Knowing your house’s drainage system is crucial if you want to waterproof your home or prevent water damage to your foundation. The area’s geology and terrain dictate the construction of one of numerous home drainage systems. It is important to grasp the fundamentals of drainage, whether constructing a new home or fixing an existing one. Damage to this system puts your home’s structural stability at risk.
The condition and quality of a property’s drainage system also significantly affect its real estate value. No one would pay the asking price for a home that could suffer water damage because fixing it is expensive.
Here are some of the best drainage systems for your home.
Precast concrete drain covers
Covers made of precast concrete for underground drainage systems are similar to heavy-duty lids. They save you time and effort on-site because they are factory-made and come ready to use. Protecting ditches, pipes, and ditches with these coverings keeps water flowing freely and everything in its place. These lids protect drainage channels from dirt and other objects while allowing water to flow freely.
Catch basins
Commonly referred to as a “yard drain” or catch basin drainage system, it is an integral part of numerous modern stormwater management systems. The design of these basins effectively collects and manages runoff water from rain. In order to collect runoff from the surface and channel it into an underground basin, a huge, usually underground structure is built with a curb inlet or an above-ground grate or curb entrance. Usually, a drainage pipe system diverts the collected water away from the area, preventing soil erosion and flooding.
Surface drains
The purpose of surface drainage systems is to divert surface runoff away from land and away from any potential buildup of water, such as puddles. Surface drains enhance a property’s structural integrity and visual appeal, offering various benefits.
These drainage systems divert water from walkways, patios, and driveways to keep things dry and safe. This reduces the likelihood of slip hazards. Effortlessly managing surplus water and enhancing the overall functionality of outdoor spaces, surface drains can blend in with the landscape thanks to their subtle appearance.
Downspout and gutter systems
In homes, the most prevalent types of drainage systems are downspouts and gutters. The gutters connect to the roof’s edge. Instead of watering the earth, they soak up rainwater.
Connected to the gutters, downspouts divert water away from your house. Usually, the water goes to a main drain or storm sewer. Sometimes, we can use the water to irrigate plants.
Sump Pumps
Installing a sump pump is one approach to ensuring that water doesn’t accumulate around your house. Under most houses, in a basement or crawl space, you’ll find the pumps. The pump carries away any surplus water from your house through a discharge line. Doing this will greatly reduce the likelihood of mold growth, water damage, and flooding in your house. A sump basin and, perhaps, a pump are standard features in most newly constructed homes. However, installing a sump pump in a house older than twenty years is unlikely.
Downspout and Gutter Systems
Downspouts and gutter systems are standard on most new buildings and homes. A downspout directs the runoff from the gutter—which you can find on the house’s roof—to the foundation. To prevent water from collecting around the house or near the foundation, it is common practice to direct the water to an alternate drainage system, such as slope drainage or surface drainage.
Swale Drains
Swale drains are yard helpers, to put it simply. Debris ditches are grassy, shallow depressions that gently drain rainwater away from homes and other valuables.
While improving your yard’s aesthetics, swales adapt to the natural curves of the soil, ensuring that your property remains dry and flood-free. Typically, vegetation or turf grass border swale drains, which are small ditches.
Subsurface Drainage System
These are also known as French drains. Compared to surface drainage, subsurface drainage installation is more difficult. To do this, one must build deep trenches and lay pipes beneath them. A collector drain, which will collect water from underground pipes, is also necessary.
Additionally, a pump is often necessary to connect the collected water to the main drainage system. Depending on your circumstances, this may be essential, but the installation can be expensive. By using them to collect rainwater underneath, you can avoid having the ground surrounding your house become soggy or saturated with water.
Slope Drainage
Although pipes are ideal for slope drainage, they are not buried. Instead, they fasten to a small slope at an angle. Because of the sloping layout, water can naturally drain away from your house.
Slope drainage systems might utilize concrete, plastic, or steel pipes. However, a protective coating typically covers it to prevent people from falling down the drain, making it a relatively insignificant issue.
These drains manage the water flow from outside, lessening the likelihood of soil erosion, puddling, and flooding. They disperse rainwater over a wider region, preventing storm drains from overloading.
What are backyard drains called?
Common names for backyard drains include “stormwater drains” and “yard drains.” To prevent water damage or floods, these drains can gather runoff or rainwater from the yard and send it away from the house.
What is drainage around the house called?
The network of pipes and gutters surrounding a home is often called “yard drainage” or “landscape drainage.” To keep water from pooling around the foundation and flooding or damaging the house, this system helps manage runoff from irrigation or rainfall.
Signs of poor drainage
There are several telltale symptoms if your drainage system isn’t functioning properly. In order to keep your yard free from the consequences of poor drainage systems, you need to think about them and find ways to fix them. Be wary of these five warning signs:
- Wet crawlspace
Floods in crawl spaces can cause serious problems. You should avoid coming here because of mold and mildew health risks. Flooring, frame, and roof issues are some structural problems resulting from a moist crawlspace. Because they thrive in dark, damp places, a variety of bugs might find a home in a crawl space that is consistently damp.
Warping on the wood floor
Floors are not immune to water damage due to a poor drainage system. The ground around your foundation is vulnerable to erosion and water seepage into your crawlspace. If water accumulates in your crawlspace, the space beneath your floorboards can become dangerously wet. The end result is a floor that expands and distorts. You should fix any issues with your yard’s drainage system and make sure you inspect it before the cold months.
- Water overflowing gutters
Your gutter system directs water from melting snow and rainwater away from your home’s foundation. They stop water from seeping into the ground surrounding your home’s foundation as it cascades down the side. If your gutters are too small or require thorough cleaning, large amounts of water may overwhelm them. When you don’t have gutters, water can easily run over or seep under them, leading to a pool around your house.
- A clogged drain
Natural disasters like high winds and storms can scatter rocks, leaves, dirt, garbage, and other yard waste all over your home. If these things get into the drains, they can block them, preventing water from flowing away from your house. When you notice water backing up into your property’s drains, you should summon a yard drainage expert to inspect them for clogs.
- Erosion
Erosion is a prevalent problem due to a poor drainage system. Water carries away soil as it flows downhill and across land, depriving plants of nutrients. In addition to destroying plant beds, erosion can weaken foundations and sidewalks by washing away the soil that supports them. A crumbling walkway or patio can result from gaps that have grown too wide.
A poorly designed drainage system can cause havoc in more ways than one. Massive flooding, costly damage, and the destruction of plants, crops, and gardens are all possible outcomes. Mold and mildew growth, the worst-case scenario, could cause illness.
After water damage, insects and other pests, including disease-carrying mosquitoes, can become more prevalent. Investing in a reliable drainage system is wise when you weigh the potential risks and expenses of fixing water damage. If you detect it, quick action is required to rectify a defective drainage system. It will be beneficial for you.
Conclusion
In order to protect your house from natural calamities like floods, home drainage is a crucial part of your plumbing system. A severe plumbing emergency could ensue if the system fails to function as intended. When you need help with this, call Express Drainage Solutions.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you are presently experiencing poor drainage. If you need assistance determining the best course of action, our expert staff at Express Drainage Solutions is here to help. To hire a widely respected plumbing expert, call us now for top-notch plumbing services.