If you live on a slope, there are several ways you can divert water from your house. One way is to install gutters and downspouts. This will help channel water away from your foundation. Another way to redirect water is to grade your landscaping, so it slopes away from your house. You can also create a drainage ditch or swale to carry water away from your home.
20 Ways to divert water from your house on a slope.
1. Use a rain barrel.
A rain barrel is a container that collects rainwater and stores it until it can be reused later. It can be placed outside, including on a deck or patio, and can hold up to 1,000 gallons of water. When you use the water, you'll need to drain it into a hose or bucket and then pour it into your plants.
2. Plant and maintain grasses, shrubs, and flowers.
Plant and maintain grasses, shrubs, and flowers in some slope areas to control and/or slow erosion.
Grasses, shrubs, and flowers help control erosion by holding soil in place. They can also provide shade for your plants and ground cover if you're planting on a steep hillside with a lot of bare soil exposed to eroding rainwater. It's important to plant these plants with their roots facing downward at an angle, miming how they would grow naturally in nature.
This will give them enough stability to withstand strong winds or heavy rains without being damaged by rainwater or windblown debris like sand or rocks that could otherwise cause erosion problems along the hillside where it meets your house's foundation.
3. Downspout Extensions.
An extension of your downspout directs water away from your foundation into a storm drain.
4. Swales.
A swale is an area where the soil has been graded to direct water away from your foundation and towards a natural drainage system.
5. Ditch.
A ditch is created by grading the soil to direct water away from the foundation.
6. Drainage Pipes.
If you don’t want to dig a trench, you can pipe water away from your foundation using PVC piping.
7. Landscaping
Planting trees, shrubs, and other vegetation around your property help keep water out of your yard.
8. Mulch
Adding mulch to your landscape slows water from flowing through the soil. It also keeps weeds at bay.
9. Rain Gauges
Rain gauges measure rainfall and tell you when to collect rainwater.
10. Rain Shower Heads
Rain shower heads allow you to control the water coming from your roof.
11. Build a retaining wall to prevent runoff.
If you have a sloping area of your yard, build a retaining wall. This will help prevent water from flowing down the slope and into your home.
You can use concrete, stone, or wood to build the wall; just make sure it's at least 1.5 times the height of your slope, so it doesn't get washed away by rain or snowmelt.
Ensure the retaining wall is properly anchored with steel rods driven deep into the earth (at least 12 inches).
If you're using concrete blocks for your wall, make sure they're connected with metal connectors and mortar every 2 feet along their entire length—and don't forget to seal between each block before filling in any gaps with more mortar.
12. Lay sod over sloping areas.
You can lay sod over sloping areas to create an immediate barrier against erosion until the roots of newly planted seeds can take hold and do their job of holding soil in place. Sod is also a great option for covering bare ground or bare dirt.
13. Rain Barrel Storage Tanks
A storage tank holds collected rainwater until needed.
14. Rain Gardens
Rain gardens are planted areas that collect rainwater and filter it before it flows into streams and rivers.
15. Rainfall Gutter
A rainfall gutter is a device that catches rainwater as it falls from your roof.
16. Build a berm along the edge of the slope to prevent runoff.
A berm is a wall built along the slope's edge to slow down runoff. Berms are built with a slope of 2:1 or 3:1 (meaning they rise twice as high as they’re wide), which is steep enough to prevent erosion and flooding but not so steep that it becomes difficult to build.
The berm can be constructed from wood, stone, or concrete blocks. If you go with wood, make sure your posts are set in concrete at least 8” deep, so they don't rot under heavy rain or snowmelt.
17. Cut swales into the slope to divert water flow.
Cutting swales into the slope is an effective way to divert water away from your house. Swales are trenches that are cut into the ground at a 45-degree angle. They can be made with any sharp object, like a shovel or axe, and they should be deep enough so that all of the water flowing down the slope will run through it and not around it (typically 2–3 feet deep).
Once you've dug out your swale, clear any debris out of its path so that all of the water will flow through it instead of just pooling on top in place of where your house used to stand before this whole thing went down.
18. Install rain gutters.
Rain gutters are an easy, effective way to divert water from your house. They attach directly to the roof and channel water away from your home. They save you money by protecting against costly foundation damage and improving air quality with their aerodynamic shape.
Here's how they work: Rain gutters are usually made of aluminum or vinyl-coated steel that attaches directly to the roof at an angle between 25 and 45 degrees (the longer the gutter pipe, the steeper it needs to be). The top edge of these gutters is slanted toward downspouts or drains that lead water away from the house itself. You can purchase pre-made rain garden systems online if you don't want to install them yourself; just make sure that whatever system you get includes all necessary parts before starting installation. If not, some research and order might be required.
19. Waterproof your basement.
- Waterproof your basement. If you have a basement, waterproof it using one of the following methods:
- Plastic sheeting or tarps may be used to cover a basement floor or walls and should be changed regularly. However, they are not as effective as other methods and can only be used on flat surfaces.
- The most common way is to use an impermeable barrier such as polyethylene sheeting that has been pre-cut into panels that fit together like puzzle pieces; this method requires some expertise and experience in installation but will last longer than plastic tarping.
- Another option is to install a drainage system under the basement floor so that water on the ground surface drains down into pipes leading out of your home (this system needs professional installation). This can also provide extra space for storage if needed; however, it does require more work than simply laying down tarping over existing ground surfaces where there may already be drainage pipes present from previous uses, such as swimming pools or laundry facilities near backyards with high water tables (elevated levels at which groundwater exists).
20. Use French drains.
French drains, also known as open-graded or perforated drain tiles, are gravel-filled trenches that allow water to drain away from your house.
They can be expensive to install and require in-ground excavation, but they're a great option for areas with no gutters or the soil is too steep for them. French drains work best when installed between 1 and 2 feet away from your house and slope downward at a rate of 1/4 inch per foot until reaching an outlet such as a dry well or ditch (you'll need more than one outlet if you have heavy rains).
20 Ways to Divert Water from Your House on a Slope. FAQs.
1. What common methods for diverting water from your house on a slope?
There are several methods for diverting water from your house on a slope. One is to use a french drain, a trench dug out and lined with gravel. The other is to use a rain gutter, which can be installed on the roof of your house.
2. What is the best way to divert water from your house on a slope?
The best way to divert water from your house on a slope is by using a diversion ditch.
3. Which methods of diverting water from your house on a slope can be done without professional help?
There are a few methods that can be done without professional help.
One way is to use water diverting tiles. These tiles will allow the water to flow into a gutter, which can be connected to the downspouts on your roof. This is a good option for houses on small slopes or flat roofs.
4. What are some drawbacks of using these methods to divert water from your house on a slope?
There are many ways to divert water from your house on a slope, but there are some drawbacks to every method. Some drawbacks include that they can be expensive and difficult to install.
5. What are some of the most important questions when choosing a way to divert water from your house on a slope?
The best way to divert water from your house on a slope depends on the slope of the land, the type and amount of water that needs to be diverted, and the size of your property.
The best way to divert water from your house on a slope depends on:
- The slope of the land.
- The type and amount of water that needs to be diverted.
- The size of your property.
So you need to ask about these things when choosing a way to convert water from your house into a slop.
Conclusion
In conclusion, these 20 ways to divert water from your house on a slope will help to protect your home and property from the damaging effects of water. By taking the time to implement these simple tips, you can avoid costly repairs and keep your home safe and dry.
