Wet Basements - Regrading Soil - Downspouts, November 6, 2006
Good Monday Evening!
The leaves are turning color and they are falling quickly. It is certainly that time of year to break out the rake and go to work. Of course it can be fun too - we were just raking a leaf pile for our kids - and the 4 year old had a blast jumping in that pile over and over!
In the fall it's also a good time before the cold weather sets in to regrade the soil around your home. I've noticed a major cause of wet basements in homes is negative grading around the perimeter of the house - meaning the grade is sloping down towards the house. A little bit of effort to regrade up to 10 feet away from the house (sloping to what's called a positive grade) can go a long way in eliminating problems with wet basements. Also, make sure down spouts have extensions for at least 5 to 10 feet. For those who want to get more specific, according to the latest home inspection report I've received, "soil or ground cover should slope 1 inch per foot away from the foundation for at least 10 feet. "
For more information, contact me at 302-999-6966 and I can put you in touch with a reputable home inspector who can evaluate your property before you sell, to let you know what to correct before putting your home on the market - this also gives buyers more comfort in bidding on your property. And of course, if you're looking to buy - we always recommend a home inspection to protect you from purchasing a home with issues that need to be corrected immediately.
Have a super week - and by the way - if you know of anyone looking to buy or sell real estate please refer them to us - we'll take good care of them.
And here's your Monday Morning Coffee (yes, it's arriving in the evening - it was slow to brew today :)