While conducting building inspection in Ringwood, checking for drainage under your home in the winter months is of the utmost importance. Water drainage is, unfortunately, often ignored until severe weather warning alerts you that there is a problem. If you or your building inspector in Ringwood find this, some action should be taken immediately. Untreated poor drainage will eventually result in flooding/rising damp and timber floor rot, and also provide an ideal environment in which to target termites.

Why is Drainage Inspection Is Important While Building Inspection?

It rained and water did, of course, at least gradually seep into the ground. The remaining water will flow through water drainage system. As a property owner, you are accountable for drainage systems on your property, e.g. roof water gutters, downpipes, and pipelines, which are usually linked to local drainage systems. Without proper drainage, water will naturally run to the lowest part of your property. Water standing outside the front door can lead to a host of structural issues.

Drainage problems are encountered routinely by our qualified building inspector in Ringwood during property examinations.

Some of these problems include:

·        Poor Drainage

Impacted drainage may be as a due to compacted garden beds, grade, or plugged drains. In such a case, water shall be discharged under the basement. Trees and beds that need deep watering should not be placed too close to the house. Moreover, if trees and large shrubs are planted too close to buildings, the root systems have the potential to damage drainage pipes and foundation of houses. Garden beds next to the house should be walled with plastic and restricted to a couple of small plants in order to prevent complications due to drainage of water.

·        Poor Design

An unsuitable layout and/or design may lead to inadequate ventilation to underfloor spaces. Insufficient sub-floor ventilation leads to damp conditions with consequent point source condensation, rising damp, condensation dampness and timber floor rot. The flow of ventilation to the sub-floor can also be obstructed by debris so it’s important to clear this area to prevent any dampness from developing.

Rising damp can lead to significant structural damage to your dwelling if not reversed. Through the installation of an efficient fan and duct ventilation system to the sub-floor space i.e. to extract damp air, it's possible to mitigate the moisture build-up under the floor. This will also serve to avoid mould and unwanted smells occupying the house. A proper building inspection in Ringwood can also help to identify whether you have inadequate sub-floor ventilation and alert you to possible issues.

·        Poor Maintenance

Unsound maintenance within the vicinity of your dwelling is commonly followed by blocked drains, overflowing gutters, structural flashings problems, and poor ventilation. It may come as a surprise to learn that roof runoff has a direct effect upon the moisture of their basement. Rain and hail can each cause water to build up under the layers of your roof, resulting in leaks and dampness/mould.

Therefore, a metal/lead flashing is applied over the contact points between roofing materials and the building structure in order to divert water and act as a dam protecting water penetration of the house.

It is also important to ensure that roof guttering is clear of debris such as leaf litter and silt. Clearing debris will help eliminate the chance of a backflow of water into roofs or beneath the structure of the house.

·        Falling Damp

Falling damp is often the result of poorly installed roof drainage. [In other words] It is very important to review roofs, gutters, flashings and downpipes regularly in order to identify possible areas of water leaks. Downflow damp is a situation in which clogged or leaking roof gutters result in water intrusion into eaves, fascia and into windows and wall frames, which can lead to rot. Clear signs of discolouring damp are efflorescence patches high up on walls which crack, deteriorate and exfoliate paintwork. At times of falling damp, a watermark or damp patch may arise and intensify in rainy weather. In most instances, a building inspection in Ringwood will highlight the presence of a decaying damp problem and our qualified Inspector is able to provide guidance on how to rectify the problem.

·        Stubborn Mould and Moisture

Water damage may lead to mildew and mould and significant issues may occur. Mould can develop over time, and if it is left unchecked for an extended period, it may lead to several health complaints like allergies, asthma and respiratory diseases.

Further, moisture can produce a humid environment, which will attract termites and can lead to serious structural problems to your house. After a nest of termites is created, they are eating wood, e.g., the wood that has rotted, tree stump and wood chips. Termites have a preference against light and stay relatively temperate in terms of temperature and humidity, and will travel along walls and up into roofs, and leave a path of destruction. Inspection can help identify and avoid damage from termites in their early stages before the damage gets out of control.

·        The Paths/Driveway Water Damage

For both paths and concrete pavements building they should be done in such a way that oncoming lateral surface water shall not be prevented from leaving the house. Care must be taken when laying new paths around the house, to ensure that levels slope away from the house. A proper water drainage system needs to be in place for paths and driveways to efficiently remove excess water. If not, unhealthy drainage will lead them to shift laterally (unstable).

By improving the drainage under your home, you’ll not only have peace of mind but you will also have added value to your property. Drainage issues can be solved by regular checks and good maintenance. Casey Building Consultants can perform a water drainage evaluation as an aspect of our total building condition inspection. Our building inspector in Ringwood will produce a report detailing each of the items inspected and their state of relative deterioration. Any defects/errors we notice, will be explained and accompanied by photos. We will also describe our suggestions for what is the optimal response.

Don’t Take Risk with Your Precious Property: Conduct A Building Inspection in Ringwood Right Away

When your water drainage is in unsatisfactory condition, please contact Casey Building Consultants on 0433 360 660. Alternatively, you can reach us out by sending an email at ranjit@caseybuildingconsultants.com.au. With over a decade of experience in the industry and thousands of satisfied clients under our name, we have become one of the finest building inspectors in Ringwood to provide you with professional services, advice and ease your mind.