Diverting Water Away From the Home

9/9/2021 (Permalink)

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

“Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends and family belong, and laughter never ends.” We all want to ensure that our houses will be home to ourselves and our family for many years. The thought of water flooding the home, foundation erosion, soil and grass deterioration are all nightmares that we hear of all too often. Although we hope these things never happen, there are ways to help avoid these nightmares, and avoid costly foundation repairs in the long run. The ability to draw water away from your home could save you time, money, and heartache for many years ahead. If water builds up around the foundation of the house, it can allow for the water to seep into walls, which can cause moisture as well as mold to begin intruding into your home.

Below we have provided four ways to draw water away from your home…

1. Install a Rain Gutter System: North Dakota State University Extension Service has conducted research on this topic, and they found “that 1 inch of water on 1,000 square feet of roof translates to 620 gallons of water”. Slanted roofs cause the water to run off, but without a gutter system the water will begin to pool around the base of the house. “Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends using an extended rain spout of at least 5 feet at the end of the downspout” this allows for enough distance for the water to be discarded away from the house.
2. Create A Barrier: Over time your soil is altered by the runoff of water from the roof of your house. This leads to the soil moving and creating those unwanted pools of water that build up around your house. It is suggested to “rebuild” the soil around your house to redirect the runoff water. In an article in the "Chicago Tribune" they suggest “building a slope of topsoil or crushed stone that extends from the home 2 to 3 feet. As well as the NDSU Extension Service suggests that the slopes be 1 inch higher per every foot in length.
3. Dig A Trench: Once the water is carried away from the house, then it is important to get rid of the water before it ventures back towards your house. One of the ways to do this is to build a trench. The trench is suggested to be 3 to 4 ft deep, and 2 to 3 ft across by an article in “Chicago Tribune”. The trench should be in the lowest part of the property and in a U-shape. Place filter fabric on the high end to filter out the dirt and silt, as well as fill the trench with gravel or crushed rock.
4. Build A Dry Well: If yards are small and easily hold water, the gutters and barriers may not be enough to get rid of water. A dry wall may need to be installed to get rid of standing water that threatens your home. Dry Wells are holes in the ground that are filled with gravel or crushed rock that are 3 to 4 ft wide and 5 to 6 ft deep. These allow for a slow transfer of water to the ground.

Although these seem like time consuming ideas, they can ultimately save you from the nightmares of water damage. If you have questions about the preventative actions check out the link below. Also, if you have any further questions or damage has already begun, please contact SERVPRO of LBL South at (731) 642-1284.

Resources:

Drawing Water Away From The House