To protect the foundation and prevent leaky basements:

    * Keep water ditches (swales) clear of leaves and debris. Don't change the grade.
    * Maintain slope of earth away from your home.
    * Refill areas that may settle around foundation walls.
    * Plant shrubbery two or three feet from the foundation to allow for root system.
    * Don't allow sprinklers to wet the house or cause puddles to form alongside the foundation.
    * Keep watering of foundation plantings at a minimum.