Few things would cause as much damage to any building as water damage. To this end, property owners will go to great lengths to avert this type of damage. Some of the standard steps to guarantee this includes the use of durable and strong water pipes and the laying of water pipes in easily accessible locations, making it easy to pick leaks and repair them. While you cannot control weather conditions, you can also take steps to avert the extent of water damage your property might suffer from them.
The professional installation of seamless rain gutters and downspouts are the aspects people will associate with the prevention of the damage caused by rainwater and melting snow. While commendable, they might not do much without other surface drainage solutions to get rid of the water collected. The following are some of the solutions available for boosting the drainage of surface water on your property.
Increase the Slope
The overflow from your downspouts and gutters might erode the soil around your foundation when they create a gully that will consequently trap water. While filling the area around your foundation will keep as much water as possible out of your foundation, it is not enough. Add enough fill so that you fashion a slope away from your house. The slope should extend for 2–3 feet to guarantee the water flows away from your foundation.
Extend Your Downspouts
Connecting an elbow on your downspout or a straight pipe measuring several feet will help to convey rainwater and melted the snow away from your building. Though this sounds like an odd solution that will leave pipes scattered around your yards and walkways, there are several options for keeping them hidden. There, for instance, exist underground versions of downspout elbows and pipe extenders that might keep the extensions hidden. The extensions you choose should nonetheless have a slope to prevent the pooling of frozen water around them.
Get an Area Drain
This marks the ideal solution in an area where the ground slopes towards your house. Irrespective of the slope’s gradient, you are at considerable risk of water pooling around your foundation without an area drain. The drain will intercept the surface and in-ground water flow before it reaches your building. The basic area drain design is a porous arch-shaped trench dug on the high end of your yard. The typical area drain has a 3- to 4-foot depth and measures 2–3 feet across.
Install a Dry Well
This solution works best for small and relatively flat land lots that ordinarily puddle easily. A dry well is a 5- to 6-foot deep hole with a width of 3–4 feet. It is filled with gravel or rocks that boost its water-holding capacity. Some property owners route their downspouts into dry wells though you can also opt to install it in a low-lying area where water will drain into them naturally.
Your commercial or residential property is undoubtedly among your highest-cost assets. Even so, without the above steps, its value can significantly decrease owing to the water pooling around your foundation that compromises its integrity. It is thus essential to pick the best choice for your area to preserve and even boost your property’s worth.
