About Patrick Smith
Researcher and Writer — Basement Protection Center
Patrick Smith is a researcher and writer who partnered with the experienced foundation and waterproofing professionals at JLB Foundation Repair to develop Basement Protection Center. The content on this site is the result of close collaboration — combining JLB's decades of hands-on basement waterproofing experience with thorough research into soil science, water pressure data, and published engineering studies.
The goal was to translate real-world expertise and credible research into clear, accessible education for homeowners. Too much of what's available online about basement waterproofing is written to sell a product or close a deal. Patrick's role is to take JLB's field knowledge — what they see in hundreds of basements across Kansas City and Des Moines every year — and present it in a way that helps homeowners understand what's happening to their homes and what their options are.
Every page on this site draws on specific data: soil classifications from USDA surveys, water table records, pressure formulas from geotechnical engineering, and real-world installation data from JLB's project history. The Midwest-specific focus — Kansas City's expansive Wymore-Ladoga clay soils and Des Moines' glacial till drainage conditions — reflects the regional expertise that JLB brings to the collaboration.
Patrick believes that homeowners deserve straight answers. The content on Basement Protection Center is designed to educate, not to create urgency or fear. Understanding the forces acting on your basement is the first step toward protecting your home — and that understanding should be available to everyone, not just people ready to sign a contract.
What Patrick Covers on This Site
About This Site
Basement Protection Center is an educational resource created by JLB Foundation Repair and Basement Waterproofing, in partnership with The Nashville Business Foundry. Our mission is to give Midwest homeowners clear, science-based information about the water and structural forces that affect their homes.