 How to keep water away from your home |
 A) Grading & weeping tile above grade |
Drainage is a proper way to control the penetration of rainwater through the foundation walls. A wet basement can become a real headache for
homeowners. There are destructive side effects of heavy rainfall, which leads to leakage in basements. Nowadays houses are built with the most modern
waterproofing system. However even that is not capable of providing total protection to your basement. Improper system of surface drainage is a common
cause leading to leaky basement. With houses becoming older the waterproofing system starts breaking down. Most houses all over the US and Canada are
prone to basement leakage. Basement leakage can affect the inhabitants of a house in a bad way. It can cause damage to valuable possessions. It can
result in wood rot and attract various insects. People often ignore this but it is a serious issue.
An efficient and above grade drainage system is vital to stop water infiltration and prevent moisture.
Eaves troughs and downspouts:
In order to solve the problem of water and moisture in basement, keep the water away by grading. The gutters and downspouts should be studied properly.
It is important that the downspouts and the gutters on the eaves of the house work efficiently. Eaves trough must be opened and well cleared. Splash
blocks and extenders of minimum 6 feet length should be added for driving the water away from the bottom of the building.
Drainage control:
Different features of a water drainage control are;
- Big gutters and overhangs
- Roofs made in a sloped design
- Sloped ground
- Dry wells and curtain drains
- Grass and flowerbeds instead of trees.
Sloped roofs are helpful to avoid moisture and its bad effects. Surface roofs are incapable of controlling the water drainage.
The overhangs and the gutters drive away the rain as well as snow water. This prevents water accumulation and moisture in the bottom of the walls. The
ground next to the building must slope for minimum 10 feet away from the sidewalls of the foundation. Patios, walkways and driveways that are sloping
towards the building should be cleaned up. For perfect surface drainage driving away the rainwater quickly crucial. The sloped ground may consist of a
resistant clay layer with a sidewalk.