“Proper drainage is almost like having additional insurance… only better. With proper drainage you won’t suffer the loss of water damage in the first place.” Dave Polich,Owner of A.L. Ltd. Landscaping
“When you consider how little it takes to protect your home against water, and the damage it can cause, it’s amazing to me more people aren’t a little more proactive. I know from experience it can be a home owners insurance against water damage and mold to provide a livable basement,” Polich says.
“A little bit of water can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage in ruined carpet and furniture, and to other personal property. In addition, if there isn’t proper drainage around the foundation of your home, siding can rot or mold and mildew can grow on wall studs behind drywall. The potential for damage is fairly large,” Polich continues.
Things to Consider When Improving Your Drainage:
1. Slope your yard away from your house
2. Be sure there is a minimum distance between your siding and the finish grade
3. Eliminate standing water
Positive Slope Away From Your House
Slope your yard away from your house for at least 10,' with a minimum drop of 5." Building Codes require these measurements as a minimum.The goal is simple… keep water flowing away from your house.
If water flows toward your house (“negative water”), it can enter your home through window wells, foundation cracks, around or over your foundation wall, or seep through your basement floor-as a result of hydrostatic pressure.
To protect against negative water, try the following:
■ If possible, add soil next to your foundation wall and slope the grade outward.
■ When adding soil, keep a distance of at least 6" between the soil and siding.
■ Lower the grade out 10 feet by excavating drainage swales (most homeowners cannot excavate themselves, a landscape
contractor will excavate and haul away excess soil).
■ Window wells should be kept 2” higher than the finished grade (so water will not flow directly into the window well).
■ The grade at the bottom of your window well should be 3-4" lower than your basement window.
■ The bottom of the window well should also contain 8" to 10" of washed stone to prohibit water from pooling during rain storms.
■ Even with good drainage, cracked foundations can still leak. Have them patched by a competent contractor.
Keep The Soil/Grade Away From Your Siding
If your siding has an organic component such as wood, it will rot if soil is placed against it. Siding needs to breathe. The lack of circulation will lead to mold and mildew that can affect studs and drywall.
Eliminate Standing Water Around Your Home
If standing water occurs around the foundation of your home, it can run into your house and/or increase hydrostatic pressure from water soaking your basement floor. Since basement floors are not water tight,water can seep into the basement. To keep a positive water flow around your home:
■ Excavate positive swales around your home (10' from house will eliminate standing water).
■ The pitch should be at 2%.
■ Less than 2% will cause standing water — Ant hills,worm castings, tufts of certain varieties of grass, and ice dams can block water flow on marginally sloped swales.
“When you consider how little it takes to protect your home against water, and the damage it can cause, it’s amazing to me more people aren’t a little more proactive. I know from experience it can be a home owners insurance against water damage and mold to provide a livable basement,” Polich says.
