HydroFix
🏡 Residential Drainage Audit

Residential Drainage Audit Checklist

Walk your yard after the next rain and check off what applies. Most homeowners find at least two items worth a closer look.

💧  How to use this: Check every item that applies to your yard. Your risk score updates live. Enter your email at the bottom to receive your full results.

Your drainage risk score
0 of 20 items flagged
Check off what applies to your yard to see your risk assessment.
0–2
Low risk · Monitor seasonally
3–5
Moderate risk · Evaluation recommended
6+
High risk · Evaluation strongly recommended
🌧️
Surface Water Behavior
How water moves during and after rain
✓
Standing water remains 24+ hours after rain
Water that sits more than 24 hours indicates the ground has reached saturation capacity with no pressure outlet.
High concern
✓
Water pools in the same location every rain event
A consistent pooling location identifies a specific drainage failure zone — not a random wet spot.
High concern
✓
Water flows toward the house during heavy rain
Surface flow directed toward the foundation creates both drainage and structural risk over time.
High concern
✓
Yard feels spongy or soft underfoot between rain events
Persistent subsurface saturation even in dry periods indicates a compaction or outlet problem beneath the surface.
Moderate concern
✓
Runoff visible leaving your property onto neighboring lots or street
Uncontrolled runoff leaving your property may create neighbor disputes or municipal compliance issues.
Moderate concern
🔧
Existing Drainage Systems
Performance of any drainage installed on your property
✓
French drain or perforated pipe installed but no longer working
A previously installed drain that has stopped performing is the clearest indicator of a design failure — not a maintenance issue.
High concern
✓
Drainage repaired or reinstalled in last 5 years and the problem returned
Recurrence after repair is the defining sign of a specification problem — the same system will keep failing in the same conditions.
High concern
✓
Downspouts discharge directly onto ground near the foundation
Roof runoff concentrated at the foundation is a major contributor to both drainage problems and foundation moisture.
Moderate concern
✓
Catch basin or drain grates visible but back up during heavy rain
A drain that backs up under load indicates the outlet is compromised, clogged, or undersized for actual storm volume.
Moderate concern
✓
Flat yard with no visible slope away from the house
Flat yards cannot use gravity-fed drainage effectively. Traditional systems often fail completely on flat or low-lying lots.
Moderate concern
🏠
Foundation & Structural Signs
Water damage indicators that trail drainage problems by years
✓
Basement or crawl space moisture after rain events
Interior moisture typically indicates water is reaching the foundation through soil rather than through visible surface entry points.
High concern
✓
Cracks in foundation walls or floor slab
Foundation cracking can result from years of soil expansion and contraction driven by drainage problems.
High concern
✓
White mineral deposits (efflorescence) on basement or foundation walls
White deposits on masonry indicate water is moving through the wall — a sign of persistent external saturation.
Moderate concern
✓
Driveway or walkway cracking or heaving near wet areas
Pavement failure near known wet zones is often caused by subsurface water movement beneath the slab rather than surface wear.
Moderate concern
🌱
Soil & Landscape Conditions
Signs of subsurface saturation in your yard
✓
Moss or algae growing in wet areas of the lawn
Moss thrives in consistently moist, compacted soil — its presence reliably indicates a drainage failure area.
Moderate concern
✓
Dead or struggling grass in specific zones while surrounding grass is healthy
Localized turf failure in an otherwise healthy lawn often indicates root-level saturation in a specific drainage failure zone.
Moderate concern
✓
Visible erosion channels or bare soil where water runs
Erosion channels indicate concentrated surface flow — water finding its own path because existing drainage can't handle the volume.
Moderate concern
✓
Landscape plants repeatedly dying in a specific area
Plants that fail to establish in a particular zone are often experiencing subsurface saturation, not a planting problem.
Worth noting
🧱
Georgia Clay Risk Factors
Conditions specific to the Southeast
✓
Yard takes 48+ hours to dry after less than 1 inch of rain
Extended drying time on a sub-inch rain event is a reliable indicator of Georgia clay with no effective drainage outlet.
High concern
✓
Soil cracks visibly in dry periods then swells shut when wet
Visible shrink-swell behavior confirms heavy clay content — the same expansion cycle that seals pipe drainage systems over time.
Moderate concern
✓
Property sits at or below grade of neighboring lots or the street
Low-lying lots receive runoff from surrounding properties in addition to their own rainfall — compounding drainage load beyond what gravity-fed systems can handle.
Moderate concern
What this checklist identifies

Most drainage problems in the Southeast share the same root cause: systems designed for permeable soil trying to work in Georgia clay. Enter your email below to receive your full results — including a personalized summary of your risk level and recommended next steps.

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