shawn marshall • Sep 23, 2022
Excessive rainfall often leads to drainage problems that homeowners have to contend with. Water accumulating on your lawn after a rainstorm or when snow melts during the early spring can create ideal conditions for mold growth, attract mosquitoes, and even result in structural harm. It's important to note that drainage issues typically stem from various factors, so solely focusing on removing standing water won't solve the problem. To effectively address drainage concerns on your property, it is crucial to identify their root cause as the first step.
Signs of Landscape Drainage Problems
There are several places in and around your house where you might notice signs of lawn drainage issues. After a rainstorm, observe the area to see if water pools or if it begins to dry out and drain away, both of which are signs of drainage problems. There are a few warning indicators of a lawn with drainage issues if you notice:
- Large Pools of standing water
- Water collects at the base of the downspouts instead of draining away
- Soggy locations or places with excessive vegetation
- Riffles in the ground, or just plain soil deterioration
- Wet spots and noticeable cracks on the house's footings
Causes of Landscape Drainage Problems
When it comes to drainage in landscaping, prevention is always preferable. Watch out for these frequent drainage problems so you can prevent water overflow and property damage:
1. Poor Upkeep of the Downspout and Gutter
If your gutters and downspouts are clogged, broken, or improperly installed, water may pool dangerously close to your foundation or garden. To avoid this issue, it is recommended to clear gutters and downspouts on a regular basis and to contact a professional water management company if any damage is found.
2. Irrigation Problems
Waterlogging of the soil might occur if you don't water your grass adequately or consistently. An automatic irrigation system is the easiest answer to this problem. Doing so will aid in ensuring that your grass receives an adequate supply of water at a timely interval.
3. Excessive Vegetation
Plant growth is another frequent reason for water pooling in one place. Trees and other vegetation can obstruct the natural flow of water away from your lawn. Because of this, water will pool on your grass and cause drainage issues. You can remedy this by reducing the number of overgrown plants around your lawn and cutting back any branches that are smothering it.
4. Misaligned Yard Drainage Systems
There may be issues with water drainage in your lawn if the drainage system wasn't installed correctly. Water may not drain effectively for a numerous reason, such as clogged drains or improper grading near the drainage system. Having your home's drainage system checked out and fixed should solve the issue.
Solutions for Common Drainage Problems
After figuring out what's wrong and why, you may begin planning solutions to the drainage problems in your lawn.
1. Your Downspout Needs to Be Extended
If you discover that gutter runoff is the source of drainage issues in your yard, extending the downspout away from the house to prevent it from forming a basin in your landscaped areas may be the solution you've been looking for. If you must redirect the water away from your home, do it into a storm drain or other appropriate drainage source and not onto a neighbor's land.
2. Create a swale or creek bed
Even if you have a downspout extension installed, you may still need an artificial creek or drainage swale to redirect water away from low areas in your yard. Such tasks often entail creating a shallow trench in the ground and filling it with gravel and landscaping materials. Assuming your yard has the appropriate grade, this setup will allow water to slide away rather than pool.
Make sure the gutters are in good functioning order while you're at it. If the gutters on your home are clogged or broken, water may overflow and flood your lawn. When it rains, your roof should not become a waterfall, thus it may be time to fix your gutters.
3. The use of a French drain and/or dry well is recommended
It may be necessary to dig deeper if your soil has drainage problems that cannot be fixed by making superficial changes. When it comes to rerouting and spreading excess water, both French drains and dry wells are put below the surface of the topsoil.
French drains linked to downspouts that flow away from the house and into a dry well are a common and effective method for addressing severe drainage issues in a yard. The soil conditions at the place where the dry well will be installed must be evaluated.
4. Concealed Pipework
Similarly, underground plumbing is often a part of any solution for yard drainage. The goal is to divert runoff away from your home and garden. Putting it on the yard's lowest point could be all that's required (perhaps in a common area where other homes are also draining). Even if the grass never grows back in that overlooked spot, at least your yard gets dry out.
Do you have problems with erosion or pooling water on your property? Do you have washout from pooling water or water leaking into your house? After a rain, it's much simpler to spot any problems with water management. Problems with drainage typically stem from improper grading or low spots on your property that gather water but do not enable it to permeate into the earth, this will need landscape grading.
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