Drain Drama: How Your Home’s Drainage Might Be Ruining Your…
Your home drains may be causing problems for your home’s foundation. Moisture from air conditioner drains, downspouts and outside faucets causes the ground to swell. The porous concrete in the foundation absorbs the water. Since the entire foundation is not absorbing water, the uneven absorption and drying process can cause cracking in the concrete.
In soils such as caliche, the expansion and contraction due to swelling from moisture and contraction from drying can break a house’s foundation over time. In soft soils, the foundation can sink because moist soil is softer than dry soil. Excessively moist soils can also cause a foundation to heave, or lift upward.
Recognizing the signs of a foundation problem is not hard. Doors and windows will stick or close unevenly. There may be cracks in the walls, floors or across the ceiling. Water poured on the floor will flow to one side of the room instead of creating a puddle on the floor. A level placed on the floor will indicate the floor is no longer level. These problems will require the attention of a professional.
To avoid problems, you can direct downspouts away from the house’s foundation. There are kits with downspout drain pipes that allow you to direct the water anywhere you need it to go. If you need to drain water that accumulates around the house regardless of the downspout, consider installing a French drain. This inexpensive project can take a weekend or two if you have some help from friends.
If excessive water is accumulating around the HVAC drain, consider a small drain to direct water to garden plants or away from the house’s foundation. Take care to ensure the drain does not become blocked. You can also install a dry well by digging a hole four to five feet deep, fill it with three feet of coarse gravel and top with a screen and topsoil. The water will drip into the well and be absorbed by the surrounding soil.
Since water leaks can happen in any water pipe above or below ground, always inspect your home’s foundation for signs of moisture. Locate and repair any water leaks as quickly as possible to avoid foundation problems.
Avoid planting bushes or trees against the home’s foundations; this can also become a source of moisture that can affect the foundation. The roots of shrubs and trees can affect underground water lines and cause water leaks that ultimately affect the home’s foundation.
Peter Wendt is a freelance writer and researcher living and working in central texas. He recently revamped his home’s drainage system after experts from Stablelift Foundation Repair alerted him to the damage it was causing to his home.