Water damage accounts for $11 billion in damages annually and is the second most filed insurance claim in the United States. The location of this home was unfavorable for inclement weather because it faced an uphill road and had another hill adjacent to the front of the house. This caused rain water to rush down the hill towards the front of the house and flood the front yard. The street drain could not accommodate the rush of water and debris quickly caused it to clog, allowing the runoff water to reach the property. The drain required constant monitoring and would elevate the flooding issues when it became blocked by leaf litter and other waste. The property’s ground pitch allowed water to stream down the hill adjacent to the house and instantly flood the driveway and basement, often sitting there for days.

It was understood that the non-absorbent asphalt driveway was adding to the extreme rain runoff so it was replaced with HydraBric permeable pavers. This product series drastically reduces flooding by providing storage under the surface of the pavers and allows water to filter through the soil directly on-site. The driveway was then expanded to include a sizable parking pad separating the front yard from the street. The extension to the driveway added room for additional parking and also prevented runoffs into the lawn that the storm drain could not contain. Permeability along the driveway pavers was further reinforced by placing river gravel behind the pavers. The gravel was installed to act as reassurance and has a large storage capacity in case some flood water might not dissipate through the pavers.

Lastly, a Europa Allan Block retaining wall was constructed alongside the home and driveway to prevents secondary runoffs from the hill running alongside the house. The retaining wall prevented flood waters from flowing down the hill onto the property and into the basement of the home.