DIY guideGround and drainage

Watch where the water goes in a heavy rain

Walk round in a downpour or just after: see where the water runs and sits, mark it, and check the basement.

8 steps

Tap a step to watch it again.

Put on a rain jacket and boots and walk round while it's pouring, or straight after.
Thunder or lightning? Wait inside until it has passed.
From the ground, look for water spilling over the gutters instead of running to the downspouts.
Each should let the water out well away from the wall, and the water should keep running away.
Look for water sitting against the foundation, running toward it, or filling a window well.
Note low spots where water sits, and where it runs in from the street or a neighbour's yard.
Push a flag in where water sits, and take a short video of where it runs.
Afterwards, look at the basement walls and floor near the spots you marked for damp or drips.
Water that sits against the foundation, or gets into the basement: ask Handyman for a drainage pro.

Handyman says: Water getting in? I'll find a drainage pro.

Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.