Ensuring proper drainage in your home is a long-term battle. This war must be waged if you want to keep your home free of excess moisture and flooding. Doing so will ensure a happy, healthy environment for you and your family. The best way to keep on top of this issue is to prepare a drainage checklist. Here are the essentials on how to get started.

Make Sure the Proper Drains Are Present

This is by no means the given that it may appear to be. In fact, one of the biggest issues that a homeowner may face is a lack of proper drainage. Before you purchase a property, make sure to be shown all of the draining areas. You will also want to get them tested by an expert. This will be your best protection against future flooding issues.

Do You Have Enough Drains?

The next step on your drainage checklist is to ensure that you have the proper number of drains. If you have a property that extends for 30,000 square feet, you are going to need more than one or two drains. 

Most architects and home safety experts maintain that at least half a dozen drains are needed on a property of this extent. You can then extrapolate the number of drains that will be needed on a property of your size.  

You Will Need the Correct Style of Drain

Beyond the mere number of drains your property possesses is the issue of whether they are the correct ones. There are many different types of drains including the following:

• Deck drains
• Trench drains
• Surface drains
• Planter drains
• Subsurface drains
• Open drains
• Slope drains
• Downspouts and gutters

The type of drain that you select will depend on the location you place it in as well as the purpose you intend for it to fulfill. You can hire an expert service to review drain placement on your property. This will help to ensure that all of the drains are the right ones for the task.

Are There Drains in All of the Correct Locations?

The next item on your drainage checklist should be to make sure that you have drains in every area that they need to be. This is rather different than simply placing drains in random areas around your property. 

There are certain areas, such as a planter or a deck section surrounded by walls, that desperately require proper drainage. However, there is no need to place two or three drains in an area where one will do the job. This is an area where a homeowner will benefit from the advice of an expert drainage service. 

Pay Attention to the Direction of Drainage

It’s a very good idea to pay attention to the direction in which your drainage tends to flow. Doing so will keep water from flowing into your home. You want to be able to direct the current of drainage into areas where it is least likely to cause harm to your property. You also want to keep it from causing trouble for your neighbors.

The idea will be to allow water to thoroughly evacuate your property. It can do so via the medium of a waterproofed membrane surface. This will require confirming your precise drain details with a local drainage service team. 

You may need to make your applicator and plumber aware that the drainage mat is in place. This will normally extend under the clamping ring. This will let them know that you are not relying on minuscule weep holes to vacate the membrane surface.

Your decks and other areas should always be placed on a downward slope toward the drain. A flat deck has a very high potential to collect standing water. It may be wise to relocate your deck to an area that is in better shape to withstand potential flooding. 

Set Your Drains at the Correct Height

All of the drains on your property need to be able to collect water and draw it away from your home. To do so, they need to be set at the correct angle and height. This is an area that may require direct assistance from a qualified team of drainage experts. They can come to your home and quickly take correct measurements. 

Drainage & Waterproofing Solutions LLC

Drainage & Waterproofing Solutions LLC is your leading authority for solutions of this nature. We can help you draw up your drainage checklist and go over each detail to ensure compliance. We cover Raleigh, Wake Forest, Chapel Hill, Durham and the surrounding area. Contact us today to learn more about our wide range of services.

Waterproofing is becoming an increasingly crucial issue all throughout the country. Much of this is due to more and more properties are being built in newly drained areas. One of the first questions you should ask when buying a new home is how things stand from the perspective of drainage. Here are the main questions you should feature on your drainage checklist.

Does Your Property Have Enough Drains?

The first question you need to ask is if your property even has drains. Believe it or not, there are still plenty of properties that do not possess this essential feature. As a result, you will want to make sure that a home and its surrounding area is properly supplied with drains. Be sure to do this well in advance of signing off on a deal.

Your next question should concern whether there are enough to make the area safe to live in. The number of drains should be fully proportional to the total square footage of the home plus its surrounding area. If you find that there are only one or two drains over a property that extends for 40,000 square feet, this is not good.

Most home building experts maintain that having more drains on a property is superior to having too few. Building codes in your area are also very likely to reflect this opinion. When it comes to dealing with potentially dangerous drainage issues, the more backup you have, the better.

Do You Have the Correct Drains?

It isn’t enough just to have them on your property. They need to be the right kind of drains that can handle a series of very specific tasks. As a result, your property may need to feature several different varieties such as planter, deck, trench, and more. Before you purchase a new property, be sure that all of the proper ones are present.

Keep a running drainage checklist to consult when building the property with a planner. In this case, you should confer with your architect, consultant, and engineer in order to make sure this issue is not lost sight of. Between them, they should agree on what types of drains to utilize in any number of different areas across your property.

Are They in the Correct Locations?

You may have all the drains you need as well as all of the correct kinds of drains. But are they located in all the right places? For example, you may have drains everywhere except for a planter section. You may be lacking drains in an area of deck that is bordered by curbs or an extension of wall. These are areas where drains are crucial.

You also need to be sure that all of the drains that you place in these areas are actually in good working order. A drain that doesn’t properly do its job is worse than useless. You need to be sure that all of your drains are properly draining. This will save you a lot of time, money, and effort when it comes to maintaining a safe area.

Do Your Drains Ensure Proper Water Flow?

It’s always a good idea to maintain a drainage checklist in order to permit a safe level of water flow. This will ensure that the membranes of your drains won’t be overworked. The water that flows through these membranes needs adequate space to pass all the way through.

You need to be sure that the drainage mat is able to extend for a comfortable space all the way under the clamping ring. This will give the proper level of clearance so that you don’t end up having to rely on tiny weep holes to handle all of the water draining out of the membrane.

You also need to be sure that all of your decks have a downward slope toward a drain. If you have flat decks, this is an invitation for standing water. You will need to consult with your planners in order to ensure that this issue is properly addressed.

Finally, you must also ensure that all of your drains are set at the correct height. If you are on a sloping surface, they should never be set at the lowest point. Give them the proper level of height to be able to do their job without taking on extra strain.

Get in Touch to Learn More

Drainage & Waterproofing Solutions LLC is here to be your one stop shop for expert Raleigh drainage solutions. We offer a wide range of services to fit your every need. Our friendly technicians can come to your home to diagnose your issue and provide an expert solution. Get in touch with us today to learn more about a drainage checklist can help you.

Dealing with water seepage can be a major issue in the Raleigh-Durham area. This is because of low water tables, frequent storms, and other issues. If your home has dealt with flooding issues, now is the time to solve them. Your best bet will be to get your basement and adjacent area waterproofed with a drainage board system. To do so, you need to know what you are facing.

Water Seepage is a Perennial Hazard

Water seepage is one of the biggest threats that your home can face. This is due to the potential damage that it can cause to your foundation. Excess moisture has a tendency to widen cracks and create leaks. This can encourage the growth of harmful bacteria and mold. The result is a damp, stinky, area that can harm the air quality of your home.

The damage that standing water can do is immense. If allowed to stay in place for too long, it will begin to breed bacteria. It will also cause excess humidity and dampness that can cause your HVAC system to work overtime. The end result will be an environment that will be very uncomfortable. You may even be forced to abandon your home.

Why Do You Need a Drainage Board?

One of the simplest and most effective ways to address water seepage in your home is to install a drainage board. This is a system that, depending on the needs of your home, can be either single or multi-layered. It is most often made of a flexible material known as polypropylene. Many will be covered with a specially designed textile surface.

After it has been installed, the drainage boards will be placed on top of a specially applied waterproofing system. This is usually put on via a spray or peel-and-stick method. A foundation board is usually recognizable due to being composed of a series of plastic sheets that appear to be covered with dimples.

The side that features these dimples will be placed toward your foundation. Once in place, the dimples that cover the sheer will create a small gap of air between the board and the wall. In other words, the board works as a viable barrier that will move water away from your foundation. It does so by collecting it and pushing it into a drain.

Some types of foundation board are covered with a special textile-based fabric. This fabric will be attached to the side that shows the dimples. This fabric is designed to allow water to pass over to the core of the board. As it does so, it helps to reduce pressure. It also serves to trap and remove any dirt or debris that is in the water.

Why Do You Need a Foundation Drain?

Foundation drains are one of the most useful implements that you can install in your basement to prevent excess moisture from collecting. They are usually fitted to new construction in order to divert water and prevent future damage. If this action does not occur, the water will stand in place. This will lead to all kinds of problems.

These handy drains are attached to the outside of the foundation wall. Once in place, they will prove useful in preventing water from reaching the foundation of your home. They also serve to divert water away from the foundation. Once on the move, it will be pushed toward a drain. As a result, the water is never given a chance to stagnate.

Foundation drains are designed to work in close conjunction with the foundation board that you have previously installed. They will be placed in a position that is directly adjacent to the foundation. They can be installed on the footing either directly inside or outside of the building. Once in place, they can safely begin to divert excess water.

Footing drains are usually made out of corrugated pipe. The pipe is mottled with many thousands of small punctures that let water in. They are covered with a fabric that filters out debris. These drains are normally installed in convenient locations that surround the entire structure.

These drains form a system that works hand in hand with your foundation board. The boards drain water toward the drains. Once there, the drains will then help to conduct this moisture away from the building. Ir can then be diverted toward a storm system or sump pump.

Contact Us for More Information

Drainage & Waterproofing Solutions, LLC is here to be your ultimate source for all of your Raleigh area waterproofing needs. We have the skills and experience to handle any kind of issue that may arise in your basement. If you need your property drained with a drainage board system, let us know. Our friendly service team can quickly address your needs.