There are many reasons why good yard drainage is important. We all know that standing water attracts mosquitoes and also makes your yard unpleasant to walk through. However, you may not have thought about crawl space or basement benefits.
There are three important benefits for your crawl space or basement when your yard drains properly. We’ll take a closer look at each of these benefits.
Keeping Water Out of Window Wells Protects Your Home’s Structure
First and second-floor windows attract most of our attention, but we shouldn’t forget about the importance of the basement windows. When your yard has poor drainage, your basement windows are one of the first places that the water might head during heavy downpours. If your basement’s window wells are unprotected, these are areas that can attract a lot of water.
Water can move with enough force to break or otherwise damage the windows and window frames. However, this water can also get into and damage your basement and crawl space walls. Over time, your foundation can also become damaged.
Functional Yard Drainage Keeps Your Crawl Space and Basement Dry
Water can easily leak into your basement or crawl space if it does not drain from your yard as expected. When basements have a constantly damp smell, poor drainage in the yard is usually to blame for the problem. The more of a problem your basement has with excess moisture, the higher the risk of mildew and mold. Because both of these can contribute to health issues, particularly respiratory problems, their prevention is important.
Another problem with a wet basement is how slippery the floor surface is underfoot. Anyone trying to navigate your basement floor is at risk of slipping and falling on concrete and getting injured. This is not only unpleasant for your family but is a potential hazard and liability for anyone performing work in your basement.
When your basement is dry, it is safer and better to spend time in than in a basement that’s constantly wet. The air will be much easier to breathe because there won’t be mold or mildew to worry about. Anyone who has to do work in your basement will have a much safer walking surface as well.
A Yard That Drains Properly Supports Your Foundation
The ground underneath your foundation is part of your home’s substructure and vital for providing stability. Many take an “out of sight, out of mind’ approach to their foundation until they are dealing with some type of problem. Water that accumulates around your foundation’s base is often a leading contributor to issues with your foundation.
Excessive water in your yard can erode your soil, as well as put pressure on your foundation. Flooding from storms can further complicate things because of the volume of water involved. Making sure that water drains from your yard as it should is key to keeping your foundation stable.
How Should You Make Sure Everything is Okay with Your Crawl Space?
Experts that specialize in crawl spaces can help make sure that your crawl space and basement are protected against water in your yard. These professionals know about the factors that can affect drainage and what to do to correct these issues. Choosing someone who specializes in crawl space issues allows you to have help for anything related to this part of your home.
Falcone Crawl Space offers the help with your crawl space and basement that you need to protect your home. Contact us today with your questions or concerns about yard drainage.
