Water damage is one of the most common reasons that homeowners schedule foundation repair. If water damage has affected the structural integrity of your pier and beam foundation, it may be time to hire a contractor in San Antonio to help you design an improved drainage solution for your home. A French drain installation can help water move safely and effectively away from your basement and foundation. With your French drain installation completed, you can rest assured that your foundation is protected from flooding and water damage. Read on for a look at what you need to know about French drains and your home.

How French Drains Work

French drains rely on remarkably simple principles to eliminate water from a home’s foundation. When a French drain is installed, your contractor will create a gravel filled trench for water to flow through. During a heavy rainstorm, water will naturally collect in this trench. As the trench fills with water, gravity will naturally pull the liquid down and away from your property where it can empty at a safe location away from your house.

How to Choose a French Drain Site

In order for a French drain to work effectively, it must be placed on an effective location on your property. For example, your contractor will need to choose a low lying area for the trench to flow toward. If your property does not have the proper slope, your contractor may choose a dry well or ditch as your drainage site.

Signs You Need a French Drain

To determine whether a French drain is right for your needs, it is important to be on the lookout for the signs of basement water damage. When you find that water gets into your basement on a frequent basis, you may be in need of a French drain installation. Additionally, French drains should also be included wherever there is a retaining wall. Your contractor can help you determine whether a French drain is right for you.

If you have a flooded basement or front yard, it is obvious that you need drainage correction near San Antonio . However, some drainage problems are not as easy to identify as signs that you need drainage correction. Here is a look at some of the more subtle signs that you should investigate your drainage correction, waterproofing, and foundation repair options.

Cracks in Your Foundation

Your foundation will develop small, almost unnoticeable cracks over time, as the house settles into the foundation. However, if you discover larger cracks, particularly ones that keep growing, you may have a serious problem. Cracks that continue to widen could be the result of a drainage problem that is ruining your foundation. You should contact a general contractor or waterproofing expert for an inspection of your foundation. Your general contractor may recommend foundation repair, waterproofing your basement, and drainage correction to reduce your risk of further problems.

Mold in Your Attic

Surprisingly, the growth of mold in your attic can be related to drainage problems at your home’s foundation. Moisture in your basement or crawlspace can gradually travel upwards through your home, eventually gathering on the underside of your roof. If you don’t catch the problem early enough, your roof can develop serious structural problems. Exposure to mold growth can also contribute to or exacerbate serious health problems. Your general contractor might suggest interior basement waterproofing and exterior basement waterproofing to prevent moisture and condensation buildup. He may also recommend a French drain installation to divert storm water away from your foundation.

Deposits and Water Stains on Walls

If you notice water stains high up on your foundation walls or basement walls, water may be infiltrating the foundation via an overflowing storm gutter. If water stains extend around the perimeter of the basement in a line, it may be caused by a fluctuating water table, or storm drainage backup. White or gray deposits on your basement walls are signs that water and moisture are trapped within the walls. A contractor can perform drainage correction and a French drain installation to prevent these problems from reoccurring.

As long as the water isn’t leaking through the roof, you probably don’t give too much thought or concern to your home’s drainage. However, considering that water damage is the leading culprit of foundation problems and is responsible for millions of dollars in repairs each year, it’s important that you take steps to correct the drainage around your home. Consider some of the ways in which poor drainage can damage your home and then contact a drainage correction company in San Antonio to prevent major problems down the road.

Water Damaged Basement

If you have a basement, puddles or pooling water around your home’s foundation can eventually result in expensive water damage to your basement. Depending on the age and condition of the basement walls, the water that percolates through the soil can find its way through tiny cracks and holes around the basement. The added moisture can facilitate mold growth and further structural damage that can increase the risk for flooding, which itself can be expensive considering the water damage to furniture, electronics, and anything else you have in your basement.

Foundation Problems

The most serious threat from poor drainage is to your home’s foundation. In addition to pooling around your foundation and causing it to deteriorate over time, water that doesn’t properly drain away from your home can also cause the soil directly underneath your home to expand and contract. The shifting, swelling, and settling of the soil can cause the foundation to crack, which in turn can threaten the structural integrity of your entire home. If you recognize any of the warning signs of foundation damage , contact a foundation repair company to learn about your repair options and how drainage corrective services can prevent further foundation problems.

To prevent these and other problems associated with poor drainage, contact a foundation repair provider in San Antonio who specializes in drainage correction services, which might include basement waterproofing, French drain installation, under-slab tunneling, and slop correction.

If you have water pooling around the outside of your home every single time it rains, you are likely putting your entire house at risk and guaranteeing that you will need to have foundation repair done in the future. MitchCo Foundation Repair specializes in drainage correction serving San Antonio and can prevent your poor drainage from becoming a huge problem.

There are many different ways to eliminate drainage problems and prevent the need for foundation repair. For example, by simply installing a French drain near the area where water pools in your yard, you can transport it away from your home’s foundation. You can also have interior and exterior basement waterproofing done to stop water from seeping into your home. Slope correction, grading, and trenching are some of the other methods that we use regularly to help homeowners improve their drainage. When you call on MitchCo Foundation Repair for drainage correction, we will come to your home, inspect your property, and come up with a solution that will stop water from pooling in your yard.

Not all houses are designed to efficiently relocate water to a safe location, and this leads to serious problems and costly repairs for many homeowners. Fortunately these individuals can seek drainage correction and waterproofing near San Antonio to alleviate these concerns and enjoy the peace of mind that they deserve. Your professional drainage correction team can help you preserve the integrity of your concrete by removing excess water and moisture from the foundation of your home. Read on as we put the spotlight on drainage correction.

Water that pools around the foundation of your home can quickly find its way inside your home. When moisture is allowed to sit within the walls of your basement or the floors of your living room, complications such as structural damage and mold growth may develop over time. Your drainage correction professionals can redirect water from the foundation of your home to a safer location where it will not cause any damage. Your team of specialists can perform a range of drainage correction services including French drains, grading, swells, and basement waterproofing. These techniques will keep water from entering your living space and hindering your home’s indoor air quality and structural soundness.