Exterior Drainage and Grading Matters

It may seem obvious, but one of the first things to consider when you’ve got a leaky basement is ‘where’s the water coming from?’.

Often, it’s coming from a whole lot of water that’s being allowed to pool up right against the house, which is never a good thing.

There are basically three common ways that water ends up soaking the ground near your foundation:

1. Your rain gutters are blocked and overflowing.
2. Your downspouts drain right onto the ground.
3. The ground near your foundation doesn’t slop away from the house.

Let’s look at each in order:

1. Your rain gutters are blocked and overflowing.

The whole purpose of having rain gutters on your house is to make sure the rainwater that lands on your roof doesn’t run off and land near your foundation, because a wet foundation is often a leaky foundation.

If you’ve got leaves or other material (birdnests, etc) clogging your gutters, they can’t do their job. The water overflows and falls right where you don’t want it.

Fortunately, this is an easy fix: clean ‘em out.

2. Your downspouts drain right onto the ground.

Again, making sure that water isn’t being dumped right next to your foundation is the purpose of rain gutters. Too often, though, the water’s collected and then sent down a drain spout and ejected right where it’s not supposed to be: against the foundation. This can be worse than not having gutters at all, because ALL the water from your roof is poured in the same spot, creating a muddy bog.

If you’ve got a drain spout that empties next to your house, it’s important to fix it. What you want is for the water to drain into a pipe or onto a drain pan that moves the water away from the house to a place where the natural slope keeps it away.

3. The ground near your foundation doesn’t slope away from the house.

To make sure the area near your foundation walls are as dry as possible, it’s important that the ground surrounding your house slopes away from your foundation. Flat ground - or worse, inward sloping ground - is a recipe for soggy basement problems.

The solution is obvious: get the slope right. Of course, this is sometimes easier said than done. Existing trees, landscaping, irrigation systems or even walkways can make changing the grade a big project.

No matter what’s causing your basement to leak, though, Waterproofing Inc. has the experience and resources to make it stop. For thirty six years, we’ve been securing homes from water infiltration with waterproofing systems, crack repair, drain and sump pump installation, and even exterior drain installation and grading.

If you’re concerned about what a damp basement might be doing to your home and your family’s health, give us a call at 763-780-5926 or fill out the yellow form to the right and we’ll send a technician out to determine the problem and the best solution. This Home Safety Inspection is absolutely free with no strings attached, so book your appointment now!