Proper Water Drainage Around a Home or Building in CT

Ensuring that water is properly draining away from your home can keep water out of your basement.  Much like having a peaked roof steers water to the gutters, having properly graded landscaping can steer water away from your foundation. One inch of water on a 1000 square feet is 623 gallons of water. All that water can saturate the soil.  Saturated soil can put excess pressure on the foundation leading to shifting, cracking and even collapses. 

Take a walk around the outside of your home on the next rainy day. Look to see if water is draining away from downspouts or is collecting at the discharge site.  Also check for water overflowing from gutters. Look for puddling or ponding near the foundation.  Any of the above are a sign that you need to make some changes. 

It is worth working with a reputable landscaper to keep plantings a proper distance from the house. You should be able to walk between the house and your plantings. Also make sure that the ground is properly graded to drain water away from the house. This soil erodes over time and may need to be built up again. One inch per foot is usually adequate but talk to the landscaper about the local water table and rainfall rates to see if your house need a steeper grade. In some cases, it is recommended that an impermeable layer be added just under the surface near the walls.  While this may be pricey for an existing home, the investment could save future serious damage to the foundation and a soggy basement.