Hillside drainage and water damage restoration in Fountain Hills, AZ

A town on a slope

Fountain Hills sits against the McDowell Mountains, northeast of Scottsdale, and is known for the large fountain in its town center. The town was master planned in the 1970s, and it spreads across hills and washes, with many homes on sloped lots, cut into hillsides, with retaining walls, terraced yards, split levels and views.

We are a longer drive from Fountain Hills than from most places we serve. Call with your address and we will tell you what we can do.

The ground

The soil here is thin and rocky. Much of Fountain Hills sits on fractured bedrock and coarse alluvial and colluvial material, which is the loose rock and gravel that has washed down the slopes. Topsoil is shallow, and caliche appears in places. Rock drains faster than clay but sheds water quickly, and heavy rain moves in sheets and channels downhill, collecting wherever it finds a low point. Washes and arroyos channel it.

On a hillside lot, a house is often partly below grade on the uphill side. That can mean a lower level that sits against a slope, with walls that hold back soil, or a garage that sits below the street. These are the places where water collects.

What happens in a storm

During a monsoon storm, large amounts of rain fall in a short time. Water runs down the slope, over the lot and toward the house, carrying mud, sand and debris. If drainage and grading are right, it flows around the house. If not, it pools against retaining walls, doors and garage thresholds, and it can push into lower-level spaces.

Storm water in a home is not clean. It carries soil, organic matter and anything it has crossed. We treat it with care, assess how long it sat, and clean surfaces accordingly. For most monsoon events we see mud on floors, damp carpet, wet drywall at the base of walls and wet insulation. See emergency water extraction.

Lower levels, garages and retaining walls

• Lower-level rooms against the slope are most exposed to water entering at doors and seeping through walls and slabs.
• Garages below street level collect water from driveways.
• Retaining walls hold back soil and water. If drainage behind the wall is blocked, water pressure builds and seeps through.
• Patios and decks can direct water toward doors.
• Drainage channels and French drains that clog send water elsewhere.

We deal with water inside the building. For the exterior problem, whether grading, drainage, a retaining wall or a gutter system, a landscape or drainage contractor is the right person. We tell you what we see so you can address the cause. Otherwise the same thing happens next storm.

Mud and cleanup

Mud in a house is a mess, and the cleanup is more than wiping. Fine silt gets into flooring, baseboards, door tracks and cabinet bottoms. If left to dry, it hardens and becomes difficult to remove. We extract water, remove mud and debris, wash surfaces and dry the structure. Carpet and pad that was soaked with dirty water are usually replaced. Hard floors can be cleaned and dried. See structural drying.

Plumbing in big hillside homes

Plumbing failures in Fountain Hills homes are as common as storm water.

• Long supply runs in large, multi-level houses, with more points of failure.
• Water pressure. Homes at different elevations can have high pressure, which stresses lines and fixtures. Pressure regulators are a plumber's domain.
• Water heaters in garages, closets and utility rooms.
• Pools, spas and water features, which are popular in the area.
• Irrigation on sloped lots, with lines that can break and send water downhill.
• Second and seasonal homes left empty.

A leak on an upper level can run down through the structure, and a leak on a lower level can pool because the floor is below grade. We map moisture across levels. See moisture mapping.

Retirement and seasonal residents

Fountain Hills has a large retiree population and many seasonal residents. The same caution applies as anywhere: a house that is empty can have a leak for a long time. We coordinate with key holders and property managers. See vacant and snowbird home leak remediation.

Contents

Lower levels are often used for storage, hobbies, guest rooms and home offices. Water damage there can affect valuable belongings. We inventory, move and dry contents, and we advise on what can be saved. See contents pack-out and document drying.

Before the next monsoon

• Walk your lot during a storm, if it is safe, and watch where water goes.
• Clear gutters, scuppers, drains and washes of debris.
• Check that grade directs water away from doors and garages.
• Test sump pumps, if you have them.
• Keep valuable items off lower-level floors.
• Know how to shut off power to lower rooms.
• Check door and garage thresholds and seals.

Insurance

Homeowner policies usually cover sudden water damage from plumbing and rain entering through the building, but typically exclude flood from surface water or runoff, which requires flood insurance. Where the line falls is a policy question. We document how and where water entered. Ask your agent before the storm season.

Neighborhoods and the shape of the town

Fountain Hills is compact, with a town center around the fountain and the lake, and neighborhoods rising away from it in every direction. Near the center, there are condos, townhomes and older single-family houses from the 1970s and 1980s. Higher up, toward the McDowell foothills and the Eagle Mountain and Firerock areas, there are larger custom homes, many with pools, walkouts and views. Along Shea Boulevard and Saguaro Boulevard are the shops and offices that serve the town.

Because the town is a series of hillsides, many houses have two or three levels on a slope, with a garage on one side and a patio on the other. That makes water paths less obvious than in a flat-lot house. We ask about the layout of the house and the yard when you call.

Walk-out lower levels and basements

True basements are rare in Arizona, but Fountain Hills has quite a few walk-out lower levels and partial basements, where the back of the house is at grade and the front is below it. These spaces are used as guest suites, media rooms, workshops and wine rooms, and they are the first to see water. They also have less airflow and cooler surfaces, which slows drying and favors mold. If you have a lower level, a small dehumidifier and a habit of checking the walls near the slope can catch problems early.

Pumps, sumps and drains

Some hillside homes have sump pumps or drainage systems that collect water from behind retaining walls or under slabs. A pump that fails during a storm can let water in. If you have one, test it before the storm season by pouring water into the pit and confirming it runs and discharges. A battery backup is worth considering. If a pump fails and water enters, we remove the water and dry the structure, and a plumber or drainage contractor fixes the system.

What we ask when you call

Tell us which level the water is on, how it entered, how deep it is, whether it is muddy, and whether there is power to the lower level. If the lower level has electrical outlets or equipment near the water, stay out. Photograph the water from the top of the stairs or the door. And tell us whether the house is occupied. These details help us decide what to bring and how to plan the day.

Questions from Fountain Hills homeowners

Water ran into my garage during a storm. What do I do?

Stay away from electrical items, photograph the water and call. Mud and water in a garage are best dealt with quickly.

Can you fix my retaining wall or drainage?

No. We handle the interior. A drainage or landscape contractor deals with the exterior.

Is storm water clean?

No. We treat it carefully.

How far do you travel?

Fountain Hills is far from us. Call with your address.