Spring is a great time of the year. The days are getting longer, the snow is melting, the grass gets greener by the day. Most homeowners are looking forward to putting the winter months of shoveling snow in the cold behind them. Some homeowners are wishing they had been more selective in their snow removal process. When it is cold out and you just want to quickly shovel your driveway or the walkway from your garage to your house, you are not really thinking about the slope to your driveway or yard. Come spring you might wish you had.
Homeowners who have piled snow up against their home or close to their detached garage may now have to face the consequences of that decision. Melting snow has to find somewhere to go and now that path you shovelled all winter to walk along can make a great path for water straight to your garage door.
When a home is built the City of Edmonton has regulations put in place (Drainage Bylaw 18093) to direct surface runoff away from your home and towards a back lane or street. This is meant to control the flow of water away from your home or garage where it can cause flooding or erosion issues. That being said, if you have piled snow the sloping of your yard might not be enough to get water away from structures. It is always best practice to pile snow away from your homes foundation and to ensure that the snow you are removing from your walkway between the garage and home is pushed farther away to the sides of your yard so it does not flow towards the garage when melting.
When you have an increased amount of snow around the foundation of your home the current safeguard you have in place may not be enough to prevent water from penetrating your home. Things like weeping tile, sump pumps, water membranes on the exterior concrete, downspout extensions all help to prevent water from seeping into your basement.
If you have taken proper precautions during the winter with your snow removal and you still get water in your basement in the spring or after a heavy summer rainfall, then it is likely in your best interests to contact an expert!
