Drain Video (Downstream / Upstream):
The first step to understanding the inner workings of a home’s drainage system is by looking at all the parts that are hidden underneath the basement floor slab. We at Basement Technologies have our own drain video unit for inspecting a home’s drain system to evaluate its status and determine its layout.

We will send a team of trained drain video specialists who will feed a “snake-line” recording video camera into every part of your drain system.

What we look for:

• Clogged drains
• Disconnected drains
• Connected downspouts
• Weeping tile connections
• Location of lateral sewer lines
• Connections to the City sewer lines
• Location of drain stacks
• Cleanouts
• Floor drains / p-traps

With this video recording, we can now determine the best plan to solve any water or sewage problems. We can even determine areas that may be leaking any unpleasant sewage smells.

Full Replacement vs. Specific Repairs:
Not all drainage systems have to be completely replaced. With the drain video, we can now confidently discuss your options for drain repair or replacement.

Whether you require only certain parts of your drain system to be replaced, a full drain and floor slab replacement or if your home requires added protection against floods and sewage backup, our drain repair process will proceed as follows:

Building Permit Application:
Due to the nature of our work, this process requires a Building Permit. With our Master Drain Repair License, we are fully qualified to perform this kind of work and to do so with the protection of a Building Permit. You, as the homeowner, should always ask a drain repair contractor if they’re licensed and will they be pulling a permit for the required work. If they say you need to pull the permit then this is probably because they are not licensed to do so.

The City of Hamilton publishes information on its web site about all of the work permits pulled for basement waterproofing. We recently summarized this information for a five year period during which Basement Technologies pulled 45.8% of all the permits – the other 30 companies combined for the remaining 54.2%.

Our office will submit the application on your behalf as the contractor doing the work. We pull hundreds of permits every year and so we fully understand how to do this correctly.

Concrete Breakup Setup (Home Protection):
We will break up the concrete floor in the areas where work is to be performed. Our crew will take all measures to help protect your home from dust and other debris prior to starting the jack-hammering process.

• Floor protection is installed
• Windows and doors are protected
• Negative air machine installed through a basement window to move the dusty air outside

Concrete Removal and Disposal:
While the concrete is jack-hammered in the problem areas, part of the crew will begin the process of trenching out any concrete, debris and soil required to expose the drain’s repair site. In most cases, we can simply haul off any disposal within our Basement Technologies® work trucks. If the job requires a disposal bin, our office will handle all the arrangements to make that happen and to protect your driveway.

Removal of Unwanted Drains:
Once we have the drains exposed we will remove all damaged or out date components. While the drains are exposed we will ask you and anyone in the home to refrain from flushing toilets, taking showers or using taps within the home.

Drain Installation and Other Systems:
Now that the required drains are removed, we will then start replacing the broken systems with upgraded PVC rigid piping. This is required by the Ontario Building Code for any horizontal drains within the home.

We will install all the necessary:

• Sewer drains
• Waste water drains
• Horizontal stacks
• Cleanouts
• Floor drains + primer lines

Backwater Valve Installation:
Having your homes drains exposed provides a prime opportunity to protect your home from sewage backup from the City sewer lines. This prevention is accomplished with the installation of an approved Backwater Valve. The Hamilton and Halton Regions have subsidy programs in place to alleviate the costs involved in the installation of Backwater Valves.

For more about our Backwater Valve Installation process, please click here >

Weeping Tile Disconnect:
Another requirement from local City departments is the disconnection of all weeping tile systems that feed into the interior drain system. In the past, contractors would simply connect weeping tile systems to a home’s drain in order to drain out any water collected by the weeping tile. To help alleviate backup with the City Water Departments, all local City departments now require that we, as the contractor, disconnect this system. This is also a requirement to receive funding through the subsidy program.

Sump Pump Installation:
Once your weeping tile system is disconnected from your homes drains, the weeping tile no longer has the necessary drainage required to prevent water from building up with your basement. We recommend the installation of a sump pump and battery backup system. Sump pumps re-route incoming rain water and other ground water collected from weeping tile systems. Sump pump installations are also included with local subsidy programs.

For more about our Sump Pump Installation process, please click here >

Downspout Disconnect:
Another part of local subsidy programs is the disconnection of all downspouts which connect to the weeping tiles at the base of the basement foundation walls. This is done to reduce the load on local sanitary sewer systems. Rain water goes through your downspouts to the weeping tiles which then drain to the internal drain system and in turn to the local sanitary sewer system.

For more information about our Downspout Disconnection Services, please click here >

Building Inspection – Drain Test:
Now that all the required drainage system repairs are completed and optional flood and sewage prevention programs are installed, a Building Inspector will come by the home to test all of the new systems within your home. They want to ensure that all connections have been sealed properly and to also ensure that no leaks will occur after the concrete is re-poured over top of these vital drainage systems. Once passed, we can then start the final process to completing the drain repair and drain replacement project.

Gravel Installed & Concrete Re-Poured:
One of the final steps is to install a layer of 3/4" gravel over top and around any exposed drain system. This is required by the Ontario Building Code. Our trained professionals will add the appropriate amount required. With the gravel installed, our crew will pour the required 3” of concrete to replace the basement floor slab area that has been exposed and will smooth this to match the existing floor.

Site Cleanup:
Last our crew will start the cleanup process. All floor protection and drop cloths will be removed, tools will be cleaned up and any debris will be removed. Our crew leader will take a walk around the perimeter with you to go over all of our work and to ensure that you are satisfied with the quality of work completed.