Altadena sits closer to the mountains than almost any community in the county. Since the Eaton Fire, water moves across these foothills in new ways. We keep it out of crawl spaces and away from foundations.
Water in Altadena changed
Altadena is a foothill town first. Homes here sit on the rising slope of the San Gabriels, close to the canyon mouths. That height is why people love it here. It is also why drainage matters so much. When the mountains shed water, Altadena gets it first.
The Eaton Fire raised the stakes. Burned slopes soak up far less rain than green ones. Burned soil can shed water almost like pavement. More runoff moves downhill, faster, and it carries sediment. This is why the county watches the burn area for debris flows.
For homeowners, the meaning is simple. The water reaching your lot in a storm may now be more than in any year before the fire.
For a standing home, that means one thing. Drainage that was “good enough” before may not be anymore. For a rebuild, there is a better side to this. You can build drainage and moisture protection in from day one. Retrofitting it later is never cheap.
What we help with
Slope, soil, and where runoff crosses your property decide the work. Not a standard package.
Under the house
Most Altadena homes sit on raised foundations with vented crawl spaces. On a foothill slope, that crawl space is where storm water collects first.
What does a season of trapped moisture do to the framing above it? The damage is quiet, and it builds. Our crawl space waterproofing inspection is built to catch it early.
Uphill of the house
On a sloped lot, the smartest fix sits uphill of the house. Cut the water off before it ever touches the foundation.
Placement decides whether a drain works or just moves the problem. Where does that line belong on a foothill property? Our French drain installation page covers it.
The wall itself
Water pressing on a foundation shows up in time. Damp wall bases. White residue. Cracks.
That is the question worth answering before anything gets patched. Our foundation repair page answers it.
Last layer of defense
Some low points collect water no matter what. Automatic removal is the last layer of defense.
Sizing and battery backups — for storms that cut the power too — are on our sump pump installation page.
Before backfill
Rebuilding here? The window before backfill is the cheapest time to protect the home. It never comes back.
Drains, barriers, and discharge lines cost a fraction now. After move-in, they cost far more. If your foundation plan is still on paper, this is the moment to ask.
Rebuilding in Altadena?
A short conversation now can save the biggest retrofit cost a home ever has.
Serving Altadena from next door
Altadena borders our core Pasadena service area directly. We serve homeowners across the community. Service depends on the address, site conditions, access, and the requested work. Our full coverage is on the service area page.
Altadena FAQs
Whether your home is standing or being rebuilt, the questions below come up most.
Ask about your property →Burned hills soak up much less rain. Storms send more runoff downhill, faster, often with sediment. Lots below the burn area can get more water than in any past year. Old drainage may now be too small. Check it before storm season, not during it.
Three things. Where runoff crosses your lot. Whether the crawl space shows moisture after rain. And whether water discharges away from the foundation — not beside it. One inspection covers all three, in writing. Even if the answer is “you’re fine.”
Before backfill. Best case: while your foundation plan is still on paper. Drains, membranes, and discharge lines cost little during construction. Adding them later is one of the priciest jobs a home can need.
We provide the drainage and waterproofing scope. We work around your builder’s schedule. Permits and county rebuild rules stay with your general contractor. Our written scope gives them exactly what they need.
It depends on the property. A crawl space moisture fix, an uphill drain, and full rebuild-stage drainage are very different scopes. Every estimate is written and itemized after inspection.
The whole community — from the streets bordering Pasadena up toward the foothill edges. Service depends on scheduling and the work needed. Send your address with an inspection request and we will confirm.
Call +1 (626) 898-6249 or use the contact form. Tell us if it is a standing home or a rebuild. We take it from there.
Get started
Either way, the first step is the same. A clear look at how water moves across your Altadena lot. And a written plan to keep it away from your home.