This week I got a chance to work on a drain system with one of our dedicated professionals Tray Archer. When I got to the shop in the morning the first thing Tray did was talk to a sales representative to go over the paperwork for the project that we were working on. By going over the paperwork with the sales representative he is able to gain a sound understanding of what he can expect when he reaches the home. Once the meeting with the sales representative reached its end, Tray and I proceeded to load up the truck with all the materials we needed for the day. After we had got all the materials on the truck we proceeded to drive to the house that we’d be working on in Tell City, IN. 

While on the way to the job site Tray and I talked about his experience working with United Dynamics since his start in 2015. Tray specializes in waterproofing and has completed hundreds of drain systems, wall cracks, I-beams and more projects in his time with the company. He says he has had a fantastic experience during his time with UDI and enjoys coming to work in the morning.  As we got closer to Tell City, Tray discussed the drain system that we’d be working on for the day. By telling me about the project it gave me a better understanding of the project and what I need to focus on as Tray’s helper for the day. 

When we got the house the first thing Tray did was talk to the homeowner to discuss what we’d be working on as well as how the project had been going so far. Tray made sure to take his time when explaining the project to the homeowner so they could fully understand the work that was being done on their home. After he went over the job with the homeowner, Tray and I began to start the work on the drain system we’d be working on that day. This was the second day that Tray had worked on this drain system so most of our efforts were around digging a trench around the perimeter of the basement. The trench is dug in a way to guide the flow of water leaking into the basement to a sump pump that we also installed that day. Once the water reaches the sump pump it then is shot out of the house through a discharge pipe, which we also installed that day. 

Once the trench was dug we proceeded to install our high performance waterproofing poly panels. The panels are hung up covering the basement wall above the trench and go down into the trench below the concrete floor about a ½ inch above the footer of the house. As we did this, Tray told me the panels are hung up this way so that when water leaks through the basement walls it will be caught by the panel and the water will then flow down into the trench we had just dug. After we installed the panels we worked on installing the Hydraway into the trench. The Hydraway is manufactured with needle-punctured, needle punched fabric, allowing water to flow into its thermally bonded plastic molded structure. The Hydraway is designed to absorb the water around it and guide the flow of water while blocking dirt and other objects that could clog the flow of water. We installed the hydraway along the bottom of the trench and ran it into the pit where our sump pump was. After we installed the Hydraway to guide the water to the sump pump, we decided it was time to wrap up for the day. Tray was happy with the progress we had made that day and went over all the work we had done with the homeowner and informed him the project would be completed the next day. All that needed to be done to complete the job was to surround the Hydraway and fill up most of the trench with gravel. Then to pour concrete over it to replace the concrete which had been taken out in order to install the drain system. Gravel also helps with the flow of water into the Hydraway and further reduces the opportunity for clogging in the drain system. 

After talking to the homeowner Tray and I left the house and proceeded to head back to the shop located in New Albany, IN. Once we had gotten back we unloaded the dirt and rock which we had dug out the basement and fueled up the truck so Tray could be ready for the next day. This concluded the end of my day working with Tray. As you can tell not only Tray but all of our project managers and field technicians are well trained and very knowledgeable of the projects we work on. I look forward to the next ride along with one of our highly trained project managers. If you notice any signs of foundation issues or water leaking into your basement call 812-282-2222 for a free, no obligation estimate.