Wet Basement Waterproofing in Tinley Park IL 60477, 60487
Tinley Park is a populous village in Chicago’s south suburbs, home to nearly 60,000 residents. The village was incorporated in 1892 and its long history is reflected in its historic downtown area.
Tinley Park is known to Chicago-area residents as the home of a major outdoor music venue, now called the First Midwest Bank Amphitheater. Tinley Park enjoyed some other brief recognition – fame to some, notoriety to others – due to the sighting of what has become known as the “Tinley Park Lights.”
On a summer night in 2004, residents at a block party and concertgoers leaving “Ozzfest” noticed an unusual set of lights in the sky. Forming a triangle, the three bright lights moved through the darkness in formation and remained visible for about 30 minutes before vanishing. Numerous photos and videos were made of the sighting and UFO proponents and skeptics continue to argue over its origin.
Several other sightings occurred on the next three Halloween nights. No definitive answer to the questions of the Tinley Park Lights has ever been offered.
Possible interest by ET and friends aside, life in Tinley Park goes on as it does in many Chicago suburbs. Owners of the village’s 18,000 homes still need to mow the lawn and shovel snow and still face the same maintenance and repair issues as homeowners everywhere. Many have found, for example, that their homes are in need of wet basement waterproofing.
Wet Basement Waterproofing in Tinley Park
As done in nearby Orland Park and Flossmoor, homes in Tinley Park that need wet basement waterproofing are evaluated on a case-by-case basis but there are several commonly used repair methods that will handle the majority of problems.
Foundation Crack Repair – The most common source of water in a home with a poured concrete foundation is a non-structural crack in a basement wall. Filling and sealing these cracks is best done by injecting them with expanding polyurethane, which seals the cracks all the way to the outside soil. The polyurethane also remains flexible when it cures so that that cracks won’t re-open due to minor foundation movement.
If the crack is inaccessible, such as in a finished basement, it can be repaired on the exterior with sodium bentonite clay. A small hole is dug next to the foundation down to the footings and filled with the granular clay, which absorbs moisture and forms a permanent exterior water barrier.
Interior Drain Tile – Another common source of water is seepage through the cove joint or floor cracks that is caused by hydrostatic pressure in the ground below the foundation. Installing interior drain tile, a system of perforated pipe buried in washed gravel under the basement floor, alleviates the pressure and carries water to a sump pump for disposal. When properly installed, interior drain tile is maintenance-free.
Exterior Waterproofing – Concrete foundations often seep water through porous spots and over the top of the foundation wall; masonry foundations through deteriorated or cracked mortar joints and porous masonry like brick or concrete block. Any of these conditions can be permanently repaired by installing an exterior waterproofing membrane, a thick coating of asphalt-modified polyurethane that is applied to the exterior of the foundation walls with a trowel. The membrane forms a permanent water barrier.
When ground water is especially high the membrane can be augmented with exterior drain tile and heavy-duty drainage board that protects the membrane and channels water downward.
Regardless of the source of water or recommended repair, a Tinley Park homeowner who needs wet basement waterproofing must call on the services of an experienced basement waterproofing contractor to solve the problem. At U.S. Waterproofing, we have been keeping basements dry and healthy all over Chicagoland, including Tinley Park and surrounding towns. Why not ask for our free advice?
