Piedmont homeowners commonly experience groundwater intrusion into lower crawlspaces and dug-in basements during wet weather. Not only rain, but also underground springs in Piedmont can keep soil wet underneath homes most of the year. If the soil under your home routinely gets wet, and stays damp through the year, you may have a drainage problem that cannot be solved with sump pumps and plastic ground cover alone.
Most drainage problems are influenced by rainwater coming off the roof of a house, being collected and dumped adjacent to the foundation by downspouts. Diverting water collected by gutters away from the foundation is an essential step in keeping moisture from collecting around the foundation of your home. Increased and prolonged moisture will result in soil erosion and expansion– the leading causes of foundation settlement. During the winter, the soil expands as it soaks up moisture. Then during the hot and dry summer, rapid evaporation causes the soil to contract. The heaving action creates movement and ground settlement under the foundation, often causing foundation damage, sticking doors and windows shut, and breaking the drywall and stucco around your home.
A gravel drain– commonly known as a French drain– is the best solution against water intrusion. While collecting and diverting water from the gutters plays an essential role in keeping the crawlspace and basement dry, often there is water that soaks into the ground when it rains which you are not collecting. When enough rainwater soaks into the ground, the water table begins to rise and will well up in lower crawlspaces and basements. It is not unusual to see water seeping up through cracks in a basement slab, even if the walls of the basement stay dry. But by installing perforated drain pipes at a depth lower than the area you want to protect, and backfilling around the pipe with drain rock, we can collect ground water and divert it away from these spaces before it can dampen the crawlspace or basement.
Call Henry if your crawlspace or basement carries a musty smell, if the dirt gets wet, and especially if your foundations and slabs are being damaged by water intrusion. We can help keep your house on firm ground, and keep you dry during Winter!