How to Repair a Wet Basement in Morton Grove, IL 60053
Morton Grove was originally part of the tribal lands of the Potawatomi, much like the neighboring village of Skokie and the nearby Chicago neighborhood of Sauganash. Settlement by Europeans began in the 1830’s and the area, now a bustling suburb, was mostly rural and devoted to farming.
Once the railroad came to town, Morton Grove’s agricultural focus shifted to flowers as several major commercial greenhouses became the center of the town’s industry and lasted until the Great Depression. After the Edens Expressway was completed in the 1950’s, Morton Grove’s population jumped by 15,000 residents and today more than 23,000 call the village home.
There are more than 8,000 homes in Morton Grove and those homeowners have one thing in common with homeowners all over Chicagoland – a problem with wet basements and the search for a solution.
3 Ways to Repair a Wet Basement in Morton Grove
There’s no one simple solution to the problem of a wet basement in Morton Grove or anywhere else – each home must be evaluated on a case-by-case-basis. However, there are 3 common approaches to repairing a wet basement that will solve a majority of a homeowner’s water woes:
Interior Drain Tile – One of the most useful remedies available to a full-service basement waterproofing contractor is interior drain tile as it solves many of the basement water problems he commonly encounters. Interior drain tile picks up ground water forced up by hydrostatic pressure; both ends of the pipe terminate at a sump pump where the water is carried and pumped out. Morton Grove building code requires that sump pump discharge be directed into a dry well, helpful given the village’s generally flat grades.
Without interior drain tile in place, water would seep into the basement through the cove joint and cracks in the basement floor.
Waterproofing Membrane with Exterior Drain Tile – An exterior repair technique with many uses is exterior waterproofing membrane. Waterproofing membrane is asphalt-modified polyurethane that is applied to exterior foundation walls in a thick coat by troweling it on to create a flexible yet impermeable barrier against water intrusion. When needed, it can be covered by plastic drainage board that will protect the membrane and channel water down to exterior drain tile. Drain tile on the exterior of the foundation drains away ground water that would otherwise enter the basement between the floor and walls; the membrane protects against seepage over top of the foundation, through deteriorated mortar joints or porous masonry or concrete.
Crack Repair – Poured concrete foundations are common in Morton Grove and one of the most likely sources of a wet basement is seepage through a non-structural crack in the walls. These cracks may be formed by foundation movement or lateral pressure from saturated soil. The best way to repair a foundation wall crack is to inject it with expanding polyurethane, a process done from inside the basement. The material expands to fill and seal the crack all the way to the outside soil and it remains flexible when cured to prevent minor foundation movement from causing the crack to reopen.
If the crack is inaccessible from the inside, it may be permanently repaired from the exterior by filling a small excavation at the site of the crack with sodium bentonite clay. The clay sets up to form a pliable but impermeable barrier against water intrusion.
Regardless of the source of the problem, every Morton Grove homeowner needs the expertise and professional skills of a basement waterproofing contractor that knows the town and its homes. At U.S. Waterproofing, we have been helping Morton Grove homeowners repair their wet basements for almost as long as we’ve been in business – going on 58 years. Why not ask for our free advice?
