How to Improve Drainage Around a Building

Walk around your building during a rainfall and note where water is building up and running off. This helps you determine where to start in solving your drainage problem. Look for pools or puddles of water, and note the areas where they are emptying, such as against the foundation of your home or building. When it is not raining, look for heavy erosion and gullying -- good indicators of the paths your water is taking.

Adjust or add downspouts to your building. Unclog gutters and existing downspouts that may be pouring water around the building's foundations. Add extensions or flexible pipe to funnel water from the downspouts as far from the building as possible. Directing water away from the home or other structure so that it can drain away from the foundation is the simplest and cheapest solution to poor drainage.

Slope the area closest to the building. According to Iowa State University, a 10 percent grade, or 6 inches in 10 feet, is usually adequate to run water away from the foundation. Use fill dirt rather than topsoil for optimal run off. While the area around the building may once have been level, that soil can settle so water no longer runs away from it, according to North Dakota State University Extension Service.

Check for a natural "gutter" where water is running against the building's foundation during heavy rainfalls and is creating a gully. Fill and slope any such depression using the 10 percent grade guide.

Dig ditches or dry streambeds to run water away from the building and into drains or sewers. Your ditches must be fed by the land's slope to be effective. The length and depth of the ditches are determined by the amount of water you need to divert. If your area receives regular, torrential rains, you'll need to dig deeper ditches. Fill the dry streambed or ditch with gravel or river rock to keep erosion at bay. Create a more natural look using rocks of different sizes