The Benefit of Residential Grading

Residential grading is something that many homeowners don’t think about until they are having a problem with it. Proper residential grading does its job subtly, by drawing water away from the foundation of your home and watering your landscaping. Why is residential grading so important, and what can happen if your grading isn’t, well, up to grade?

The Importance of Residential Grading

The biggest enemy of every homeowner is all around us—moisture. Water that gets into your home can cause a whole host of problems, from basement water damage, to foundation problems, to mold and mildew. As these problems progress, they can actually destroy a home entirely. Mold spores can cause health problems that have severe negative side effects. A perpetually-wet basement will also harm your home’s foundation.

 

Residential grading is the best way to prevent your home from having issues with moisture. Residential grading is the practice of adjusting the slope of the land around your home so that it pulls water away from your foundation and towards a drain in your yard or a storm drain away from your home. As a general rule of thumb, your residential grading should decrease 6 inches every 10 feet away that you are from the home’s foundation. This means that the area 10 feet away from your home should be 6 inches lower than the area next to your foundation. The area 20 feet away from your home should be 6 inches lower than that, or 1 foot total lower than the area next to your foundation.

Check Your Grading

If you are concerned about your residential grading, you can easily check it yourself. Grab some string, a level, and a tape measure and head outside. Place one stake right next to your home. Measure 10 feet and place the other stake the in the ground. Attach the string to each stake and then examine the length to see if it is level. Finally, measure the distance from the string to the ground. If it’s not quite correct, give All Aspects Waterproofing a call.

Residential Grading from All Aspects Waterproofing

If you are ready to get a professional to waterproof your home’s basement, contact All Aspects Waterproofing, a Better Business Bureau A+ rated company with over 30 years of experience in the Washington, DC./Maryland/Virginia area. We have a great deal of experience in waterproofing, mold testing, and mold remediation, and we want to make you feel at home again. Contact us online or by calling 1-866-999-3110 or 301-766-4420.  To see what we’re up to, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Houzz.