You might not think a lot about the drainage in your home, but it is incredibly important. In fact, it could be crucial for the wellbeing of your home as a whole. Your home is likely built on a concrete slab that is levelled by a contractor. Underneath the concrete slab, there are pilings that are planted into the ground vertically. The vertical pilings and the concrete slab keep your foundation level. The foundation does not shift or move because it is constructed of pilings that stay stable even when the ground is moving. However, erosion does hurt your foundation. If the ground around your foundation erodes due to wind and rain, your home can begin to shift. This may result in your home tilting towards one direction or another. If your home begins to tilt in any direction, your house will likely begin to crack vertically because of the uneven amount of stress on different sides of the building. This could grow into a serious problem.
Roof Drainage
Since running water can erode the soil around your home’s foundation and cause your home to shift, you need to make sure that there is no water piling up around your foundation. That’s the point of the gutter and drain that rings your roof. Its purpose is to catch rain and direct it away from the foundation of your home. You need to make sure you are keeping your gutters clean and clear, and they need to stay completely intact. Otherwise, the water will roll down your roof and build up around the base of your home, eventually eroding the foundation. However, when the water is caught by the gutters, it can be directed in any way you want. The most common method used is simply a downspout that angles away from the base of the house. However, some people choose to use underground drainage.
Underground Methods
People sometimes choose to direct water underground because they want it to travel further away from their home. For example, if the downspout from your gutter connects to an underground drain pipe, you could direct it across your entire garden to feed into a stream or a rain barrel. If you want to direct the water to a certain area but don’t want the pipe to run over the ground, you should consider an underground pipe.
Underground pipes are a great way to direct water where you would like it to go. A channel drain is another option as well. The channel drain is not underground; instead, it is an open-top drain through which water is allowed to pass. It also works as a gutter of sorts, because rainwater can enter the drain. If you want to accomplish this, make sure to place a screen over the top of the drain so that it does not become clogged with leaves and debris. Many people choose to feed a channel drain from an underground drain that originated elsewhere. Channel drains are great for sloped driveways or walkways which would naturally direct water towards the base of your house. A channel drain can instead catch the water and redirect it elsewhere. An underground drain can send it wherever you’d like.
