Green Mountain at a glance
- Where
- West Lakewood, on and below the slopes of Green Mountain, near William F. Hayden Park
- Typical homes
- 1970s and 1980s two-story, tri-level and walkout ranch homes, plus townhome communities
- Terrain
- Sloped lots, uphill and downhill neighbors, retaining walls
- Building permits
- City of Lakewood, for addresses inside city limits
- Water and sewer
- Provided by a local district depending on the street; check your bill
How slope changes a water loss
On a flat lot, rain and snowmelt spread out. On a hillside, they move. Houses on the uphill side of a Green Mountain street can have water from neighboring yards draining toward their rear foundation wall, which is often the buried back wall of a walkout basement. If gutters overflow or the soil slopes toward the house, that wall takes the brunt of it.
Walkout lower levels have a different profile from fully buried basements. The front of the room is at grade with a door or large windows; the back is underground. Water problems tend to start along that buried back wall and in the corners where it meets the side walls, then spread across the floor toward the walkout door.
Inside, homes from this era have mostly copper supply lines and are past the age when original water heaters, washer boxes and shower valves start to fail. Many have also had basements finished by owners, sometimes with drywall right against the foundation and little attention to how water would drain.
Common Green Mountain water sources and where they show up
| Source | Where it shows up | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Roof runoff on the uphill side | Buried back wall of a walkout basement | Gutters, downspout extensions, soil grading |
| Heavy spring snowmelt | Lower-level corners and window wells | Melt drainage paths, wells, retaining wall weep holes |
| Original or older water heater | Lower-level utility room and adjacent carpet | Tank age and the floor drain |
| Upper-level bathroom | Ceiling of the main or lower level | Grout, toilet seals, tub overflow gaskets |
| Sprinkler zone near the foundation | Lower-level wall nearest the zone | Spray direction and zone run times |
Green Mountain owner checklist
- Walk the uphill side of the house during a heavy rain and watch where water goes.
- Make sure retaining walls have drainage and that weep holes are not clogged.
- Extend downspouts on the uphill side well away from the foundation.
- Check the buried back wall of a finished walkout for staining, swelling baseboard or musty odor.
- Find out which water and sanitation district serves your street, and save its contact.
General information for Lakewood, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.