Why Is Water Pooling Near My Tucson Foundation?

In Tucson, some people notice it right after rain. The sun is out again, but there still is a wet patch near the side of the house. Maybe it is a small puddle or maybe just damp soil.

This usually points to one thing – roof runoff not being directed far enough away from the home. Gutters could be catching the rain, but the water is not getting channeled into the yard.

That’s something CR Gutters, Inc.™ runs into pretty regularly when looking at drainage problems around Tucson. A lot of houses have downspouts that end right near the wall. During a monsoon storm the roof sheds a lot of water fast; and all of it ends up landing in the same patch of soil. After a while that spot starts holding water.

Why this is more common than people expect

Rain may not be constant in Tucson, but when it does come down hard.

Monsoon storms can dump a lot of water in just a short burst. Roofs shed that runoff almost immediately.

If the downspout is short, the water drops straight beside the house. The next storm does the same thing. So does the next one. Eventually the ground changes a bit. Soil loosens. Small channels form. Sometimes the ground dips slightly and starts collecting water.

A few things usually cause it:

• Downspouts that stop too close to the house
• Gutters partly clogged with debris
• Heavy roof runoff during storms
• Ground sloping toward the foundation

Tucson stays dry most of the year. Still, repeated bursts of water in the same spot can create problems.

Clues homeowners sometimes notice first

Pooling water is usually the final stage. Before that, there are smaller hints.

People around Tucson sometimes notice:

• Soil washing away near the downspout
• Damp areas that dry slowly
• Small trenches in the dirt after rain
• Patio edges catching runoff

None of these look dramatic. But together they usually mean the water isn’t draining far enough from the house.

When CR Gutters, Inc.™ checks systems in Tucson, the fix is often simpler than homeowners expect.

A small change that usually helps

Extending the downspout is one of the easiest solutions.

The extension carries it farther into the yard. Most installers recommend sending it four to six feet away from the foundation.

That small bit of distance spreads the runoff out and keeps the same spot from getting soaked during every storm. In most cases, that alone stops the pooling.

Installation of downspout extensions in Tucson properties usually costs $100-$300, depending on how many outlets need to be extended. This type of improvement is usually fairly small work.

Does water keep appearing beside your home after storms? Get the gutter drainage system adjusted. Runoff pools near foundation usually due to short downspouts and clogged gutters.

Call CR Gutters, Inc.™ at (602) 671-3476 for improving gutter drainage in Tucson. Let our experts check where the runoff is landing and how to move it farther away.