French Drain Systems in St. Paul, Duluth, Winona, Bloomington, MN

Dry Basement Solutions by Waterproofing Contractors in Minneapolis & Nearby

Different problems call for different tools to fix them. In the same way that we wouldn't use a hammer to pound in a screw, we wouldn't use generic piping to waterproof a basement.

At Basement Systems, we have the drainage solution you need to create dry, usable space in your basement or crawl space. We have specialized drainage systems that we customize for your unique problem -- no matter what that problem may be. For a free basement waterproofing quote, call or e-mail us today! Our installations take 1-2 days.

waterproof wood laminate basement flooring

The WaterGuard Drainage System

Our most popular drainage system, WaterGuard is the ideal solution for most basement waterproofing applications.

Unlike old-fashioned drain tile systems installed on the outside of the home, WaterGuard is installed just underneath the perimeter edge of the basement floor.

WaterGuard Specifications

Includes wall flange with 3/8" opening to collect water from walls -- There's no gap on the basement floor to let humidity into the space or to collect debris
Able to waterproof concrete block foundation walls -- Weep holes are drilled at the bottom of the blocks to drain the hollow cavities.
Resists mud clogging -- The system sits on top of the footing, away from the "mud zone" underneath your floor. Water is collected without the risk of clogs that would halt your system.

DryTrak Monolithic Floor Drain

Illustration of an exterior French drain system installed around the perimeter of a home

As a baseboard drainage system, DryTrak installs above the floor and along the inside perimeter of the basement.

If you have a monolithic foundation, meaning that your floor and footing were poured as one piece, this is the only drainage system that's appropriate. DryTrak is also perfect for other applications when jackhammering the floor is not an option -- in basements with radiant heat, for example.

DryTrak Specifications

Installs without jackhammering a drain channel -- Your monolithic floor (and your foundation footing) will not be damaged during installation.
Able to waterproof concrete block foundation walls -- As with WaterGuard, weep holes are drilled at the bottom of the block to drain cavities.
Will not collect mud or debris -- As a sealed basement drain that is placed on top of your basement floor and against the wall, there is no opening for debris to collect in the system from the basement floor.

Other Drainage Systems

Along with our WaterGuard and DryTrak systems, we offer all of the following specialized drainage systems and other basement waterproofing solutions:

SmartPipe: Crawl Space Drainage	TrenchDrain: Grated Basement Drain
WaterGuard IOS: Iron Ochre System	FlowGuard: Thin Floor System

SmartPipe

Perfect for the crawlspace environment, this plastic piping system is designed to be installed in a drainage swale running along the perimeter. Combined with a crawl space vapor barrier and sump pump, it will direct water underneath the plastic barrier to the sump pump, where the water is discharged from your home.

SmartPipe is the first custom-engineered crawl space drain on the market. With 5 rows of drainage holes and a clog-resistant filter fabric, it's a cost-effective way to keep your space dry for the long haul.

TrenchDrain

Many homeowners have concerns with water flowing in through exterior doorways, stairways, and door openings. A normal drainage system cannot address this problem. We recommend the TrenchDrain drain channel and grating system. This is specifically designed to intercept water at doorways and similar openings and direct it to your sump pump.

TrenchDrain resembles half of a piping system with a grate fitted snugly on top. The grate is flush with or slightly below the floor, where it can catch entering from the outside.

WaterGuard IOS

In some cases, homes with high iron levels in their water will experience a thick, reddish substance oozing through when the basement floods. This is called "iron ochre" and it comes from bacteria and chemical reactions in the soil. It can easily clog your drainage system and stain your concrete, as well as anything else it touches.

WaterGuard: Iron Ochre System (IOS) is the answer for homeowners with iron ochre in their water. This drain is specifically designed with wide openings and a large, open drainage system that will help your system avoid clogging.

FlowGuard

Installing a drainage system along the footing is the way to go with most perimeter drainage systems. When basement floors are very thin, it may be impossible to "hide" a normal drain under the floor in this way. For homeowners with thin basement floors, we recommend FlowGuard, with a drain installed in front of the footing.

FlowGuard collects water from the wall/floor joint, as well as the basement walls. It then directs it to a drain that's placed in front of your foundation footer and underneath the floor.

Minnesota Basement Waterproofing & Foundation Repair