Are you struggling with a yard that holds water every time there is heavy rainfall? Waterlogged yards are an inconvenience to homeowners for several reasons. After recent heavy rains, Basement Masters Waterproofing received many calls from Virginia and Maryland homeowners because of wet basements and crawl spaces. This is often due to poor yard drainage from lawns, driveways, and sidewalks which have slow runoff or force water to flow in the wrong direction.
A soggy yard can also lead to issues such as foundation damage. Here are some landscaping tips to help you improve water flow from your front, back, or side yard. These tips will help direct runoff towards curbs and easements to eliminate swampy yards by ensuring water flows towards the drainage system.
Redirect Water Underground
Water collected from gutters and directed away through the downspouts plays a significant role in yard flooding if it can’t run off the property easily. Homeowners can use French drains to reroute floodwaters away from low spots and off the property. Flexible pipes are ideal for French drains to help you maneuver around trees and other permanent objects.Improve the Slope of Your Yard
Increasing the slope of your yard is an effective solution to flooded yards. The slope of the yard is important in determining how and where the water from rainstorms drains. A slope of at least 2% away from the house will help water flow away from your home. Spreading topsoil in low-lying areas and along foundations helps improve the grade of the yard slope.Clear Water from Flooded Walkways and Patios
Patios and walkways sitting lower than the yard can easily flood during heavy rainstorms, making them unusable. Flooded paved areas can be raised to solve the recurring flooding problem. Alternatively, installing storm drain channels on the lowest points of these paved areas will help direct flood water towards a curb or easement.Protect Your Foundation
Flooding near the foundation of your home can lead to significant damage if left unaddressed. Homeowners can use sump pumps to protect key areas such as basement windows and window wells by using the pumps to push the water away from the house.Install a Dry Well
Dry wells are built in low-lying areas to collect water into underground tanks. This water is then slowly released into the surrounding soil. Dry wells are ideal for areas that experience short-term flooding (several hours).Create a Rain Garden
Creating rain gardens in low-lying areas that often flood after heavy rainfalls allows you to turn such areas into beautiful gardens. Rain gardens are plant beds with porous soil and plants that can withstand waterlogged conditions, such as ferns. It is possible to have several rain gardens.Problems with Poor Yard Drainage
Poor yard drainage at your Virginia or Maryland home can lead to many problems in your home’s basement and crawl spaces, lawn and gardens, and concrete slabs and foundations, including the following:- Cracking and sinking of your home’s foundation and exterior concrete surfaces
- Water seepage into your home’s basement and crawl space
- Lawn problems and diseases due to fungus and insects
- Poor tree, shrub, and plant growth due to water-saturated soil
- Muddy lawns so children and pets have nowhere to play
Causes of Poor Yard Drainage
Lawn drainage problems are common in most areas of Virginia and Maryland. Following are some of the reasons for poor lawn drainage:- Soil conditions next to the foundation that retain water and increases hydrostatic pressure
- Improper grading or drainage of the soil near the home’s foundation
- Patios, sidewalks, and driveways with improper drainage
Prevention of Poor Yard Drainage
The best way to prevent yard drainage problems is to provide additional ways for excess water to flow away from your home’s yard and foundation. Some solutions include:- Digging trenches filled with rocks to catch excess water
- Installing exterior drainage systems to remove standing water from the yard
- Installing, repairing, or cleaning gutters and downspouts to allow water to flow away from your home’s foundation
