Protecting Your Foundation: Why Early Fall Is the Prime Time to Check Drainage and Sump Pumps
Written by Chris, Lead Inspector
After inspecting homes across the metro Des Moines area and surrounding suburbs for over 10 years, I can tell you one truth about our local weather: it loves to keep us on our toes. One week we’re sweating through a late-summer heatwave, and the next, a sudden, heavy autumn downpour rolls in. What’s with all the rain this September? Flooding rivers, wet basements, torrential side winds causing rain to seep into windows where homeowners haven’t experienced seepage before?
When we walk up to a home for an inspection, the very first thing we look at doesn’t actually start with the foundation walls or the siding. Our eyes go straight to the ground. Specifically, we look at how water is behaving around the perimeter of the house.
Iowa weather can turn wet quickly in the fall, and if your home’s drainage system isn’t ready for it, your basement is going to pay the price. Let’s talk about why early September is a good time to get ahead of drainage issues, and how a few simple checks can save you from a major headache later.
The Secret Starts Outside: Grading and Downspouts
Gravity is your home’s best friend or its worst enemy. Ideally, the soil immediately surrounding your foundation should feature positive grading—meaning it slopes away from the house for at least the first three to six feet, dropping about six inches over that distance.
Unfortunately, over the years, soil settles. We see countless Central Iowa homes where the ground has flattened out or, even worse, formed a bowl shape right against the foundation wall. When autumn rains hit, that low spot acts like a funnel, pooling water directly against your basement walls and forcing it through tiny cracks or porous concrete.
Once you’ve checked your grading, take a walk around your roofline. Are your gutters clear of summer debris like maple leaves, twigs, and granules? More importantly, where are your downspouts discharging? If your downspouts dump water right next to your foundation, you’re essentially pouring thousands of gallons of rainwater directly where you least want it. If you don’t like getting on a roof, then hire someone who will do that for you.
Quick Fix: Make sure your downspout extensions reach at least four to six feet away from your foundation wall. It’s a cheap, incredibly effective upgrade that makes an instant difference.
Down in the Pit: Testing Your Sump Pump
If the exterior grading and gutters are the first line of defense, your sump pump is the ultimate safety net. During a home inspection, testing the sump pump is standard protocol, but it’s amazing how many homeowners never test theirs until a storm is actively flooding their basement. Just this past week, someone called me with water in their basement. Unfortunately, he discovered his sump pump had been unplugged. Because we forget these things, it’s a good idea to set a reminder in your phone or on your calendar to check your sump pump yearly.
Your pump works hard all spring and summer, and by the time fall arrives, the pit can accumulate silt, debris, or mineral buildup.
Here is a quick DIY test you can run this weekend:
Check the Pit: Remove the lid (if it has one) and look for any debris, rocks, or sludge that might jam the float switch.
Pour and Test: Slowly pour a five-gallon bucket of water directly into the sump pit.
Watch the Switch: The float should rise smoothly, trigger the pump, and quickly evacuate the water before shutting off automatically.
If the pump hesitates, makes a loud grinding noise, or fails to turn on, you’ll want to replace or service it before the late-autumn freeze sets in. And if you live in an area prone to power outages during Iowa storms, a reliable battery backup system isn’t a luxury. It’s essential insurance.
Peace of Mind Before the Freeze
Preventative maintenance isn’t the most glamorous part of homeownership, but it’s the one that pays off the most. Taking 30 minutes this week to walk your property line, extend your downspouts, and test your sump pump can completely change your winter experience.
If you notice persistent moisture issues, unusual cracks in your foundation walls, or you just want an expert set of eyes on your home’s drainage before the weather turns, give our team a call or schedule a home maintenance inspection with us today. We’ve got your back – from the roof down to the sump pit!