Almost all homeowners have had to deal with drainage issues at some point in their lives. Whether the drainage problem is a result of too much rain in one season, insufficient pitch or slope to your backyard to keep water away from your home, or something more serious such as problems with your foundation, there’s always a solution to fix it.
First, you need to know if you really have an issue with your drainage system, so you could find the perfect solution. That said, here are some signs that could indicate drainage problems.
Dumping Downspouts
Every single inch of rain that drops on 1,000sqft roofing could generate runoff of approximately 600 gallons, which is equal to about 10 bathtubs filled to the brim. When your downspouts dump this much rainwater too near your home’s foundation, water could just as easily seep into your basement, where it could destroy your flooring, walls, furnishings, and other things you store in your basement.
Cracking Foundation
A majority of foundations has tiny cracks that usually appear because of the house settling over time, and while most of these cracks are actually harmless, you need to keep an eye out for bigger cracks, advises one of the trusted home building and foundation companies in Denver. With this in mind, watch out for foundation cracks that are bigger than 1/8 inch. Take measurements and pictures. In the event that you see the cracks getting bigger, you need to call a professional right away.
Overflowing Gutters
Finding a mini waterfall over the edges of the gutters means your gutters are blocked and aren’t doing their job well. Other common signs of blocked gutters include vertical streaks on the gutters’ outside portion, peeling paint, and mud on your home’s siding. You need to repair your gutters as soon as possible; otherwise, overflowing gutters could destroy your home’s paint job, rot the siding, and lead to more expensive structural damage.
Water Staining Your Basement
Depending on where you see the water stains, you could usually tell if the stains are due to surface water, which you could remedy easily, or water going underground, which is more difficult to deal with.
Deposits and Flaking on Your Basement Walls
If you notice efflorescence on the walls, which are crusty, gray, or white mineral deposits from evaporating water, there’s moisture condensing in that area. While this won’t really lead to structural issues, just to be on the safe side, inspect your downspouts, gutters, and the grading of soil surrounding your foundation. If you see spalling or significant flaking on your walls, water is seeping into your masonry. If this is the case, you need to get your basement professionally inspected to avoid compromising your foundation’s integrity.
You don’t need expert-level skills to know that flooding on your lawn or water puddles in your basement are signs of problems with your drainage system. But some drainage issues are not that obvious. That said, keep these warning signs in mind because detecting drainage problems when they are contained and easier to manage could save you a ton of money in the long run.
