Proper Drainage for Your Property: A Homeowner’s Guide

Proper drainage for your property is critical to maintaining the structural integrity of your home and preventing costly water damage. Municipal grading plans, drainage systems like swales or catch basins, and careful homeowner maintenance all play a role in ensuring water flows safely away from your foundation. Understanding and managing these elements can protect your property and your neighbour’s land while complying with local regulations.

This guide outlines practical steps to ensure proper drainage, maintain grading, and address common issues such as standing water or soil settlement.


Grading Basics: How Your Property Handles Water

Municipal grading plans ensure each property drains effectively during normal rainfall. These plans often involve sloping the clay subsoil away from the house and directing water toward streets or designated drainage systems. Final grading may occur after construction, with homeowners in some areas responsible for completing this step.


Identifying and Resolving Drainage Issues

Addressing Water Ponding Near Foundations

Standing water near your foundation can lead to basement leaks and structural damage. Heavy rainfall or prolonged storms can exacerbate these issues.

Steps to Fix Ponding Issues:

  1. Identify Depressions: Look for areas of soil settlement caused by construction or natural settling.
  2. Fill with Compacted Clay: Remove topsoil and fill the depression with compacted clay to create a slope. Avoid using topsoil, as it absorbs water and worsens drainage issues.

Essential Drainage Maintenance Tips

  1. Preserve Drainage Patterns: Avoid altering your property’s general drainage layout without consulting municipal authorities.
  2. Respect Neighbors’ Properties: Never divert water onto neighboring properties, as this is both unethical and against regulations.
  3. Maintain Window Wells: Keep window wells clear of debris to prevent blockages and ensure proper drainage. Avoid planting flowers in window wells, as they can obstruct drains.
  4. Monitor Soil Settlement: Expect some soil settlement near basement walls. Refill depressions with clay to maintain a positive slope.
  5. Clear Snow and Ice: Clear drains each spring to ensure pathways for melting snow and ice are unobstructed.
A landscaped yard with visible sloping to ensure water drainage away from the home.

Proper grading ensures water flows away from your home to prevent damage.


Landscaping for Effective Drainage

When landscaping near your home, it’s essential to maintain a 10% slope of the clay subsoil away from the foundation. This ensures water flows outward rather than pooling near the house.

Additional Tips:

  • Use gravel or mulch in planting beds to facilitate water movement.
  • Avoid creating barriers, such as retaining walls, that trap water near your home.

Why Proper Drainage Matters

Proper drainage for your property protects your home from water damage, preserves the integrity of your landscaping, and ensures compliance with local regulations. Regular maintenance of drainage systems, grading, and landscaping can prevent costly repairs and promote a healthy, functional property.

City of Edmonton Residential Lot Grading Guidelines

By understanding and maintaining your property’s drainage, you safeguard your home’s foundation, landscape, and long-term value.