Water that does not drain properly can lead to a host of problems. It may cause parts of your yard or basement to flood, damage your home’s foundation and attract pests, such as mosquitoes, which can spread disease. If you have a drainage issue, making some changes to your landscaping may help.
Ways You Can Change Your Yard to Solve Drainage Problems
Materials that are used in a garden may be preventing water from moving away from your home’s foundation. If overgrown vegetation, or soil or mulch placed around flowers near your house is blocking the flow of water, you may be able to address the issue by trimming your plants or by removing the earth.
If you had construction work done in your yard, the soil may have become compacted. That may make it difficult for water to drain. Aerating compacted soil may improve drainage.
If a section of your yard collects water, you can create a rain garden filled with plants that thrive in areas with high levels of moisture. Although that will not necessarily solve the drainage problem, it could help.
The design of your property itself may be the source of your drainage issue. A flat yard can prevent water from draining. If your yard has a hill or a raised area, that may be causing water to pool in places where you don’t want it to. You may be able to use soil to change the grading on your property.
Ways to Help Water Drain
Make sure that your gutters and downspouts are carrying water away from your home and low-lying areas. If a downspout drains into a garden, water may collect in soil and mulch. Extending the downspouts so they carry water farther from the house may solve the problem.
You may be able to use a creek or drainage swale to deal with water collecting in your yard. You can dig a long shallow trench yourself or hire a contractor to do it. You can then fill the trench with gravel and rocks to divert runoff.
Another option is to install a French drain, consisting of a long trench filled with gravel or another material and a pipe that is buried under the soil. The pipe should start at your house and run the length of the drain.
You may also want to create a dry well at the end of a creek, swale or French drain. A dry well can collect water in a weighted sleeve made of drainage fabric or in a metal or concrete basin with holes. The water can then drain into nearby soil.
Follow the Law
Before you make any changes to your property, check local ordinances and building codes. Municipalities often have strict rules on where water can be discharged. Make sure that any changes you want to make will be legal in your area.
