It's Freezing!

It's cold out!  Things will freeze.  Be aware of some items on the exterior of your home that could be potential problems.

Ice dams occur when snow collects on your roof and a cycle of melting and refreezing occurs.  This can cause a lot of water damage inside your home.  Keep gutters clear as best you can.

Sump pump discharge pipes cannot freeze.  Backup of the sump pump can cause flooding into the basement and also burn out your pump motor.  Check this every few days to be sure that your water is running out and away from the home's foundation.  Sometimes burying this pipe and routing it away from the home's foundation is a good option.

Keeping window wells as clear as possible will help with keeping water out of your basement as well.  Covers over the window wells in the winter is not a bad idea to keep water from leaking through the windows.

   

Merry Christmas to All!

Integrity Drainage Solutions wishes you all a very, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We look forward to the thaw of 2015 and helping our customers with their drainage needs.

Drainage: Priority Number One.

Proper drainage means that water is always moving away from your home's foundation. 

At Integrity Drainage Solutions, we always consider possible grade changes when making landscaping improvements to be sure we direct water away from the home. 

During the building process, a new homeowner should be very attentive to ensure that all contractors involved are mindful of the grading and the drainage. 

Integrity Drainage Solutions works with you so you have a clear understanding of how your property's drainage system will work.

Grading, New or Existing, is Very Important

During the building process, a new homeowner should be very attentive to ensure that all contractors involved are mindful of the grading and the drainage.  Make sure your drainage system moves water away from your foundation and not on to your neighbor’s property.   

At Integrity Drainage Solutions, we always consider possible grade changes when making landscaping changes to be sure we direct water away from the home.  We work with you so you have a clear understanding of how your property's drainage system will work.  

A Bit About Window Wells

Window wells are necessary when basement windows are fully or partially below the grade of your home.  

Some of the problems a homeowner may encounter include: clogging, poor drainage and old age.  This can cause foundational problems and water in your basement.  

One of the best things you yourself can do to protect against these situations is to take a walk around your house on a regular basis and clean out the window wells.  Wear gloves!  Window wells tend to collect all sorts of unappealing goodies such as leaves, garbage, and even animals that cannot escape. 

 

Ideally, the bottom of the window well should contain nothing but several inches of gravel to allow water to drain from the well.

 

If you are experiencing poor drainage issues, it is best to ask an expert to check your window wells and the pitch around your home to ensure proper drainage is happening.  

Drain Tiles

An efficient use of a drain tile system is an excellent approach to supplement the benefits of proper grading.  A 4" perforated drain tile backfilled with limestone chips will absorb seepage (underground water) under the center of the swale or other appropriate areas.  Considering these pipes may freeze in a typical Wisconsin winter, they should be used as a secondary drainage solution.

A Pitched Swale

At Integrity Drainage Solutions, we have simple, effective, scientific philosophy for exterior drainage: Water flows downhill. We create a path of least resistance to control or move water away from its undesired location around the exterior of your home.

We use a precise and technical approach. For example, surface runoff, a common drainage problem, can be effectively resolved by adjusting the grade so the water flows downhill and your exterior drainage runs away from your structures. We design efficient exterior drainage solutions to cost-effectively meet your needs and create a positive pitch away from your home. Call for a free consultation today.