, and insulation usually becomes sodden and "drips" from the ceiling. This is why fiberglass is no longer used by most contractors. Most reputable crawl space repair companies will recommend not only insulating the area with suitable products but installing an encapsulation system to ensure the space remains dry and healthy. There are currently some great rebates and grant programs available to help offset the investment in your crawlspace.  

There are several ways to tell if moisture is passing through to your basement or crawlspace. One of the most common is a white, flaky powder that accumulates on basement walls. This is known as efflorescence, and it's left behind as moisture leaves the basement walls and enters the air. Other signs include mold and musty smells in the home, rust on your pipes, tools, or other metal in the space, mould or rot on items stored on the floor.  

A battery backup pump will not only work if the power goes out but it will work if there is a primary pump failure of any kind. Even though our pumps are cast iron construction and are very good, we want to take every precaution we can to prevent water seepage in the home.

Once your crawl space is fully encapsulated and insulated, moisture infiltration will be reduced substantially. However, we can't prevent all moisture as humidity can be created by household activities such as hot and cold piping. A dehumidifier in a fully encapsulated and insulated crawl space will provide a complete moisture control solution for the home that will safeguard against high humidity, musty odours, and mould.

A crawl space with fully insulated foundation walls and sealed exterior vents keeps ductwork contained within the conditioned space warm and dry. This means that warm air that leaks from the ducts will not be wasted. It will remain in the conditioned space and can passively warm your floor above. Whereas insulating between the floor joists would block the warm dry air.