All of our employees receive extensive initial training, as well as continuous field training throughout the year. Most of our installers have been working in industry for a very long time, and have served our company for several years. Many of our employees have been with the company for 15+ years! We’ve been correcting basement waterproofing problems similar to yours since 1961!
Weeping Tiles are a system of drainage tubing that is laid at or under your foundation wall at the footing to draw the water away from your home and toward the sewer or drains. When a basement is waterproofed, a weeping tile system is key to keeping the basement dry because the water is drawn away from the foundation. If your home has a sump pump, it drains into the weeping tiles drain and away from your home.
New technologies have added a sleeve or sock to the tubing so that any sediment that is in the water does not clog the weeping tile tube. The tile system is laid at the foundation and the space above is filled in with gravel so that water can filter through to drain away.
City Wide Group installs 4” ABS flexible piping from Big O., as they use this technology.
Your drainage system only requires a sump pump if the weeping tile system installed has no other gravity fed drainage source. In some locales, sump pumps are also required by the Building Code. Sump pumps are installed in a gravity fed “pit”, once the water level rises to a certain height, the sump pump automatically turns on and discharges the water outside of the house to the exterior grade. Sump pumps are electrically powered, and sometimes need battery backups. A rainstorm that’s strong enough to cut your electrical power is definitely the kind of storm that will fill the pit and require it to be working during such time.
Exterior foundation waterproofing preserves the structural integrity of your foundation, and does not allow any water or moisture to seep through the block, brick or concrete. Moisture presence in your foundation can lead to deterioration over time, and result in costly foundation repairs or complete foundation rebuilds. Waterproofing internally can be a lot less expensive, and works more as a diversion process for water. Water is still able to enter through the foundation, but is diverted underneath the floor area into an internal weeping tile system.
Water is able to seep into your basement through cracks in the walls or floor, but there are plenty of other places it can seep through. Look for weak spots around your basement, such as mortar joints (spaces between bricks or concrete blocks), tie rods that reinforce masonry, the juncture where the walls meet the floor, the top of your home’s foundation, or window wells. If there are congested and/or blocked weeping tiles or no weeping tile system installed around the perimeter of your home’s footing, the water simply has no where else to go but inside any of these entry points.
Ultimately, the price will depend on the solution. Some variables that influence the cost of waterproofing foundations include: complexity of excavation, spacing between foundation and neighbouring property, concrete, interlock, asphalt, flagstone removal and replacement, depth of foundation, soil conditions, shrubbery & trees.
Black mold, or Stachybotrys chartarum, is one of the leading causes of poor indoor air quality in homes. It is commonly found in damp or flooded homes, and requires constant moisture in order to grow. Foundation waterproofing will prevent any further moisture/water penetration into the basement and will stop any further mold growth.
You’ll receive a phone call from one of our representatives; they will set up an appointment at your home, to meet you in person, ask questions about the leak, and examine your basement. Whether you have wet basement walls, an obvious leak, black mold or some other problem, our team of professionals will be qualified to assess it. We will explain what’s going on at your home clearly and we’ll give you a free estimate either the same day or within 1 business day.
The best way to keep water out of your basement is to keep it away from your home’s foundation, and there are several ways to do this. Keep the ground around your house sloped away from it, and free from shrubbery or plants that might prevent sunlight from drying out the soil. Install gutters and downspouts, keeping them regularly clean of debris, and make sure they drain well away from the foundation (either by piping it underground or extending the gutters away from your home). Keep your home’s window wells covered so they don’t collect water.
Frequently, wet basements occur in homes that lie in low-level areas at the bottoms of slopes or hills, but the everyday shifting or settling of your home may also cause leakage. Other potential causes may be poorly-mixed foundation concrete or improperly designed drainage systems. Tree roots may also grow into the weeping tile system and block water flow. Finally, weather can be a factor.
A wet basement might seem like a small problem, but it can lead to much bigger ones. A leaking basement, or a basement that generates a lot of moisture, can attract black mold or cause structural damage to your home’s foundation. A leaky basement also runs the risk of soaking any belongings you store there, and destroying your basement finishes. Basement waterproofing can steady your home’s property value and provide peace of mind.
Leaking basements present a few very obvious indicators, like pools of water on the floor or water trickling down the walls.
But there are a number of other ways water damage can show itself as well:
The City Wide Group believes in “doing the job right the first time” and striving to achieve top notch customer satisfaction. We are confident with our work and our experience to be the ONLY Company in Toronto & GTA to offer a true LIFETIME WARRANTY. When you have The City Wide Group waterproof your foundation, we warrant that your will never have any water or moisture seepage present in the area waterproofed for the life of the house. You are provided with a warranty certificate, which is transferable to an unlimited number of resale home buyers.
