In Tennessee, it rains more than most states, so homes here are more susceptible to rainwater damage. If you are thinking water damage to your home isn't too bad, then you are sorely mistaken. It is a silent killer that can weaken your structural walls causing the whole building to collapse. Additionally, water damage often leads to mold growth which can cause respiratory health issues for anyone that stays at your home.
Preventing water damage requires planning and routine maintenance. But the high cost of repairing water damage makes prevention a much better choice. Have you been asking yourself ‘how do I stop rainwater from coming into the house?’ Then keep reading for 10 simple yet effective tips on how to divert rainwater away from your house.
1. Sweep Away Debris
The easiest answer to the question ‘how do I stop rainwater from coming into the house?’ is to sweep your outdoor surfaces at least once a week. Dirt such as leaves, plastic, and paper can quickly clog up drains so sweeping your outdoors regularly will prevent them from accumulating. Clogged up drains are one of the main causes of flooded homes and preventing it is one of the best ways for how to divert water from houses.
2. Create A Slope To Divert Water From House
Another great way to drain water away from houses is to move the earth around the home to slope away from the walls. These slopes will lead water away from your home’s foundation and prevent rainwater from coming through walls. All you have to do is collect the soil around your home and pile it against the sides of the house.
3. Keep Your Rain Gutters Clear
One of the best ideas to drain water away from the house is to clear your rain gutters regularly. Blocked rain gutters will force rainwater down your home’s walls and some of it will inevitably seep inside the walls. This will weaken the structure of your walls as well as encourage the growth of mold. Have a preventive maintenance schedule for your home that includes clearing your gutters once or twice a year. This can be professionally done, or you can also do it yourself if it's safe.
4. Install A 'Divert Downspout' At Your House
You can also prevent water from seeping into your home’s foundation by installing a divert downspout. This is a device that is added to the bottom of your roof downspout and diverts rainwater collected from your roof about four feet away from your home’s walls. The divert downspouts only cost about $10 and can be bought from most home improvement stores.
5. Repair and Seal All Your Windows
One of the main causes of water leaking into a house is broken or unsealed windows. Prevent rainwater damage to your home by staying on top of your window repairs, ensuring that they are properly sealed and caulked. Modern windows are even fitted with wells and drains that are designed to divert water away from your home’s walls.
6. Regular Roof Maintenance
Your roof acts as the main source of protection against rainwater damage to your house. Even a small crack or hole on your roof can create massive water damage to your home’s interior. Fix any leaks as soon as you notice them. Additionally, you could have a roofer do preventive maintenance on your roof at least once every 5 years.
7. Build A Swale Ditch
Another secret to keeping rainwater away from your home’s foundation is to create a swale ditch in your yard. This is a ditch that is usually created on flat yards to help drain water away from the home. You can line the ditch with rocks or pavers to prevent your home from flooding.
8. Exterior French Drain
An exterior French drain is a system of pipes and trenches that are designed to drain groundwater from a home’s foundation. They are particularly useful in draining away rainwater from houses located on slopes.
9. Increase the Size of Exterior Drains
Another tip for preventing your home from flooding is to expand the surface area of your outside drains. The larger your drains are, the less the chances that they will clog and cause flooding.
10. Install a Sump Pump
You can also prevent your basement from flooding by installing a sump pump in your home’s foundation. This is created by digging a pit or well below your home’s foundation and adding a pump and drainage pipe that diverts water from the pit. Whenever the water table rises like during the rainy season, the pump will activate and drain away excess water from your well to a designated area at least 10 feet from your home.
How Do I Stop Rainwater From Coming Into The House?
Water damage can be extremely costly to repair which is why we recommend using preventive maintenance to drain rainwater away from your home. If you live in Lake County, protecting your home from water damage is even more important due to the raised water table and high frequency of rains. For more information about Tennessee read the rest of our site.