Is the pool of water gathering outside my living room due to a dry-rotted downspout extension, and would adding topsoil prevent water settling near the foundation on the concrete slab?
We got a few inches of snow in Pennsylvania recently, and when I went outside, I saw some water gathering by my living room. Turns out the downspout extension by the corner was all dried up and leaking water from the bottom, which is probably why the water is pooling there.
I replaced the downspout extension yesterday, and now it’s raining heavily. I checked outside and the water is flowing out of the downspout extension properly, but there’s still a puddle by my living room. The snow melted and now the rain is making everything super wet.
I might be overthinking this, but I’m thinking of adding some topsoil there to prevent the water from settling next to the foundation. That part of the house is on a concrete slab, so I want to make sure it stays dry.
It appears there is a depression in the turf causing water to pool. This may be the reason why the water is not draining properly.
Definitely make sure to keep the soil away from the siding – I’d fill it in a bit, consider a longer downspout extension, and see if that helps. It’s no wonder the first one rotted with the water not having anywhere to go with the drain uphill. You’ll need to address that issue.
Based on the photo, I don’t think adding more fill will solve the problem. As you mentioned, he can’t bring the fill up to the siding. Fixing this issue won’t be easy without knowing the overall slope of the property. If the slope starts descending a few feet away from the house, burying the extension below grade could be a good solution.
Might have to raise the downspout a little higher to achieve the proper angle.
Great idea, !
I was actually thinking the same thing, .
Make sure to extend your downspout at least 4 feet away from your foundation. Consider installing a French drain for better drainage. You can find helpful tutorials on YouTube for guidance.
I’m currently in western Pennsylvania, and I think it’s due to the crazy amount of rain we’ve been getting lately. Our downspouts are overflowing and the ground is completely soaked from the quick melting snow and heavy rainstorms. We’re all battling Mother Nature at the moment.
Make sure to properly fill the hole and grade the area so that water is directed away from the foundation.
Remember, you should only grade up to the bottom of your siding to avoid bigger trouble. Feel free to grade as much as possible, but I’d recommend trimming the downspout for a better angle to divert water away from the house.
Let’s dig a temporary trench to divert it away from your foundation.
How about digging a hole about 5 feet away from that corner and making it 4 feet deep? Fill it with rocks and create a small canal from the corner that is 1 foot deep and fill that with rocks as well (soak pit).
Based on this picture, it seems like you’re discharging uphill from the downspout? Getting a wider angle view would be helpful. The best time to assess water flow is during a heavy rainfall. I usually take a flashlight and walk around the house for a better look. It appears there’s erosion in that hole, so leveling it would be a good idea. If you don’t have space to add more soil, digging a trench to divert the water would be my first step, followed by actions based on a wider photo.
Definitely need a slope leading away from the house to prevent water from collecting near the foundation. There should also be a minimum of nine inches from ground level to the top of the concrete foundation.