Job Stories

A homeowner in Brewer was beginning to notice water pooling up on their basement floor. This water was entering through a crack in the basement wall, which had formed over some time. This problem needed to be addressed, and the homeowner wasn’t equipped to do it themselves. They then sought professional help. They called TC Hafford Basement Systems, knowing we could get the job done right. We had a representative head to the home to give a free estimate, then we had our crew begin work. We began by filling the crack with a sealant. This wouldn’t be enough to completely hold back all the moisture trying to enter, but it was the first of three layers. This sealant is then covered over by a foam matting. The foam is flexible, and once completed, allows the structure to be bend as well. Finally, another layer of sealant is applied over the foam, locking out moisture entirely. This structure is called Flexispan, and it gets its name from its flexibility. It is able to not only seal off the basement from water trying to enter through the crack, but it can flex to stay on top of the crack should the basement walls shift at all. This seal will keep water from pooling up on this homeowner’s floors in the future. Maintaining a dry, healthy atmosphere within the basement.

Bill from Brooksville was looking for a way to waterproof his basement. He was looking to finish his basement, and needed a way to guarantee his basement would stay dry. He saw an ad for TC Hafford on TV, and knew we would be the ones who could get the job done. He gave us a call and we gave him a free estimate. After Bill decided what he wanted done, we started work on his basement! We began by digging up the interior perimeter of the basement. This made way for us to install a WaterGuard pipe system. This piping will catch water as it enters through the floor or walls and direct it to the sump. The WaterGuard system is then covered over with concrete to seal it inside the floor. Next, we installed a SuperSump sump pump in the sump. This will take the collected water from the WaterGuard and pump it up and out of the basement. We attached an UltraSump backup battery to the SuperSump to ensure it will continue to pump water even if the power to the home should go out. For the final steps of waterproofing this basement, we needed to cover up two cracks in the basement wall. To do this, we used FlexiSpan. FlexiSpan is a three step process that starts with an injection of sealant into the cracks themselves. This sealant is covered in a foam mat, which helps add to the structure of the FlexiSpan by making it flexible. The mat is covered in a second layer of sealant to finish the FlexiSpan. Finally, we installed a SaniDry XP dehumidifier to maintain a dry atmosphere within the basement. Now Bill will have a dry basement that he can finish without worry off water damage.

Bob from Howland began to notice a problem with his basement wall. The wall was beginning to bow inwards, apparently due to force from the surrounding soil. This was immediately a concern for Bob, because if this kept up, the wall might have collapsed. Recalling he had seen TC Hafford Basement Systems at a home show, Bob called us right away. We had our representative give him his free estimate, and then we got to work! To prevent the wall from caving in, we needed to reinforce it. To do this, we installed Powerbraces along the wall. These are steel I-beams anchored to the cement floor, and attached to the wooden joists in the basement ceiling. The Powerbraces will apply pressure to the wall, potentially realigning it with its original position. After some time has passed, we can even return to tighten the braces, potentially returning the wall to its original position. With the Powerbraces in place, this homeowner no longer needs to fear a cave in. His basement is now secure.

A homeowner that was living in Howland, ME had recently developed a need to use their basement for storage. However, the basement would typically take on water during any moderate to heavy rainfall. Without any waterproofing to protect their property from the flooding, the homeowner searched online for a solution. They soon discovered us at TC Hafford Basement Systems and called us right away to set up their free estimate. They liked what we could do to solve their problem and hired us to get the job done! When our installation crew arrived at the home, the first order of business was to install a proper concrete floor across the dirt of the existing basement floor. WaterGuard piping was installed in the perimeter of this newly poured concrete slab to further protect the basement from future leakages. Any water that leaks through the concrete slab now will be captured by small slits in the WaterGuard and follow this buried piping to the sump where it will be removed from the home. To handle the water-removal, a SuperSump sump pump was installed in this new basement floor with the WaterGuard feeding into directly it. The SuperSump can force up to 2,650 gallons of water per hour up and out of the home through a PVC discharge line. Outside the home, the exiting water passes through an IceGuard pipe segment before reaching the end of the line. This special pipe section has built in holes that will only allow trapped water to escape, thus protecting the basement from any blockages like ice causing a backup flood. Finally, the discharge line terminates through a LawnScape piece, which is covered by a grate to keep out debris like leaves. With their new and improved basement floor, this homeowner can now utilize the space for storage without worrying about their belongings becoming wet from flooding. The WaterGuard & SuperSump combination will ensure this basement floor stays dry for years to come!

A homeowner in Sunset was experiencing trouble with their crawlspace gathering water during rain. The crawlspace was at a slant, and as water entered, it would form a large puddle at the bottom of the slant. This was causing a bad smell throughout the house, and the homeowner needed a way to fix this. They heard about TC Hafford Basement Systems from a friend and called us the next day. We had a representative out at the home shortly after to inspect the crawlspace and give a free estimate. The homeowner gave us the go ahead and our crew got to work! The first thing we did was remove some of the dirt from the basement to attempt to level it out more, and give us more room to work with. After this, we laid a Drainage Matting around the perimeter of the crawlspace. This will hold back the water and give it time to drain from the crawlspace before it can cause any damage. To finish this project, we encapsulated the crawlspace with a CleanSpace Liner; which is a plastic sheet that will lock out any moisture trying to enter the space. This CleanSpace Liner will keep the crawlspace dry for many years to come, eliminating the smell!

For 24 years, this Orono, ME, crawl space has been damp and musty. Ready to fix the issues with their crawl space and protect their home, the homeowner booked a free estimate with TC Hafford Basement Systems. System Design Specialist Alan Noyes drove out to the home and worked with the homeowner to design an encapsulation system that would seal their basement up and keep moisture out.   To keep moisture out of the crawl space and get rid of the musty smell, CleanSpace with Drainage Matting needed to be installed. Drainage Matting is a tough, dimpled mat that creates a gap, protecting the CleanSpace and channels water to the low spot if a sump pump is installed. CleanSpace is a durable vapor barrier that gets attached to the walls and seals the space, protecting the crawl space from moisture and small critters that can otherwise cause damage. Finally, a SaniDry Sedona Dehumidifier was installed in the crawl space and connected to a Condensate Pump. The SaniDry Sedona keeps the humidity in the crawl space at a safe level, and with the addition of the Condensate Pump, the homeowner never has to worry about emptying a bucket of water, and the SaniDry will always run when it is needed to. Now, the homeowner is happy as their crawl space is no longer damp and causing a musty smell to penetrate through their floors.   For more information on CleanSpace, follow this link for more information.

A homeowner living in Orono, ME had a problem beginning to take root in their basement. Rainwater had begun to build up on their basement floor during rainfall. Looking to have this water-problem corrected as soon as possible, the homeowner looked online for a solution. They found our number and gave us a call to get the job done! Upon arriving, our crew began by installing a SuperSump sump pump in the floor of the basement. This device will take in the water gathering around it and force the water up and out of the home. The SuperSump can move over 2,600 gallons of water every hour up and out of the home through the PVC discharge line. Next, an UltraSump backup battery was atached to the SuperSump to enable it to continue operation even if the home loses power. Finally, outside the home, an IceGuard pipe segment was attached to the discharge line. This piece has angled holes built-in to allow for water blocked by ice or debris to exit the line before backing up and flooding the basement. With their new waterproofing system in place, this homeowner should never need to worry about their basement flooding again!

A couple in Little Deer Isle was looking for a vapor barrier for their crawlspace. Water was coming in through the foundation and pooling up inside the crawlspace. Searching for a solution online, they came across TC Hafford Basement Systems. We were the obvious choice they were looking for and they called us immediately. We had a representative out to the home shortly after to give a free estimate. The couple decided on what they wanted done and we got to work! We began by laying down a Drainage Matting around the wall/floor joint of the crawlspace. This holds back moisture and allows it to drain out through the floor of the crawlspace. This will help reduce the amount of water build-up in the crawlspace. Next, we covered the crawlspace with a CleanSpace Liner. This is a plastic sheet which will hold back any and all moisture trying to enter the crawlspace. Now this couple has a proper vapor barrier to keep their crawlspace dry!

Moisture was a problem in this Little Deer Isle, ME, home, leading to musty orders coming from the crawl space and making its way into the home. The homeowner was ready to take care of the issue at its source, so they booked a free estimate with TC Hafford Basement Systems. System Design Specialist Alan Noyes worked with the homeowner to design a crawl space encapsulation system that would seal up the area and keep moisture out. The crawl space was first regraded, and CleanSpace with Drainage Matting was installed. Drainage Matting gets laid down first to elevate the CleanSpace and with its dimpled design, Drainage Matting helps to channel any groundwater to a sump. CleanSpace was installed and attached to the crawl space walls to encapsulate the area. CleanSpace is an inorganic and durable vapor barrier that keeps moisture and small critters out while turning the crawl space into a perfect area for storage. A SmartSump liner was installed so if groundwater becomes an issue in the future, a sump pump can be easily installed without the need to disrupt the encapsulation system. Finally, a SaniDry Sedona Dehumidifier was installed to keep the humidity at a safe level to prevent mold and musty smells. The SaniDry Sedona was installed with a Condensate pump, so the homeowner never needs to worry about emptying a bucket, and the SaniDry will always run when it needs to.

A homeowner in Stillwater had a problem with his basement. The surrounding soil was applying so much pressure to the cinder-block walls that they were bowing inward. Fearing a cave in, the homeowner called TC Hafford Basement Systems. We had our representative inspect the basement and give the homeowner a free estimate. They selected what work they wanted done and we got to work! To restore the walls to their original positions, we needed to install Geo-Lock Wall Anchors. To do so, we drilled holes into the walls evenly spaced along the walls, inlaying poles through each hole. On the exterior of the home, we dug vertical holes into the soil, aligned perpendicular with the holes dug through the walls. Here, we inserted flat plates that were screwed to the end of the inserted poles. We then filled the holes in with the dirt taken out. Finally, we secured plates to the interior ends of the poles, tightening them against the walls. With these Geo-Lock Anchors in place, this homeowner no longer needs to fear a cave in.