Translating…
Few new homeowners realize the importance of drainage in their yard. What may have seemed like a few annoying puddles when you first bought your home in actuality could turn into a complete nightmare in the long run. Knowing this, we would like to alert you of a few signs that could indicate that you have a drainage problem … no, drainage emergency.
Outdoor Signs
Since the water comes from outside, it makes sense to start searching for signs of problems outside of your home. The most common signs that you have drainage issues are:
1. Puddles that don’t go way – It’s common for rain to puddle up in your yard. Common and normal. However, what isn’t so normal is for those puddles to sit there for too long. Your yard should be built up in such a way that the water drains out of it. This could be to the back yard and out the fence to a drainage ditch, or possibly around your house and out to the street where drains carry it away. If the water puddles up significantly, that means your yard is not properly sloped.
2. Significant erosion against your foundation – If you have a foundation slab, take a close look at it, especially the flower beds. Take note of how high the soil is. Now, after the next rain, take note-did water fill up against the foundation and wash soil away? How long does the water remain? If water is present, again your yard may not be properly draining. This is especially dangerous because that water sitting up against your foundation could cause extra pressure, which in turn could cause cracking. It could also soften the soil beneath the foundation causing the entire house to shift.
Have a basement? In that case, the water pressure could not only cause cracking of foundation walls, but it could also cause them to bow inwards. In extreme cases this could actually lead to a complete wall collapse!
3. Puddles in your crawl space – When you think of a crawl space, you probably cringe. That’s because for most people, the crawl space is a dark, moist, scary place where spiders and rodents lurk. But guess what? It’s not supposed to be that way. The fact is that your crawl space should remain dry year round. If it doesn’t, you could have some serious issues inside. It can cause everything from rotting beams to low indoor air quality.
Indoor Signs
Maybe you haven’t noticed any signs of poor drainage outdoors. But what about in your home? Look for the following signs that water drainage could be damaging your prized investment:
4. Cracking sheetrock – When the average person sees cracking sheetrock, he probably thinks it’s normal settling of the foundation. And he may be right. But in other cases, it could signify that your foundation is moving. Why would it do that? Moisture! That soil could be getting all wet from your poor yard drainage and you may not even realize it.
5. Bowing floors – When your home shifts due to poor drainage, your floors will move too. This can cause boards and tiles to pop up. As a result, you may also notice doors stop shutting correctly.
Get Help!
If you notice any of these signs, you need to call a drainage expert who gives consultations. Let them come out and see if poor drainage is your underlying problem!