Every year, major storms seem to get more intense and less predictable, even in some areas where dry weather is common and drought can be extensive. Knowing that a storm’s volume of precipitation can put enormous strain on a property’s landscaping and the building’s foundation, it’s important to ensure that all rain falling on the entire area of a sloped roof gets properly shed away from the building’s perimeter. Without an extensive eave overhang or gutters and downspouts to direct the water away, the soil around the foundation is susceptible to erosion.
As an additional precaution, it’s important to ensure that the area around your foundation is impervious to excessive rain and that it slopes away from the house. Likewise, the soil beyond this perimeter needs to be able to handle the volume directed towards it by the eave extensions or gutters and downspouts. Considerations include a grass lawn, or a flower or rock garden. Further away from the home, it’s important to know that your street sewer, road ditch or culvert can handle excessive volumes of water – and to understand what might happen if it overflowed or backed up. If your road drainage system is questionable, consider discussing it with your municipality.
