DuraShield Basement Waterproofing: Barrington Company Out of Business
DuraShield Basement Waterproofing, a Barrington company that did basement waterproofing and concrete work, has closed its doors. DuraShield was a competitor of ours for many years and had served its customers well since 1978.
Their affiliate, United Structural Systems, which did foundation repairs, has shut down as well.
The recent economic downturn has killed off a lot of businesses. In the basement waterproofing trade, this economic effect has been compounded by two years of drought. Just recently, we wrote about United Sealants, another Chicago area basement waterproofing company that had gone under.
Where Do DuraShield’s (and United Structural’s) Customers Go Now?
Like all reputable companies in our industry, DuraShield offered warranties on its products and services, from limited to lifetime. Obviously, the company can no longer honor those warranties and a number of DuraShield customers have contacted us with warranty issues. Although we cannot be responsible for the warranty, we will inspect the problem at no charge and recommend a cost-effective solution.
For those DuraShield and United Structural customers who have had new problems arise, U.S. Waterproofing is also ready to help:
Basement Waterproofing
Drain Tile – Whether on the interior or exterior, drain tile remains one of the most effective ways to keep a basement dry. U.S. Waterproofing has installed thousands of drain tile systems and our experience allows us to install drain tile with a minimum of disruption and a maximum of performance.
Crack Repair – U.S. Waterproofing technicians are expert in both interior and exterior crack repair. We inject cracks from the inside with expanding polyurethane that not only seals the crack completely but remains flexible to resist re-cracking from minor foundation movement. From the outside, we seal the crack with sodium bentonite clay that forms a permanent positive-side barrier to prevent further seepage.
Waterproofing Membranes – We install durable asphalt-modified polyurethane membranes on exterior foundation walls that also form an impenetrable positive-side barrier, far better than just “damp proofing.”
Water Management – If you keep rain water away from your foundation, your basement will stay dry. Underground downspout and sump discharge extensions will help keep rain water outside where it belongs.
Sump Pumps – Primary sump pumps are the heart of any basement waterproofing system and U.S. Waterproofing installs and services only the best from Zoeller and other leading manufacturers. Our own BOSS backup sump pump systems will make sure your basement stays dry, even during power failures or overwhelming storms.
Structural Foundation Repair
Foundation Wall Repair – Lateral pressure from expanding soil can cause masonry foundation walls to bow or bulge and poured concrete walls to crack and lean inward. U.S. Waterproofing’s specially trained technicians can stabilize damaged walls by applying carbon fiber strips if the damage is not too severe or low-profile, maintenance-free steel beams if the wall movement is more advanced. We also install wall anchors when the situation calls for them.
Foundation Underpinning – The recent drought is causing many residential foundations to drop as the soil under and around them is compacted. The best way to permanently raise and stabilize these foundations is with steel hydraulic push piers that are driven all the way to a load-bearing stratum underground and are invisible once the repair is completed.
We hope for a bright future for the former owners and employees of DuraShield and United Structural Systems and are prepared to help their former customers with their basement seepage and foundation damage problems. U.S. Waterproofing has already helped more than 300,000 customers keep their basements dry and foundations stable in the 55 years we’ve been in business. Please contact us if we can help.
