All About Drainage Systems

Now that summer is upon us -- complete with sizzling temperatures and (for some of us) drought conditions -- enjoy this extra post.

Landscaping maintenance is important for the beauty of homes as most home owners spend great amounts of time and money on their landscaping.

However, proper drainage around the house is of greater importance than just beauty, especially in areas where homes are built over large stratas of clay soil. Clay soil is an expansive soil that shrinks or swells throughout the seasonal changes, thus causing foundation problems.

The key ingredient which triggers the shrink/swell action is water. As clay soil loses water it shrinks and when it absorbs water it expands. While it is important to keep clay soil wet around your foundation during periods of little rainfall, it is just as important to keep excess water from ponding around your foundation during rainy seasons. If excess of water ponds around a foundation, clay soil will absorb it and expand. The more water there is around the foundation, the more the soil can expand. It is not uncommon for the soil to lift the area above normal grade. Thus, when a dry period sets in, the soil will shrink and allow the foundation to drop more than normal.

There are many things a home owner can do to correct surface drainage problems. The yard around your home should be graded to slope away from your foundation. This slope will drain water away from the house and, thus, the foundation. Once away from the house, the yard should be sloped to allow the water to drain toward the street or alley. Builders, landscapers and home owners often make changes to the landscape that prevent the runoff of excess water.

You need to inspect the landscape around your home for areas that trap water. The best time to do is immediately following rainfall. Look for flower and shrub beds which hold water and make the changes needed to allow the water to drain away.

Make sure your gutter downspouts discharge water away from the foundation rather than dumping it into a plant bed or next to the house. Sometimes all you need to do is extend the downspouts so they discharge at a safe place, and some houses would be better off without gutters.

Many drainage problems are not simple to solve,that is where Ace Foundation comes in.Some homes are built "in a hole" where all of the landscaping slopes toward the foundation. Some homes are built over old creeks, springs, or other underground drainage areas that are not visible, yet they cause damage to the foundation.

Ace Foundation has been fighting drainage problems for a long time, so if you can't engineer your own solution give us a call. We will perform a free on site inspection for you and if we think you can correct the problem yourself we will tell you.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.