Is your home foundation at risk?
Did you know that 85% of home structural damage is caused by poor drainage? Structural damage can be a very costly home repair. Put preventive measures in place now to avoid a big expense later. Exterior drainage systems offer a timely solution to avert property damage caused by surface water.
Risk of Water Damage
If you are on the fence on whether to invest in surface drainage outside your home, consider what can go wrong if you don’t. Surface water causes lateral pressure against fundation walls. The consequences include:
- Foundation cracks which compromise the integrity of the house.
- Basement leaks leading to flooding and property damage.
- Health risks caused by mold growth in the basement.
- Loss of home value due to water damage
- Damaged landscape
These problems can be avoided if you keep water away from your yard and the foundation walls. Below are some systems a contractor can use to solve the problem of poor surface drainage:
- French Drain
This is a perforated pipe that is installed in a flat yard to drain away standing water. It involves excavating a trench that slopes away from the property and the pipe is then installed. A porous material such as gravel is used to fill the trench before the trench is finally covered. Standing water follows the easiest escape route meaning it will seep down to the French tile and drain away from your yard.
- Footing Drain
This is a highly effective water drainage system. A pipe is installed around the perimeter of the foundation walls on level with the footing. This pipe collects any water that would have leaked through the top of the footing into the basement and drains it away from the foundation walls. The drain is covered with gravel up to the soil’s surface.
- Gutter Drainage System
Roof water can cause havoc if not well drained. A gutter and downspout system help drain away all roof water away from the house walls. The downspout drain should extend away from the walls and preferably direct the water to a storm sewer or catch basin.
- Grading Drainage
This is a simple technique that involves reworking the grading in order to slope away from your house. A contractor will assess the gradient needed to drive water into the storm sewer within the building code.
Talk to a contractor if you notice standing water on your yard. It could be a disaster in a flash storm, and a sign you need to take action now.
