How to Drawing Water Away From the House

Water accumulating near and on the house can create a lot of issues. It may cause structural damage, weaken the foundation, and bring in unwanted critters such as termites and carpenter ants.

Drawing water away from the foundation is an essential part of being a home owner as it will help to prevent issues that can threaten the longevity of the home. The foundation serves as the homes balance and basically holds the home together so if it is being threatened, it can definitely cause many unwanted expenses and repairs.

Here are some ways to draw water away from the home:

  • Clean the gutters all around the house. The reason for gutters is to ultimately drain water away from the home so that it doesn?셳 accumulate and sit on top. This is for a great reason?봶ater that puddles on and near the home creates damage.

The gutters cannot work functionally if they are backed up with leaves, debris, and other junk so cleaning them often is necessary.

  • Keep lengthy downspouts completely away from the home. The downspouts from the gutters need to be lengthened away from the house and far away from the foundation.

Having the extended downspouts pour off into the garden bed or grass, away from the foundation, is a great way to get rid of the water as it will absorb into the soil rather than drain back onto the house.

  • Add a perimeter around the home specifically to keep it dry. Planting things right next to the house is not the best solution when trying to keep your home from getting damaged by rain.

The reason for this is that it increases moisture right at the foundation level of the house making it susceptible to damage. Weed deterrent fabric is a great way to keep water away from the home by providing a wedge between water and foundation.

  • Grade the lawn around the home. This means to keep downslopes away from the home so that rain and water doesn?셳 drain back onto the home; it will drain away from it.

French drains are a great way to prevent water accumulation, as it is essentially a trench that is filled with rock or gravel which drains the water away from the home.

  • Plant trees and other landscaping away from the home, as they will too draw water away from your foundation. Naturally, plant beds and trees are like sponges to water and will absorb a lot of water.

It Is Easier To Prevent Water Damage Than Repair It

To help draw water away from the house, following the above suggestions will prevent the odds of getting water damage to your home. Grading the lawn, making sure the gutters are cleaned, having extended downspouts, adding a dry perimeter around the home, and planting trees and landscaping that acts as sponges are all essential to properly caring for the drainage system on your home.

Keeping damp conditions out of your home is a great way to prevent damage; it is also a lot more affordable to prevent damage from occurring than to have to repair the home due to drainage issues.

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