Common Drainage Problems in Cincinnati

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a hundred times: Water is your home’s biggest enemy. Roof leaks, wood rot, leaky windows… pick a problem and water is usually close by. Common drainage problems can wreak havoc on many parts of your home. Basements, however, are constantly under attack by water that isn’t redirected away from your home’s foundation. What are some of the most common drainage problems your home could face? What can you do to make sure that you mitigate these issues as much as possible?

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Common Drainage Problems

When it comes to your foundation, water is no minor threat. Besides damaging finished basements or ruining possessions, the structural integrity of your foundation could be at risk. There are all sorts of ways that water tries to get into your home, but here at ProMaster we find that there are three common drainage problems that cause the the most chaos.

Grade

Common sense will tell you that gravity is going to pull water to the lowest spot possible. This is why low spots in your yard become puddles and ponds in a heavy rain. If the soil around your home’s foundation is lower than the areas further into your yard, water will funnel towards your foundation. Once there, it will then find the easiest way around, or into, your home. The pressure that water can put on your foundation walls can be intense, and can cause cracks and leaks into your basement.

If you feel that you may have a problem with the slope or grading of the soil around your home, you may want to contact a qualified landscape company to add additional topsoil. They can also make sure the slope of your yard pitches away from your home, allowing rain water to flow away as well.

Gutters

Full, damaged, or insufficient gutters are another one of our common drainage problems. When rain falls onto your roof, it flows towards your gutters. Your gutters then collect the water, where it flows towards your downspouts. If your gutters are full of leaves the water has nowhere to go and flows over the gutter edge, landing right along your foundation. If the seams in your gutters are leaking, the water will leak out of the gutter and end up along your foundation. If your gutters are too small and it’s raining too hard, your gutters could be overwhelmed and overflow. Again, the water ends up along your foundation.

Sometimes the solution is as simple as cleaning your gutters. Other issues, however, may require a more involved solution. Repairing broken gutters or installing larger ones may seems like a big deal, but it could save you a ton of time and money down the road when you prevent basement leaks.

Downspouts

The last of our common drainage problems is one of the most overlooked ones, and that’s your home’s downspouts. Like gutters, downspouts can get clogged with leaves and other debris causing them to overflow. The more troublesome issue, however, occurs when your downspouts dump the water right along your foundation instead of moving the water away.

Luckily, this can be one of the easiest problems to resolve. There are several ways to extend your downspouts away from your home’s foundation, and many of them are quite inexpensive.

Need a Hand? Call ProMaster!

If you are looking to solve a drainage problem at your home and aren’t sure where to start, no problem. Just contact ProMaster! Our team of craftsmen would love to help you with any of your home repair needs. Simply call 513-322-2914, schedule online, or use the “Reach Out” form at the bottom of this page.