Many new homeowners deal with drainage problems in their yards, which can lead to foundation damage, an unhealthy landscape, and the inability to use your yard adequately. Not all drainage issues are alike, and there are various ways to fix them before they worsen. Let’s look at five common yard drainage problems and how to solve them.
1. Poor Sloping at the Foundation
One of the most prominent drainage issues homeowners face is poor construction of their home’s elevations. When there isn’t enough slope around your home, it can pool water at its foundation. As a result, structural and interior damage can occur over time.
Fortunately, sloped yard drainage can be the simple solution. By grading the area around your foundation, you can redirect the water to flow away from your home. Additionally, sub-surface lawn solutions like a catch basin and french drain can help divert water away from your foundation.
2. Improper Yard Grading
Another common drainage problem is water traps. When your yard is improperly graded, it can develop water traps. Water traps are low areas in your yard that hold excess water. Over time, water traps can kill your grass and leave marshy conditions throughout your lawn.
There are various solutions to improve yard drainage when you have water traps. You can grade the dirt properly and reseed that section of your lawn. Another solution for poor drainage in your yard is to install a creek bed that diverts water through your property to a more convenient location. Lastly, you can install sub-serve basins and sump pumps to move water in these trapped areas.
3. Gutter Downspout Issues
Another reason you might have drainage problems in your yard is because your gutter downspouts aren’t operating properly or weren’t installed correctly. Downspouts should extend out a certain distance from your home to work effectively. The exact length can range anywhere from as little as three 3 feet to over 10 feet. It all depends on whether there’s a slope around your home and what soil you have.
The flatter your ground and the sandier your soil is, the further out your downspouts will have to extend to move water away from your home. The best drainage lawn solutions for a downspout issue include assessing the proper length of your downspouts and ensuring that they’re installed in ideal locations.
4. Plant Bed Erosion
Homeowners invest a lot of money in beautiful plants to help improve their home’s aesthetic look. However, after typical rainstorms, they find their plant beds have lost mulch and precious topsoil. The best backyard drainage solution for plant bed erosion depends on your unique situation.
If you have paved surfaces surrounding your beds, the water has nowhere else to go except your plant beds. If your plant beds are installed on a hill, you may need to select plants that are better designed for ground cover. Improving your yard drainage can be challenging regarding plant bed erosion. A professional can help identify future drainage problems and solutions for your yard.
5. Excessive Water Pooling on Paved Surfaces
Excessive water pooling on paved surfaces can also cause drainage issues in your yard. Homeowners tend to notice this most on patios and walkways. This is typically the result of poor planning during the drainage system installation process. Like sloped yard drainage, your paved surfaces need a slight slope to help move water appropriately.
Improving drainage in yards with paved surfaces can be challenging. You can prevent water pooling by swapping out your fully paved surface for paver stones with the necessary drainage spaces.
Another way to fix drainage issues in yards with paved surfaces is to install catch basins. These are typically metal and must be inserted into the existing paved surface. They can collect pooling water and divert it through a series of corrugated piping to a sump pump or other drainage location in your lawn.
Yard Drainage Solutions with Ground Up Foundation Repair
Drainage problems are a severe problem for many homeowners. If left unaddressed, it can lead to more significant foundation problems. If you’re experiencing drainage problems in your yard, our experts can help.
At Ground Up Up Foundation Repair, we specialize in yard drainage solutions that protect your home’s investment by ensuring your drainage system is installed properly and runs smoothly. Contact us today to schedule your free inspection.