Poor drainage near the foundation of your home can lead to some significant complications and damages. Taking a few steps to improve the drainage near your home can mitigate the risk of you needing to have expensive foundation repairs done in the future.

Direct the Runoff Away From the Home

Depending on the terrain where your house is built, runoff may tend to pool near the base of the house. Luckily, it is possible to use drainage systems to help direct the flow of the water away from the home's foundation. However, if you are wanting an option that is less likely to have a noticeable impact on the appearance of your home, the installation of a French drain system can be an important option as much of these drainage systems will be buried below the ground.

Minimize Runoff From the Gutters

The gutters can be another major source of runoff for your property. Unfortunately, this is not a source of foundation problems that homeowners may fully appreciate. One option for reducing the risk of water damage occurring to the foundation due to the runoff is through the use of downspout extenders that can allow you to angle the direction of the runoff away from the house. If you have a drain system installed along the base of the house, these extenders can be used to deposit much of the runoff directly in the drains. This can be an effective option for reducing the risk of foundation damage without impacting the performance of the gutter system.

Be Mindful of the Water From Your Driveway

The driveway can be another source of runoff that could potentially have major impacts on the foundation. In particular, the areas where the driveway meets your garage or otherwise comes close to the house can lead to substantial amounts of water soaking into the soil around the foundation. The use of gutters along the side of the driveway can help to direct this runoff away from the home, but this is not an upgrade that homeowners may have had installed when their driveway was paved.

As an added benefit, these gutters can also reduce the chances of the soil under the pavement eroding away. If your home does not have these gutters along the driveway, there are affordable options that can make it easy to have this improvement made. At a minimum, digging a small trench and lining it with gravel can be among the most affordable options for directing the runoff from your driveway.

If you have additional questions, foundation drain design contractors can help. Contact these local services to learn more.