What should I know about water, drainage, and grading around a Colorado Springs home?

The most common problem: water that keeps coming back

Usually it's pretty simple. Picture a downspout or a sump pump discharge pipe that ends a foot or two from the house. The water lands, soaks down along the foundation, and gets picked up by the perimeter drain (sometimes called a French drain) that runs around the basement. That drain carries it to the sump pit, the pump pushes it back out the same short pipe, and the cycle starts over. The pump runs more than it needs to and wears out sooner, and if it fails or falls behind in a heavy storm, the water has nowhere to go but toward the basement.

It's one of the things I see home inspectors point out most often.

The fix is usually inexpensive:

• Extend every downspout and the sump discharge so water lands well away from the house. The Colorado Geological Survey recommends discharging water no closer than 5 feet from the foundation. Extensions, splash blocks, or a buried line that runs to daylight all work.
• Keep gutters clean and flowing. The same guidance suggests checking them twice a year, in spring and fall.
• Point the sump line somewhere safe. It shouldn't flow back toward your house, onto a neighbor's foundation, or across a sidewalk where it can freeze. A plumber can tell you where it can be discharged.

Why water near the foundation matters more in Colorado Springs

Many soils in the Pikes Peak region contain clays that swell when they get wet and shrink as they dry. Water pooling or soaking in next to a foundation is one of the main things that sets that movement off, and it can show up as cracked or heaved slabs and, in worse cases, foundation movement. What expansive soils mean for Colorado Springs buyers and which foundation cracks are serious go deeper.

Landscaping plays a part too. The Colorado Geological Survey's homeowner guidance on swelling soils recommends keeping flowers and shrubs at least 5 feet from the foundation, keeping sprinklers from spraying within 5 feet, and planting trees at least 15 feet away. A heavy afternoon thunderstorm or a fast spring melt can put a lot of water against a house at once, so the basics matter.

When the yard slopes toward the house

That one's harder. The fix is literally changing the grade, which usually means bringing in soil and reshaping the ground so it falls away from the house.

• What the code expects. The Pikes Peak Regional Building Department enforces the 2021 International Residential Code, which generally requires the ground to fall at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet from the foundation where the lot allows. The Colorado Geological Survey recommends a steeper slope near the house where soils swell.
• Backfill settles. Soil next to a foundation often settles over the years, so a yard that drained well when the home was built can slowly create a low spot against the wall.
• Don't bury the siding. Added soil should stay below the siding and away from window wells.
• Hard surfaces count. Patios, walks, and driveways that tilt toward the house send water the wrong way.
• Bigger problems need a specialist. If water comes from a neighbor's lot or the slope can't be fixed with soil, a drainage contractor, landscaper, or civil engineer can design a swale or other solution.

Signs worth a closer look

• Downspouts or the sump line ending right at the house
• A sump pump that runs often, or runs when it hasn't rained
• Soil that has settled or pulled away from the foundation
• Water stains, white mineral deposits, or a musty smell in the basement
• Water standing in window wells or against the house after a storm
• Cracked or heaved concrete that tilts toward the house

How it plays out between a buyer and seller

It's any combination: the seller fixes it, gives a credit, or the buyer takes it on. It depends on the severity, and that's what decides whether I'd recommend my buyer ask for anything at all.

When I'm on the listing side, I look at a drainage issue and say, this is likely going to be pointed out by a buyer and by an inspector, so be prepared for it. Then the seller can make their choice about what to do. Simple fixes like downspout extensions often cost little and take an easy objection off the table.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Sellers: known water problems belong on Colorado's Seller's Property Disclosure. What Colorado Springs sellers disclose explains how it works.
• Buyers: ask the seller about past water in the basement, and use your inspection deadline to look closely. What contingencies to consider covers those deadlines.

When water gets inside: an example

Someone once called me for a referral during a major rainstorm. Their perimeter drain had backed up and overflowed into the basement. The first job was stopping the damage. Once the rain stopped, a water damage restoration company came in to dry everything out and deal with mold and anything else that could have been a hazard. Then general contractors handled the repairs.

We walked our client through the entire process to get her home back to normal, and there was no cost for our help. A good real estate professional's job is to solve problems.

If water does get in, move fast. The EPA recommends drying water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to help prevent mold. Also check your insurance before you need it. Most homeowners policies don't cover flooding, and many don't cover water that backs up through a drain or overflows from a sump unless you've added that coverage. Flood coverage is a separate policy. You can see whether a property sits in a mapped floodplain on the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department's floodplain map. What happens if your home is damaged and you have to move out covers the next steps after a bigger loss.

What could change the answer

• How much the soils on that lot swell when wet.
• The shape of the lot and how neighboring lots drain.
• Whether the home has a finished basement, a crawlspace, or a slab.
• Whether the property is in a mapped floodplain.
• What your insurance covers for water backup and flooding.

When to talk with a professional

Your home inspector can spot most drainage problems. A plumber can check the sump pump and where it discharges, and a drainage contractor or landscaper can regrade the yard. If you see signs of foundation movement, I recommend a structural engineer. If water has already gotten in, call a water damage restoration company and your insurance agent right away.