Your home's exterior envelope is your first line of defense against the weather and elements. The roof, gutters, downspouts, siding, and windows are designed to keep water and wind out of your home. The foundation gives you a sturdy footing for your home to sit on. Proper grading and drainage will direct water away from your foundation to help keep it dry.
Poor grading and drainage can result in accumulated water
What are grading and drainage?
Grading refers to how the soils around your home are sloped away from the foundation to help shed and direct water away from it. After the construction of the foundation, soil is backfilled and shaped to achieve a proper slope.
Grading and drainage around a home
It may not be obvious, but driveways, landscaping, patios, and sidewalks have (or should have) a slope away from the foundation. Ideally, a 5% slope should be maintained around your home. Grading will vary from home to home, depending on the lay of the land.
Drainage refers to the swales, channels, and ditches on the surface that direct water from your roof and walls away from your home. Tile systems, drains, and storm sewers are sub-surface methods that may be used to take the water away to storage ponds, streams, rivers, or other specified locations.
Why are grading and drainage important?
When water pools around your home's foundation due to poor grading and drainage, many issues may present themselves.
A water puddle next to the foundation
· Hydrostatic Pressure
Saturated soils will apply hydrostatic pressure against the foundation walls. Hydrostatic pressure is the force of a static fluid due to the forces of gravity. Water pushing against a foundation wall will find its way through cracks and openings, eventually accumulating in your basement.
· Frost and Freezing
In the winter here in the northern United States, the ground freezes, sometimes 4 to 6 feet below the surface. Some areas have soils and clays that expand dramatically when frozen. If these soils are saturated with water, they can expand to the point of cracking and displacing foundations and heaving sidewalks, patios, and driveways. Freeze/thaw cycles can result in spalling, chipping, and displacement.
· Water Intrusion
Water always seeks the lowest point and the path of least resistance if not directed away properly, and that lowest point may be your basement or crawl space. Repeated or continuous water issues in your basement may result in dampness and mold.
· Lawn, Foliage, and Mosquitoes
Pooling water will kill your grass and landscaping foliage. A wet and water-logged lawn will get mushy and muddy with activity from playing or mowing. Stagnant puddles will attract insects and provide conditions for mosquitoes to breed. The last thing we need is more mosquitoes!
Summary
Our home inspectors inspect grading and drainage during the home inspection. We assess gutters and downspouts and how that water flows away from the foundation. It can be difficult to evaluate grading and drainage in the winter if the grade is snow-covered. We typically recommend that the homeowner pay attention to the water flow during the snow melt or during a spring or summer rainstorm.
At HomePro Inspections, our home inspectors are trained to inspect all areas of the home. Any issues found are documented in your home inspection report and recommended for resolution by yourself or a qualified professional.
Visit our website to learn more or to schedule your home inspection in the Rochester, Owatonna, and Faribault, MN areas. You can contact us today at (507) 202-8942, send us anemail, or use our online “Schedule Now” feature to schedule an appointment.