Happy Father's Day!

Dads like hard work and relaxing!

Creating excellent drainage in the yard so Dad can enjoy watering the grass and garden beds is what Integrity Drainage Solutions is all about.

We'll find the right solution that may include beautiful retaining walls or dry river beds.

Fix Your Drainage!

The best way to prevent major water damage costs for your home: Fix your drainage! 

Improper drainage leads to gradual foundation damage.  You can go for years and barely notice a problem.  Then you reach a tipping point, and foundation damage can be a costly nightmare.

Foundation drainage problems can result from too much moisture.  Standing water around your home, large amounts of water dumped by gutter downspouts, or a negative slope of the area around your home can cause saturated soil, which seeps into, and eventually erodes, your foundation.

Do you see excessive puddling or ponding around your home after a heavy rain?  Do your basement walls dribble water?  Do you have small yet slowly growing cracks in your basement walls?  All of the above questions are warning signs of foundation issues.

Celebrate. Honor. Remember.

On Memorial Day we can celebrate our freedom and remember those who have served, so bravely and selflessly, our wonderful country.

All we can say is we thank you.  We honor you.  We never forget your service and sacrifice.

Fix a Negative Pitch

Mold and structural foundation damage are problems that may occur in homes with improper drainage.  A negative pitch of the grade provides a direct path for water toward a home while adding harmful hydrostatic pressure and voiding home foundation warranties.  During the winter months, water near a foundation wall can freeze and expand, therefore, providing additional damaging pressure.

Spring Tips for Exterior Drainage

At this time of year, during the Winter thaw and the Spring rains to come, it is very important to check a few items around your home. 

 

Make sure gutters and downspouts are attached properly to the home.  Tighten any loose gutters and reconnect any unattached downspouts to help keep water away from the house.  It is imperative that gutters and downspouts are clear and free-flowing.

If there is standing water against the home's foundation, eventually it could find its way into your home.  Have a drainage professional re-grade around your home’s foundation.  Creating a positive and lasting pitch away from the home is important.  It is a gradual pitch that an exterior drainage specialist can measure for you.  It is never recommended to landscape around the home’s foundation without a proper pitch and grade.

Spring Thaw...Choose to Enjoy It or Dread It.

Winter in Wisconsin brings a lot of snow.  In early March, when the thaw begins, the sound of water draining from the gutters is a welcome sound of Spring for some homeowners.  For others it is followed by the dreaded sound of a sump pump running...and running...and running.  If the sump pump cannot keep up, water backup can occur.  Often this is mistakenly diagnosed as an interior water issue.  However, it is also likely to be an exterior drainage issue.  Integrity Drainage Solutions specializes in moving water away from your home's exterior foundation.  Ensuring a positive pitch away from the home's foundation is key.  This can be accomplished in many ways, from a swale to a drain tile system. 

Redirecting water away from your home and yard can turn the Spring thaw into an exciting experience in the anticipation of enjoying your yard all Summer long.

      

Downspout Extensions

The goal of your gutter/downspout system is to deliver water from the large roof area away from the foundation of your home. To aid in this goal, we recommend buried downspout extensions on all downspouts.

We use a High-density polyethylene (HDPE) which is a very strong and corrosion-resistant piping.

Hydrostatic Pressure: A Hazard of Improper Drainage

A negative pitch of the grade around the exterior of your home's foundation provides a direct path for water toward the home.  This adds harmful hydrostatic pressure and can void home warranties.  The foundation may show signs of hydrostatic pressure by having cracks on the interior walls.  Structural foundation damage are problems that occur in homes with improper drainage.
 

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.  

New Office, New Yard - Part 3

Time to change our sign and elevate the look as we continue to renovate and remodel our new building and yard.  This week we demolished the old sign and are building a new sign using Olde Quarry Stone, Copthorne inlays and Ledgestone.  Truly impressive work by our very skilled crew!

Retaining Walls - Functional and Beautiful

Retaining walls can be both functional and beautiful. 

A well-built retaining wall can provide support for keeping your garden's topsoil in place, be helpful in preventing flooding and other water damage, prevent erosion and prevent damage to property or surrounding structures.

Retaining walls can be built with some of the most beautiful types of brick and stone.  The color options and styles abound.  Your yard becomes a park when you combine plants and bushes with your new retaining wall.

 

New Office, New Yard - Part 2

We are in the very beginning stages of our front yard remodel and our grass seed is coming in!  The underground drains have proven to work beautifully, especially with these heavy rains we've been experiencing.  We couldn't be happier with the progress.  Stay tuned for more updates as we work toward creating our amazing outdoor showroom!  

New Office, New Yard!

We've started the work on the exterior at our new office.  We are no exception when it comes to having good and proper drainage.  Our crew is prepping the yard for the new swales.  Stay tuned as the process goes on to see what will be a beautiful outdoor showroom for Integrity Drainage Solutions, LLC.   

 

Foundation Issues

Mold and structural foundation damage are problems that may occur in homes with improper drainage.  A negative pitch of the grade provides a direct path for water toward a home while adding harmful hydrostatic pressure and voiding home foundation warranties.  During the winter months, water near a foundation wall will freeze and expand, therefore providing additional damaging pressure.

Standing Water

Eliminating standing water in your yard is important.  Standing water inhibits the use of your yard and creates the perfect environment for mold, mosquitoes and other pests.  Integrity Drainage Solutions recommends you inspect your property when it rains this spring!

Don't be Soggy on Father's Day

We'd like to salute all the fathers we know on this Father's Day, 2013. We thank you for providing for us, protecting us, and guiding us the loving way only fathers can.

After yesterday’s heavy rains, it is vital that you inspect your basement and property for exterior drainage issues. Is there dribbling water down your basement walls or by your basement windows? Do you have mini-ponds of standing water for days after a heavy rain? Does the water seem to be draining toward your home, not away from it?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, we suggest you call Integrity Drainage Solutions today to arrange a free consultation.

Did you know exterior drainage problems affect 60% of all homeowners? Drainage problems may be seasonal or can develop over time. Typically, homeowners go for years before they even realize they have a persistent problem. These drainage issues will continue to worsen as water settles property features such as lawn areas, patios, driveways, and foundations, often causing preventable damage and expense.

After a heavy rain, inspect your home and property for any of these signs of water damage:

• Mold buildup,
• standing water ponding,
• mushy lawn areas,
• foundation issues,
• damp walls,
• water on basement floor.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

With yesterday’s heavy rains adding to a wet May’s above-average 2013 totals, it is probably time to address your exterior drainage issues. Do you see standing water puddles and ponds? Does the water run toward your home? Do you see any leaks flowing into your basement windows or walls? Answer yes to any of the previous questions and you face exterior drainage challenges.

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

#AtoZChallenge – Positive Pitch Away

If you are experiencing standing water or basement wall drips or puddles after all this rain, stay positive by going positive: turn to the experts at Integrity Drainage Solutions to create a positive pitch away from you home.

During a heavy rain, water provides unwanted hydrostatic pressure to a home's foundation or may flood a backyard or basement. Improperly pitched property provides a direct path for water to move toward a home. This causes wet walls or flooding, often leading to mold inside the home.

By adjusting the grade to a positive pitch away, Integrity Drainage Experts redirect water away from your home and off the property. Installing a yard drain or 'French Drain' (a.k.a. drain tile) will add to the benefits of property grading.

The systems used by Integrity Drainage Solutions move water away from your home or area of concern using a precise and technical approach. Most homes do not need extensive waterproofing or foundation repair that others often suggest. Call today for a free consultation. And don’t forget to ask about the April discount!