Hey everyone! I live in a townhouse where the front door is a few steps lower than the sidewalk. After a heavy storm in July, the street drains overflowed, causing water to pour down our steps, leading to about 18 inches of flooding that spilled into our kitchen. We've had to replace flooring, drywall - you name it! Two neighboring houses also experienced similar flooding. However, there's another pair of townhouses on our block that have a small half-brick wall at the top of their steps, and they didn't get flooded. I'm thinking about adding a similar barrier at my place to divert water, but I want to be careful about creating a tripping hazard as well. We currently use sandbags whenever it rains, but it's not a practical solution. Has anyone tried something like this? Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated!
2 Answers
Those round drains at your neighbors' doors probably connect to their foundation drain and sump pump. If they’re not working, you might have a bigger drain issue. A raised brick barrier might not be necessary if the underlying drainage system is up to par. I'd work on solving those drain problems first!
Appreciate the input! I’ll make sure to check those drains thoroughly before doing anything else.
Have you thought about installing a French drain? They can help with water management without adding much of a tripping hazard. Just make sure it’s easy to maintain and point it to a drainage area that won’t cause problems during heavy rain. Good luck!
Totally agree! If you have channels to divert the water safely, that could be a solid option.
Thanks for the suggestion! I'm looking into it. Just worried about where to direct the water.”
Makes sense! If the city drains are overwhelmed, you’ll need a better system in place. Maybe consider a pump as a last resort.