Stopping the Rising Waters in a St. Germain, WI Crawlspace

Challenge

When homeowners in St. Germain, WI built their retirement lake house a dozen years ago, the 4 foot poured concrete crawlspace had a sump and a floor of stone. About six times a year, heavy rains would cause the water to rise above the stone, threatening their appliances and stored items while adding additional moisture to the space. They looked into pouring 1400 sq. feet of concrete into it, but this created new disruptions and cost concerns while not addressing the issue of high humidity in a space where they stored clothing.

Solution

I put together a solution that addressed both water and humidity concerns. The inside perimeter received Smart Pipe drain tile tied to a Triple Safe Sump System. This has both the capacity to move high volumes of water as well as a battery backup system. This was important because they lose power occasionally and travel. Then we used our patented combination of Drain Matting and seven layer 20 mil Cleanspace to encapsulate the floor and walls, sealing off the house from water and moisture.

The rising waters are stopped, moisture contained, and now it’s easy and comfortable for them to crawl around on their knees, taking full advantage of the large storage space under their home.