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Water Issues Inside the Home

Home maintenance isn't always the first pick on how to spend a weekend, but it's essential to being a homeowner.

Over the last few weeks, Central Iowa has received a lot of rain, bringing the spring season right along with it! While it’s been great to see grasses turn green, trees bud, and flowerbeds regain their color, all the added rain has included some not-so-great side effects too. Not only are local farmers struggling to get into the fields, but many local homeowners are also running into problems in town.

As heavy rains fell, many locals discovered standing water in various places inside their homes. After further research, one thing has been made clear: an area of homeownership that can get overlooked is the importance of keeping drainage tiles clean.

What Is Foundation Drain Tile?

Foundation drain tile is the perforated pipe installed against a home’s foundation. Covered with gravel, the tile drains water away from the foundation of the house, protecting the foundation from water damage. In order to play its part, it has to be maintained with regular cleaning. If not, the drain may become clogged with dirt or debris and water will drain slowly or not at all, potentially creating a major problem.

How to Clean and Maintain Foundation Tile

Sewer Snake

Find the location of the collection point for your drain tile system. This is where the system connects to surface drains or downspout connections from around the home; it can be housed beneath a grate or in a small housing of its own. You will need to uncouple any connecting pipes to access the drain tile pipe for the home. From there, run a sewer snake down the drainpipe to clear any blockage within the pipe. The snake is turned manually or with a drill to clear any potential blockage.

Water Flush

Once the drain has been snaked, it’s a good idea to flush the system with water to clear out any remnants. A hose at any connection point (including the one you first disconnected to access the drain system) will provide you with water directly from the side of your home. Alternatively, a power washer with the tip inserted into the drainpipe to add some extra pressure will help push things through and clean debris.

Unfortunately, you may find this does not fix the problem and you may have a larger issue at play. In some cases, a blockage may be so bad it will require excavating, cleaning the debris, fixing the pipe if necessary, and then refilling the trench with the proper combination of gravel, sand, and dirt.

Never Underestimate Routine Home Maintenance

Whether or not water has found its way into the home, one thing has been made abundantly clear over the last few weeks: routine checks and maintenance around a home are important! As the season's change and various new types of weather make their way into the area, it’s incredibly vital to stay up to date with all aspects of the home, season to season, year to year.

Oh - and if you’re unsure about correctly cleaning the drain tile system - call me! As your local realtor, I’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

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