Site Drainage

SITE DRAINAGE AND GRADING FOR YOUR EDMONTON HOME

Did you know that a door or window that suddenly seems hard to fully close may be a sign of poor site drainage? Improper drainage can lead to the settling of the foundation, causing cracks in walls, sagging floors and, yes, doors and windows that are no longer plumb in their frames. Even worse, springtime snowmelt, heavy summer rains and runoff can all lead to flooding or water damage to your basement or foundation due to poor site drainage. Edmonton city planners have set standards for grading and site drainage to prevent flooding and protect your home from water damage. Lavenders Contracting, your Edmonton site drainage experts can make sure that your property is in compliance with Edmonton bylaws and help keep your home and property safe.

WHEN A PUDDLE BECOMES A PROBLEM: EARLY SIGNS OF SITE DRAINAGE PROBLEMS

It’s not unusual to see some standing water on your lawn after a downpour. Do you still see the puddle a couple of days later when water everywhere else appears to have dried? That’s one sign that the ground is saturated and not draining. Here are some other signs of possible site drainage problems that you should watch for:

• Cracks in your foundation, that may appear high on the foundation wall
• Cracked or damp basement walls 
• Cracked or sloping patio 
• A mildewy odour in your home

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SITE DRAINAGE & SITE GRADING

Protecting your home from water damage requires several elements which include free-running eavestroughs that direct water off the roof and through downspouts, downspouts that direct water away from your home, a weeping tile that channels water away from your foundation and a sump pump to remove water from your basement. The most important element, however, is proper site grading and this is Lavenders Contracting’s specialty. We offer expert site grading that maintains the aesthetics of your landscape and prevents soil erosion while still directing surface water quickly and safely toward a catch basin or swale.

Property drainage swales are shallow channels with sloped sides that funnel surface drainage towards a municipal right-of-way. Typically, for a lot that drains from the rear to the front, the swales form a U shape that loops behind the property and drains forward in two channels on either side of the home. For split drainage lots, where the ground slopes away from the home both in front and in the back, swales direct water from the most elevated parts of the lot to catch basins in the street or lane closest to the property.

Edmonton homeowners should know that the City of Edmonton holds property owners responsible for the proper grading of their lots. Homeowners with decks and steps or stairs outside their home should ensure that ground under these structures also slopes away from the home to keep water out of their basements and foundations. Additionally, the property’s landscaping elements such as rocks, mulch or wood chips must maintain the grade to enable surface drainage.

You can read more about the City of Edmonton’s requirements for site grading and drainage. Call Lavenders Contracting Ltd. for affordable, preventative measures to protect your home from water damage and flooding.