How to Fix Drainage

If you have drainage problems in your yard, the result could be a flooded basement. Drainage problems may result from improper grading around your foundation. If water is diverted or trapped around your foundation, it will eventually leak into your home. The solution is to install a French drain around your foundation and to divert water from your gutters away from the foundation of your home.

Shovel
Hoe
Saw
Filtration paper
Shears
Perforated PVC pipe (4 inches) including fittings
Pipe sealant (epoxy)
Gravel

Instructions

- 1
  Excavate a trench (1 foot wide) around the foundation of your home with a shovel. Dig down to the concrete footing. Slope the trench along the foundation with a hoe; grade it at a slope that is 1 inch for every 10 feet of length.
- 2
  Cut filtration paper with shears to the width and length of the trench. Lay it in the bottom of the trench.
- 3
  Place PVC pipe over the filtration paper; use the saw to cut it to the length that you need. Use the PVC fittings to connect the pipe. Smear the connection ends with the epoxy before connecting the sections.
- 4
  Shovel a layer of gravel over the PVC pipe to a depth of 6 inches. Place another layer of filtration paper over the gravel.
- 5
  Shovel the topsoil you removed into the trench to ground level to complete the French drain.

Water Removal Tools

Problems With Wet Basements

Flood Damage