Types of Exterior Drainage Systems for Your Home

When it comes to having the right drainage around your home, you need to make sure you are choosing the right one. There are many options out there and it will depend on what fits your home the best, what will provide the best value, and which one you like. 

There are several types of drainage choices and you may need to work with a professional to help get this done. Some of the different systems that you can consider for your home includes:

French Drains

A French drain is another name that you may hear for a perimeter and a foundation drain. This drain is known by its inventor, Henry French, who worked hard to popularize this method during the 1800s. 

This type of drain is going to be a type of plastic pipe that is perforated and buried under the ground. It is able to effectively collect and relocate the water to make sure that it does not sit near the home and cause any kind of damage that you may see around other homes. 

Footing Drains

 Another option that you can use for your home is a footing drain. This is going to be a type of drainage system for the outside of your home that is placed outside the wall of the foundation. These footing drains will exist both in residential and commercial buildings. 

The drain that is used here is going to be covered up so that no one is able to see it, but the covering is done with gravel. This allows the water to seep right into the tile. Then this drain will work to divert all of the water and put it into a basin, which will then be pumped into the storm drain as well. 

Gutter Drainage System

The water that comes from your roof is sometimes going to cause the most damage to your home, especially if it is not drained out well. You need to have the right gutter drainage system in place to make sure the water is diverted away from the home, ensuring that you are not going to get damage to the foundation of your home. 

Having a good downspout or gutter system in place is going to help make sure that all of the water that is draining off the roof will move somewhere else, away from the walls of your home. You and a professional will need to determine exactly how far these are going to go from the home. 

When choosing a downspout drain, you will need to get it to extend away from the walls. It is preferable if it is able to go to a storm sewer or a water catch basin. If this is not possible because of where your home is located, you will be able to place the downspout as far away from the home as possible to avoid any problems. 

Grading Drainage

The next thing that you can try to help with the drainage around your home is a grading drainage. This is going to be a really simple technique, which is why so many professionals will recommend it to their homeowners to keep things safe. 

The grading technique is going to involve reworking the grading around the home, creating a slope that will go away from your home. This is going to use gravity to your advantage so that the water will go down the slope and not sit near the home. And the landscaping will look natural when it is done. 

This is going to require a little bit of new landscaping around the home to get it done. If you already have some slopes in your home, that can help, as long as they do not slope towards the home. This can cause some of its own problems and a professional will be able to help you out. There may be some work to get done on the yard, but this is a simple way to help. 

A contractor will be able to come to your home and take a look to see whether this is possible. Depending on the yard, they may be able to add in the slopes and that is all the work that needs to get done. Other times they may need to combine it with some of the other choices above to make sure you get the best drainage system possible. 

Driveway Drains

A driveway drain makes a lot of sense for many homeowners. These will help to collect the water that is near your home and force it away. Often these will go near the street when it collects the water, allowing it to go to the drains in the street and not collect near your home any longer. It can all just drain as far from your home as possible to keep the home safe. 

These are a great option and will often use some of the sloping that is already found in your driveway. Putting one in yourself can be hard and most homeowners may not know how to do it properly or where to put all of the components. Having a contractor help you figure out where to put everything and how to get it installed will help make this easier. 

Installing one is simple and things are even easier if you already have a bit of a hill in your yard away from the home. Choose a driveway drain that is high-quality and meant to last and consider having a professional put the drain in to make sure that it is placed properly and will last a long time. 

Choosing the Right Exterior Drainage System

Each home is different and unique and you need to choose the right drainage system that is going to work for your needs. With the help of some of the suggestions above, you will be able to take care of your home and make sure that you never have standing water around your home, causing all that destruction, again. 

Guest Contributor: Gabe Nelson