Two Game-Changing Basin Installation Techniques Your Waterproofing Contractor Isn't Using

Ever wondered why some homeowners struggle with basement flooding despite having sump pumps installed? The secret often lies not in the equipment itself, but in the installation techniques.

In this eye-opening discussion, Michael Church, the Crawl Space Ninja and Basement Waterproofing Ninja, reveals two game-changing installation methods that separate professional waterproofing from amateur attempts. Michael identifies the notorious "cove" – the junction where your foundation wall meets the footer – as the primary water entry point in most homes and explains how proper basin installation addresses this vulnerability.

The first critical technique involves wrapping sump pump basins with specialized felt liners. While standard basins feature holes designed for water entry, these openings inadvertently allow soil, mud, and silt to contaminate your system. By adding a simple filtration barrier, Michael's team ensures their powerful 4,800-gallon-per-hour pumps operate at maximum efficiency without getting bogged down by debris.

The second technique focuses on creating direct connections between drainage pipes and the basin itself. Unlike competitors who simply terminate pipes near the basin and rely on gravel percolation, Michael's direct connection method guarantees that every drop of collected water reaches the pump without delay. For homes with extensive perimeters, he recommends installing additional pump systems every 140 linear feet to create a comprehensive water management network.

These seemingly small installation differences represent the dividing line between temporary fixes and permanent solutions for your home's moisture problems. Whether you're dealing with an existing water issue or want to protect your foundation proactively, understanding these professional installation techniques will help you make informed decisions about your home's waterproofing needs.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, michael Church, crawl Space Ninja, basement
Waterproofing Ninja.
I want to share with all of youone of the ways we install sump
pump basins in basements andcrawl spaces that is different
from our competitors.
Don't tell them, stay tuned.
Okay, so one of the biggestproblems a lot of homeowners

(00:27):
face is they're taking onfoundation water, and normally
that foundation water comesthrough where the block or
concrete wall meets the footer.
Okay, it's called the cove.
We call it the cove.
That's probably the number oneplace that you're taking on
water in your basement or yourcrawl space.
Okay, so one of the things thatwe do to ensure that we're
getting maximum efficiency ofour water management or

(00:50):
waterproofing system is toproperly install the basin.
A lot of people don't put a lotof time and thought into this,
but look at how this basin andmost basins out there are
designed.
They actually have these littleholes in them.
Now, the holes are designed forthe water to go in, but guess
what?
It also, depending on what kindof soil you have, can allow mud

(01:12):
and sand and different thingslike that to enter the basin.
So, tip number one and one ofthe things that we do that's
different from a lot of ourcompetitors.
We'll actually put a felt lineraround the basin in order to
filter and keep that silt out,and that improves the efficiency
and the effectiveness of thesump pump that we install in the

(01:35):
basin.
Keep in mind, our sump pumpmoves about 4,800 gallons per
hour of water.
And another tip that weencourage homeowners to do is
also to put a basin and a sumppump about every 140 linear feet
.
It just creates a moreefficient waterproofing system
inside the home, whether it's abasement or a crawl space.
Back to what I was talking about.

(01:56):
The other thing that we do,that we don't see a lot of
contractors do, is we actuallydirectly plug our waterproofing
pipe, whether it's the Hydrawayor the NDS Easy Flow, directly
into the basin.
A lot of people they'll stopthe pipe right about here.
They'll have a lot of gravelaround the basin Remember they

(02:16):
don't put felt on it, so thatgravel and that soil eventually
is going to make its way intohere.
What we do is we'll put adirect link.
We'll cut a hole and put thepipe directly into the basin on
all sides that.
So if you got the pipe, come inthis direction.
It's going directly into thebasin.
Pipe.
Come in this direction, goingdirectly into the basin.
That way it causes all thatwater in that pipe to make its

(02:41):
way into the basin so that againwe're getting as much water out
of that pipe into the basin, sothat again we're getting as
much water out of that pipe intothe basin, so that that 4,800
gallon per hour sump pump canpump all that water out of your
basement and your crawl space.
Those are two of the thingsthat we do.
That's different than many ofthe contractors.
So if you think about hiringsomeone else versus us, just

(03:01):
think about how we install ourbasins to keep the sump pump
clean and the water flowing asquickly as possible to get it
out of your basement or yourcrawl space.
I'm Michael Church.
Crawl Space Ninja, basementWaterproofing Ninja.
Hope you make it a happy andblessed day.
We'll see you later.