Drainage in Rancho Cordova

Local conditions in Rancho Cordova

Rancho Cordova runs along the Highway 50 and American River corridor and mixes mid-century slab homes with large newer master-planned communities. Expansive clay is the regional constant, while the newer developments to the south sit on graded fill where early settlement is the more common concern.

Most foundation and moisture problems in the Sacramento area start as drainage problems. When winter runoff collects against the house — from flat lots, poor grading, or downspouts dumping at the base of a wall — that water saturates the clay soil, and saturated clay swells and moves the foundation it surrounds.

Drainage is almost always the cheapest place to solve a water problem, because it stops the water before it reaches concrete, framing, or the crawl space. Fixing grading and runoff first often prevents the far more expensive repairs downstream.

We connect you with local specialists who look at how water actually moves across your property and design the simplest system that keeps it away from the house.

Signs to watch for

• Pooling or ponding water in the yard after rain
• Water running toward the house instead of away from it
• Soggy soil or erosion along the foundation
• Overflowing gutters and downspouts dumping at the base of walls
• Recurring dampness in the crawl space or lower level

Common drainage solutions

• French drains. Gravel-and-pipe systems that intercept subsurface water and carry it safely away from the foundation.
• Surface grading & swales. Reshaping the ground so rainfall drains away from the home instead of collecting against it.
• Downspout & gutter drainage. Extensions and buried lines that discharge roof runoff well clear of the foundation.