Job Stories

When a homeowner decides to waterproof their basement, it tends to be when they are ready to remodel and use the space without having to be concerned with their belongings being damaged. However, this is not always the case. This Lebanon, ME homeowner had issues with hydro static pressure and wanted to take care of it to protect the health of their home, not to remodel. Out of sight does not always mean out of mind and water penetrating an unused basement still can cause issues even when it is empty. Wanting to protect their home, the homeowner called TC Hafford Basement Systems for help.   System Design Specialist Ron Bedard has years of basement waterproofing experience and met with the homeowner for a free estimate to go over their needs and work with them to design a system, specifically, for their home. The star of the system is the TripleSafe Sump Pump that will protect the homeowner from groundwater, relieving the hydro static pressure that causes leaks. WaterGuard was installed in areas that were necessary to aid in capturing and channeling water to the TripleSafe. The water has to go somewhere so the TripleSafe is connected to an Exterior Buried Discharge Line. The Discharge line takes all the water from the TripleSafe and takes it far from the house where it can’t cause a problem. To keep the system running all year even during the freezing Maine winter months, IceGuard is installed on the Discharge line to prevent ice buildup. While this basement may remain an unused space, the homeowner has protected the health of their home and ensured water intrusion won’t cause any troubles.

A homeowner in Center Lovell bought a home, but this home had a problem in the basement. It would gather a large amount of moisture whenever it would rain, which was leaving behind an unpleasant, musty smell. Looking to finish the basement and turn it into a livable space, the homeowner needed to waterproof the space. He searched online and found his solution, TC Hafford Basement Systems. He called us up and we were on the job! We began by digging out the inside perimeter of the basement floor. This new trench surrounding the basement is where we laid down our WaterGuard piping system. This system is buried beneath cement, and will capture water before it reaches the surface. The captured water is carried through the pipes to the sump, where we installed a SuperSump sump pump. This pump will handle pushing the water up and out of the basement, never allowing it to reach the surface of the floor. Finally, to allow the homeowner to finish the space without needed to address the cold cement floor, we laid down our ThermalDry flooring tiles. These tiles are made of a hard plastic, being able to act as a floor, while also being insulated with foam on the bottoms to prevent the cold from reaching the surface. With this newly waterproofed basement, the homeowner can now easily waterproof the space without fear of water damage or mold growth!

After living in their home for some years, this Center Lovell, ME homeowner thought it was time they did something about the musty smell coming from the crawlspace below their home. The smell was obviously due to moisture in the space and after seeing an ad in their paper, they called us at TC Hafford Basement Systems to see what we could do for them. They soon spoke with our sales rep. about their options and gave us the go-ahead to begin the waterproofing of their crawlspace. Once our installation crew made it out to the home, they were tasked with the integration of a vapor barrier below this home. This started with a SmartDrain being installed in the natural low point of the floor. This will take in any water collecting in the space and allow it a way to flow out of the home. Next, a Drainage Matting was laid across the entire floor of the crawlspace. This mat has holes throughout and sits just off the surface of the floor. The purpose this serves is to form channels to allow any water blocked by the finished barrier to have a path to follow toward the drain. Finally, a CleanSpace liner was used to encapsulate the interior of the space. Covering all of the walls as well as the matting over the floor, the CleanSpace will lock out any outside moisture that might have previously leaked into the space, protecting the crawlspace from the threat of moisture build-up. With their new vapor barrier in place, this homeowner will no longer experience the musty smell emanating from their crawlspace. The CleanSpace liner will keep out all of the unwanted moisture in the future!

With a cottage in Center Lovell, ME, this property owner had a problem with their foundation. Sitting on cinder blocks, the cottage had begun to sag over time, which could easily lead to structural damage. To avoid any further damage and to have the foundation repaired, the property owner called us at TC Hafford Basement Systems after seeing us in the newspaper. We then dispatched our crew and got to work on the foundation. As soon as our installation crew arrived at the home, they got started on the improved foundation by digging out shallow holes and pouring engineered fill to create a firm place for the footings of the new supports. Resting on this now-solid ground, concrete footings were put in place every few feet below the rim joists of the crawlspace. Next, SmartJack piers were inserted between the footings and the beams above the crawlspace. The SmartJack piers can then be adjusted once they are all in place to realign the base of the cottage with where it used to rest. After these piers were adjusted properly, the old foundation blocks were removed, and the cottage was secure! With these new supports below their cottage, this property owner should never experience their floor drooping again. The SmartJack piers will hold this cottage firmly in place for many years to come!

A homeowner in Somersworth was having trouble with water collecting in their basement. The water was entering through a crack in the wall of the basement and pooling up on the floor. The homeowner searched for a way to seal this crack, soon being referred to TC Hafford Basement Systems by a friend. They called us shortly after and we dispatched a representative to the home, to look at the crack and offer a free estimate to the homeowner. They gave us the go ahead and we got to work! We began work by filling the crack with a sealant. This is the primary barrier against water trying to flow through the crack. Next, we overlaid the sealant with a foam matting. This mat will give the overall structure its flexible nature, allowing the completed FlexiSpan to conform to the crack, should the wall shift at all over time. Finally, we added a second layer of sealant over the top of the foam matting. This locks the structure in place, and completely seals out any moisture trying to enter the basement interior through the crack. Now with the completed FlexiSpan structure in place, the crack has been sealed! This homeowner no longer needs to fear water flooding their basement through this pesky crack in the wall.

When this homeowner noticed flooding in their basement, they were unprepared to deal with this problem. The water had been seemingly leaking in through the concrete foundation directly, so the homeowner was unsure how to approach the problem. After they were referred to TC Hafford Basement Systems, this homeowner called us to set up and appointment for their free estimate. After receiving their estimate, this homeowner hired us to get the job done! Upon arrival to the home, our crew got started on this basement by excavating a shallow trench surrounding the floor of the space. Next, WaterGuard piping was placed down within this trench. The WaterGuard was covered with loose rocks before being sealed within the floor by a fresh layer of concrete. These pipes will collect any leaking moisture in the future, preventing it from reaching the surface of the floor. The collected water then follows the WaterGuard piping through the floor to the sump where it will be removed from the home. Once finished with the WaterGuard, our crew installed a SuperSump pump in the sump of this basement. The SuperSump will take the water from the WaterGuard, forcing it up and out of the home through a PVC discharge line. The SuperSump operates at a rate of 2,650 gallons of water removed per hour, plenty of power to keep this basement water-free. Nearby, an UltraSump backup battery was installed and attached to the SuperSump. The UltraSump will allow the SuperSump to continue to function even during power-outages. These improvements will keep this homeowners basement dry for years to come! The WaterGuard piping & SuperSump system will ensure this homeowner never experiences a flooding basement again.

After some neighboring construction happened, this Somersworth, NH homeowner began to experience water problems in their finished basement. Without a drain in the space, they had almost no way of solving this problem. They searched online and soon found us at TC Hafford Basement Systems, calling right away to set up their free estimate. The homeowner soon sat down with one of our sales representatives to talk over their options and decided on what they would like done to waterproof the space. Once our installation crew arrived at the home, they were tasked with giving the space proper drainage. To achieve this, a TripleSafe pump was installed in the floor of the basement. The TripleSafe device houses three sump pumps within itself. The first pump works to remove the majority of the collected water. The secondary pump will remain idle until either the primary pump fails or cannot handle the current amount of water needing to be removed, then the pump will activate to increase the flow exiting the home. The third pump is a battery-operated backup pump that will activate in the event of a power-outage, maintaining a dry basement even when the home is without power. The water exits the home through a PVC discharge line that carries the water a distance from the home. Just beyond where this line exits the home, an IceGuard pipe segment was intersected into the discharge line. The IceGuard piece has special upward facing holes that only allow trapped water to escape the line. This will protect the basement from flooding due to a blockage of ice or other debris in the line. Finally, a LawnScape discharge port was attached to the end of the line. This piece has a grate covering the bottom end of the pipe, blocking most debris from entering the line from the end while allowing the water to flow out onto the lawn a distance from the home. Now that this homeowner has a functioning sump system below their home, they no longer need to fear a flooding basement causing damage to their property. The newly installed TripleSafe pump will ensure this basement stays dry for years to come!

After reading about TC Hafford Basement Systems in the Yellow pages, Billy & Donna reached out to us. They had a basement in need of some waterproofing, as well as some other improvements that TC Hafford could provide. After examining the basement, Mike Morin had arranged for a crew to come out and get to work. Billy & Donna soon received the waterproofing they were looking for.Once working, the TC Hafford crew installed a WaterGuard system around the perimeter, along with an IceGuard outside the home, and a TripleSafe sump pump in between. The windows in the basement were covered on the exterior using beautiful SunHouse window covers, and the crawlspace under the home was finished off with a CleanSpace liner to keep out any moisture. The customer felt the crew did an excellent job, and was extremely satisfied with the end result of the installation process.

Clogged and dirty gutters are not only unsightly but can lead to damage not only to your roof but your basement as well. Ineffective gutters allow water to run off of a home’s roof, eroding the soil below, which can eventually damage the foundation, giving water the chance to penetrate its way into the basement. This Dover, NH, homeowner’s gutters were old and ready to be replaced, so they called Gutter Shutter by TC Hafford Basement Systems for help. System Design Specialist Josh Hamel met with the homeowner for a free estimate to show what the Gutter Shutter Seamless Gutter system would look like on their home. Gutter Shutter is formed and cut on the homeowner’s property, resulting in a seamless gutter that is sized perfectly for the home. Gutter Shutter can be cut as short or long as needed, and with the added protection of the Gutter Guard, any organic debris such as pine needles and leaves slides right off the gutter without the chance to cause clogs. A clog-free gutter ensures the system works year-round, and the homeowner’s foundation and basement are protected from water damage. The homeowner can also keep their ladder in the barn until it’s time to hang Christmas lights since they will no longer need to clean their gutters ever again.

This Dover, NH, homeowner had an issue: whenever it would rain, a stream would form in their basement that would lead to their old sump pump. Worried about mold and damage, the homeowner booked a free estimate with TC Hafford Basement Systems. System Design Specialist Rick Russell drove out and met with the homeowner to work with them on creating a waterproofing system that would be specific to their home.   WaterGuard Perimeter Drain was installed in the necessary areas of the home where water was coming in and was connected to a SuperSump Sump Pump system. WaterGuard is buried under the slab floor and channels water to a sump pump. WaterGuard features ports that allow for easy cleaning and service if necessary. The SuperSump takes the water and pushes it out of the basement through a Buried Discharge Line that gets the water away from the home where it can’t cause anymore issues. New England can get cold during the winter, so IceGuard was installed on the Discharge line to prevent ice buildup, keeping the waterproofing system working all year-round without troubles. Now the homeowner has a dry basement, and they no longer have to worry about mold damaging their basement, and their family and home will be healthier.