Most people see water pooling around their home’s foundation and shrug it off. How serious could a little water be, anyway? As it turns out, a lack of proper house foundation drainage can be a hugely worrying issue for your property and everyone who calls it home.
If you want to keep your property stable and livable, experts like Virginia Foundation Solutions cannot overstate the importance of proper foundation drainage. Read on to learn more about how to keep your property’s foundation in good nick.
Why Is Proper Drainage Around Your Home Important?
Poor drainage around your home can lead to critical and expensive foundation repairs, among other issues. Luckily, effective foundation drainage solutions can mitigate the following risks:
Prevent Water Damage
Is water pooling near your home’s foundation? It may enter the basement and crawl space, increasing moisture levels, mold growth, and structural and foundation damage.
Preserve Structural Integrity
Eventually, foundation pooling can compromise your home’s structural integrity, beginning with small cracks, settling, or shifts. Be on the lookout for any of these signs, and if they appear, don’t wait to call foundation repair services!
Reduce Soil Erosion
Water drainage issues mean soil displacement. As the soil erodes, it creates voids and further instability, worsening your property’s foundation issues. Proper house foundation drainage measures prevent this instability, especially if you catch the problem early.
Deter Pest Infestations
An often overlooked aspect of water drainage is its influence on pest control. Certain pests, like mosquitoes and termites, thrive in stagnant water. Encouraging water flow can make your property less hospitable to these preventable infestations.
Effective Types of Foundation Drainage Solutions
If you’re beginning to worry about your home’s condition, there are several types of foundation drainage options available. Consider what works best for your space.
Gutters and Downspouts
A robust system of gutters and downspouts is the first line of defense against ongoing house foundation drainage. It’s best to keep your gutters clear of debris so that they can channel water easily. A clogged gutter will overflow, allowing water to fall right into the foundation.
Can your downspouts redirect water at least six feet away from your home’s foundation? If not, consider downspout extensions.
Grading
Does your yard slightly slope away from your home’s foundation, allowing water to flow down and away? The goal is that any water within a ten-foot radius of your home will flow away from the foundation.
If there’s any uncertainty, why not work with a foundation repair or landscape professional to ensure your property is properly graded?
Swales and French Drains
Installing swales or French drains can effectively redirect water away from the foundation. These systems catch water and are highly effective.
Swales are shallow ditches that sometimes resemble dry creek beds. French drains are basically trench drains.
Waterproofing
Waterproofing sealants on your basement, crawlspace, and foundation walls help block moisture from entering these areas. However, this is only the first step in effective basement waterproofing.
You may also want to consider exterior waterproofing and drainage systems to keep your home dry, including installing a sump pump.
Interior or Exterior Drain Tile System
Lastly, you might consider drain tiles:
- An interior drain tile system goes right underneath the basement floor.
- An exterior system goes around the exterior foundation of your home.
Both of these house foundation drainage systems catch excess water and redirect it to a safer spot.
Prevent Long-Term Damage to Your Home’s Foundation
Protecting your home’s structural integrity starts with ensuring proper house foundation drainage. Thankfully, the tips above are usually enough to put meaningful safeguards in place. Even so, if you notice foundation cracks or other signs your home has drainage problems, you’ll want to take swift action.
Call Virginia Foundation Solutions at (757) 340-0917 for foundation repair in Newport News and the surrounding areas.
