How To Avoid Water Damage To Your Foundation

The foundation of a house is the first part of a home built when one is constructing a home. If the foundation is not constructed properly the integrity of the rest of the building can be weakened and can lead to major problems and very costly repairs. Here are the reasons this happens and then tips to help protect against damage to your homes' foundation.

Property owners primarily have to be able to manage and limit the amount of water that can collect near the homes foundation. This can be done in numerous ways. The installation of a french pipe system, correct grading of the land and given areas, and the correct use of gutters and downspouts.

The initial method of protecting a foundation listed was the installation of a french drain system. This is better done during the time of development when the area around the bottom of the foundation is still left open. It essentially consists of a drainpipe line that will gather liquid then direct that water away from the house to a low level or to a storm drain. When planned at time of development this is much easier to do. Once the home is constructed and a lower area of the yard is not conveniently available the water can be directed to a gravel filled pit in the soil in which the liquid will then be absorbed in to the ground at a site away from the foundation. source

In the event that the house is presently built with the foundation base not easily obtainable then then managing rain drainage is the next best technique for foundation protection. Even if a house is put up with a drain system close to the foundation it is important to regulate rain.

Water weights roughly 8.5 pounds per gallon. An average rainfall can easily result in hundreds of pounds of water running down rain gutters and downspouts. Hundreds of pounds of weight pushing against your foundation could result in splits, leaning and bowing. If the water pooled up against your foundation freezes the problems are more serious. Liquid expands once it ices up so the force against your foundation is even more significant.

In order to manage water runoff from the roof every house should have rain gutters and downspouts installed. The important aspect of the gutter system which is normally ignored and regularly found at the time of home inspections is that the downspouts do not direct the water from the foundation far enough. Downspouts without adequate extensions will focus overflow to specific parts of the foundation. Always have downspout extensions that take the water far from the foundation. keep reading

Related to downspout extensions for rainwater control is the slope of the ground surface on the outside of the home. This includes paved areas also. It needs to slope down and away to help keep water from building up around the foundation.

With these tips you ought to be better informed on the best ways to protect and take care of the foundation of your home.