Rainwater Management

Downspout discharge

Down spouts can cause a lot of damage if they are dumping water right beside your foundation wall. I can’t describe how many homes I have been to, where the foundation leak is without a doubt, caused by the downspouts draining right beside the foundation wall. The farther the downspout discharge can be from the foundation, the better! In some cases putting a cheap extension on the downspout is not far enough away, allowing the water to continue pooling around the foundation. In this cause we have several methods of rerouting downspouts both above ground and underground.

Sump pump discharge

The discharge line coming from your sump pump can cause a world of problems, especially  if the water is being discharged in close proximity to your house. In cases where the discharge line isn’t routing the water away from the foundation wall, the water tends to be recycled through the sump system, which can result in the pump running continuously without adequate rest time. It is important to route discharge lines far enough from a house that the water has no chance to running back towards the house. When planning on where to discharge your sump pit, it is important to remember the line must discharge on your property, the most ideal situation is to locate a sloped area where the water can continue to run away from the house.

Landscaping issues

Landscaping issues are a common cause for foundation leaks that are easily be overlooked as a root cause. In some cases landscaping issues can easily be resolved, one example is small grading issues, causing water to be funneled towards the house.  More complex issues such as low lying properties, can often run into issues when surrounding areas are draining to a common low spot. When your property is lower than each neighbouring property, your property can turn into a swamp with the smallest amount of rain. This happens quite often between houses, as divots in the ground can cause water to accumulate and cause the ground to become wet and saturated. In many cases installing a French drain may be the extent of your remedy. In some cases however the situation can be slightly more complicated. If this is something you are experiencing, give us a call. We would be happy to help!

Raised flower beds are another common cause of water leaks, as more often than not, the portion of foundation wall that makes up the backside of the raised flower bed isn’t waterproofed. Aside from proper waterproofing, it is important to remember that proper drainage within raised flower beds is vital. It not only prevents the flower bed from overflowing with water during substantial rain, but the soil in the flower bed can also become water logged. The issue of being waterlogged perpetuates to greater issues when the ground freezes, it has the potential to push on your foundation wall and the retaining wall holding the raised flower bed. If you are experiencing issues like this with your raised flower bed, give us a call, we would love to hear from you!