Which Type of Home Drainage System is Best During Winter

As the winter months set in, you’ll want to batten down the hatches, curl up by the fire, and avoid the elements. However, Mother Nature won’t make it easy. As the snow and ice begins to accumulate, there is always the potential for drainage problems. This especially holds true each time frozen precipitation melts down. If you don’t have an effective home drainage system in Ann Arbor MI, you could find yourself plagued by excess moisture in your home. When you have the optimal home drainage system for a part of the country that experiences extremes in climate changes, you can protect your home from potential damage.

Look Up
When focusing on a home drainage system, begin by inspecting your roof. When water runs off the roof of your home, it can end up in your basement. Make sure you have the following features to stave off problems:

• Rain gutters to catch rain, as well as melting ice or snow
• Downspouts that will carry water at least six feet away from your home

When you keep the runoff from the roof away from your foundation, you’ll keep the support system for your house from deteriorating. This is also an effective way to avoid the absorption of water through the walls where it can accumulate in your basement.

Try a Simple Drain in a Trench Design
A trench drain, otherwise known as a French Drain, can resolve problems with excess storm water and flooding in Ann Arbor MI. All you need to do is dig trenches or moats that are about two feet deep and half a foot wide. You’ll place pipes with perforations in the trenches and cover them with a coating of gravel. As you are threatened by excess water, whether it’s groundwater or storm water, it will be directed to your trenches. If you home is on a slope, you may only need a couple of trenches to be effective. For a level piece of property, you’ll need an intricate network of trenches that are connected. Your main goal is to draw the water away from your home. The exit of your drainage pipes should actually be visible at the surface of the land at your property’s boundary line. This will ensure that excess water is heading in the right direction.

Consider Below-Grade Drainage
There are a variety of drainage systems that use drain panels or sheet drains to keep water from doing damage to the foundation and basement of your home. These alternatives are more involved and are generally installed during construction of a residence. However, if a simple solution is not effective for you, you may need to take more drastic measures. To learn which type of drainage will work best, you’ll need to consider where your home is located and if you are experiencing any problems with excess water. A sump pump is another tool that can help you to get rid of water that accumulates in your basement, but the best solution is to avoid a build-up of water in the first place. Consult a knowledgeable landscaping company to find the home drainage alternative that will work best for you.