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Having seen thousands of both finished and unfinished basements with water problems, ranging from dampness to flooding, Montana Basement Systems recommends a few things for those preparing to finish their basement. If your basement is already finished, many of these precautions can still be taken.
If your basement has seen any groundwater leaks in its history, it needs a quality basement waterproofing system like WaterGuard®, DryTrak®, or other options available from Basement Systems. Basement water problems never get better on their own, only worse as your house gets older and aging drains and coatings begin to fail. Even if water is a once-a-year problem in your basement, it makes sense to fix it before investing in finishing, since flooding will only become more frequent in the future. It is much easier to put in waterproofing systems when the basement is unfinished than after there are walls and floor coverings that restrict access. We also recommend that you install this system around the entire basement, since water can come from anywhere.
The best sump pump to protect your finished basement investment will provide the least chance of damage from flooding due to pump failure, overload from extensive rainstorms, or power outage. The outstanding TripleSafe Sump Pump System from Basement Systems provides two AC-powered pumps and an additional battery powered backup pump in case the power goes out. This system continues to pump water even if the primary pump fails and if the power fails. Other sump pump systems are only a power or pump failure away from disaster, but the triple protection of TripleSafe works to make sure your basement is dry all the time – before you invest in finishing it.
If you have a Basement Systems’ SuperSump instead, you should at least have an UltraSump back-up pumping system and a WaterWatch Alarm. The UltraSump, which comes standard with the TripleSafe system, is a battery-powered pump in the same sump hole as your primary pump, and includes a battery and charging system. While on the battery, the UltraSump can pump up to 7000 gallons of water out of your basement if your primary pump quits for any reason. To alert you to a pump failure before your floor gets wet, the WaterWatch Alarm comes standard on all Basement Systems pump systems.
Snow and ice can block your sump pump’s discharge line, causing your pump to push water back into your basement. Basement Systems IceGuard is standard on most systems and prevents this problem with overflow gates outside the home.
Leaks can happen higher up off the basement floor. Water vapor also passes through basement walls, adding to the overall humidity level. The best solution is to install a sheet of high-quality, extra-durable plastic that will direct water leaks into the primary drainage system below. An added benefit of this system is that it largely keeps water vapor from getting into the basement and lowers overall humidity levels. The vapor barrier is tucked into your drainage system and the top is caulked to the wall.
 For a finished basement, a vapor-proof, insulating drainage sheet is an even better idea. Basement Systems ThermalDry Wall system, for example, is not only is vapor-proof but reflects 97% of heat back into your basement.
When basement leakage problems have been resolved, the next thing to deal with is water vapor that comes up through the concrete floor. Since concrete is porous, water vapor slowly and continuously migrates through it and into your basement. If there is carpet on the concrete, this moisture gets trapped and absorbed, causing mold, rot, and unpleasant odors.
 ThermalDry Basement Floor Matting system, the Basement Systems solution, is a specially designed polypropylene, one foot tongue-&-groove square tile. Unlike systems using wood, ThermalDry Basement Floor Matting is totally water and vapor proof. Each tile has a grid design on the underside that creates air space between the tiles and the floor, both insulating and preventing water vapor from condensing. Another benefit of this flooring solution is that it takes only 3/8" away from often limited basement ceiling height. Other methods take almost 4".
Water doesn’t have to come from the outside in order to damage your finished basement. Basement Systems has simple solutions to the two most common residential water leaks.
 First, water heaters are notoriously for leaking. With a seven year average life, water heaters often fail, leaking and flooding the basement. FloodRing, however, contains water heater leaks and drains them directly into the waterproofing system.
 Secondly, plumbing leaks can come from weak washing machine hoses. Often these hoses are not designed to stand up to 50 or 60 pounds per square inch of pressure like our hard plumbing system is. Though there is a valve to shut off the water, very few people close them regularly when the washing machine is not in use. After time, these hoses can leak, or blow-out completely. The solution is, obviously, use hoses designed for the pressure that will not blow-out, corrode or rust at the end connections, like Basement Systems FloodChek.
See if your old basement windows match your plans for finishing your basement. Older basement windows are well-known for being drafty and hard to open. Because the windows are so close to the ground they are also especially prone to rot or rust. Many need to be painted regularly and do not even have screens.
 Basement Systems’ energy efficient EverLast windows are all-vinyl so they never need to be painted, feature a full screen, double glass and a smooth sliding operation. The panes can also be easily removed for cleaning or to pass a long object into the basement.
 If you replace your basement windows before you finish the basement a carpenter can trim right up to them for a great finished look.
Most standard dehumidifiers are too small to make much of a difference in your basement. The SaniDry Basement Air System is not only powerful, big enough for your whole basement, but it is efficient too. The SaniDry takes about three times as much water out of the air as a standard dehumidifier but uses the same energy. Also, since it is designed as a solution for your whole basement, the blower is powerful enough to draw in damp air from your whole basement and replace it with dry, clean air. SaniDry will help ensure low humidity levels and prevent musty smells in your finished basement.
Extending your downspouts with Basement Systems’ RainChute to keep water from the roof away from the foundation will help keep things dry, as well as keeping your gutters clear and removing leaves and debris from window wells. Keeping the soil grade away from the house wherever possible will also help.
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