Water Drainage
There are at least 4 ways that water is moved away from a homes foundation.
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Gutters, Downspouts, and Downspout Extensions
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Underground Drainage Pipes
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Sump Pump and Drain Tiles
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Proper Ground Grading
#1: Gutters and Downspouts
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Poorly pitched gutters
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Undersized Downspouts
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Poorly Pitched, Missing or Damaged Downspout Extensions
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If your gutters and downspouts are not adequately managing and moving water away from the house huge amounts of water end up traxing the the homes foundation, sump pump and drain system.
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#2: Underground Drainage Pipes
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Clogged Underground Drainage pipes from Leaf Debri
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Underground drainage pipes are the first thing installed before landscaping and concrete are installed. If your home lacks leaf protection then it's only a question of time before these become clogged. Snaking with a drain cleaner isn't an option because they will destroy the corrugated pipe and get stuck. To replace these pipes can be quite expense, disruptive to vegetation, and sometimes not accessible due to driveways and patios. Another reason to consider leaf protection.
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#3: Sump Pump
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Sump pump drains near foundation
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Underground drainage pipe is clogged
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Sump Pump turns on excessively
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Sump pumps are meant to pump water up and away from a homes foundation. The exit pipe needs to drain water out and away from the house and or into an underground drain. If the exit pipe drains right on the ground outside your home, or the underground drain is clogged, this defeats the purpose of the sump pump. If you feel the sump pump turns on too frequently then there may be a problem.
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#4: Proper Ground Grading
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Dirt around a homes foundation slopes inward from settling
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Unfortunately there is usually some settling around a home from poorly compacted backfill. This backwards slope does not allow for water to properly drain away from a home. Adding additional dirt and reseeding helps redirect water away.
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