Drainage
Exterior
Common Causes of Yard Drainage Problems
Improper Grading
Lawns should be graded to direct water away from the home’s foundation and to prevent water from pooling in any part of the yard.
Rain Gutter & Downspout Issues
Properly functioning rain gutters and downspouts are essential for effective drainage. If rainwater from the roof pools near the foundation, it can cause significant damage to both the foundation and landscaping. Issues such as clogged gutters, missing downspouts, and downspouts that drain too close to the foundation need to be addressed.
Natural Springs
Underground springs can often emerge in a lawn, creating a wet area year-round. These springs may be a minor nuisance if they are located in less-used parts of the yard, but they can pose a major problem if they consistently supply water to the area around the foundation.
Inadequate Drain System
Some drain systems can become inadequate over time for various reasons. They may get obstructed, clogged, crushed, or buried. Additionally, the size, placement, or type of system that was originally installed might not be enough to meet growing drainage needs.
Obstructions To Drainage
Good grading and drainage are often hindered by driveways, sidewalks, and roads that obstruct water flow. Additionally, home additions, new garages, patios, and raised landscaping beds can redirect water to undesirable areas.
THE BDry® SYSTEM
Improper Grading
Grade lawns to direct water away from the home’s foundation and prevent pooling in any part of the yard. Proper grading protects the structural integrity of the foundation and promotes healthier grass and plant growth by ensuring adequate drainage. Ideally, slopes should incline away from the foundation at a minimum of 2% over a distance of about 10 feet. Additionally, incorporating swales—shallow channels—can further facilitate water movement toward designated drainage areas.
THE BDry® SYSTEM
Rain Gutter & Downspout Issues
Properly functioning rain gutters and downspouts are essential for effective yard drainage. If rainwater from the roof pools near the foundation, it can cause significant damage to both the foundation and landscaping. Issues such as clogged gutters, missing downspouts, and downspouts that drain too close to the foundation need to be addressed.
THE BDry® SYSTEM
Natural Springs
Underground springs can often emerge in a lawn, creating a wet area year-round. These springs may be a minor nuisance if they are located in less-used parts of the yard, but they can pose a major problem if they consistently supply water to the area around the foundation.
THE BDry® SYSTEM
Inadequate Drain System
Some drain systems can become inadequate over time for various reasons. They may get obstructed, clogged, crushed, or buried. Additionally, the size, placement, or type of system that was originally installed might not be enough to meet growing drainage needs.
THE BDry® SYSTEM
Obstructions To Yard Drainage
Good grading and drainage are often hindered by driveways, sidewalks, and roads that obstruct water flow. Additionally, home additions, new garages, patios, and raised landscaping beds can redirect water to undesirable areas.
Yard Drainage
Solutions
If surface drainage is possible, proper grading is often the least expensive and most effective solution to correcting an area with poor drainage.
Adding extensions to downspouts, even by a few feet, can significantly improve the diversion of water away from a home’s foundation. A more effective solution involves directing all downspouts into buried pipes that carry the rainwater collected by the gutters well away from the house.
Catch basins are underground reservoirs designed to collect surface water and runoff. They are commonly used in low-lying areas of a lawn or in locations where water flow is obstructed. These basins can be very effective for draining areas where grading is not feasible or practical.
French drains consist of a gravel-filled trench and a perforated pipe designed to redirect underground water away from an area, typically a home's foundation. They can effectively create a drain curtain in yards where a part of the lawn slopes toward the house. Additionally, French drains help manage underground water that seeps up to the surface in specific areas.
Grate drains are commonly used in long installations to effectively drain water from driveways and patios. They can also be utilized to remove water from low-lying areas in a yard.
When gravity drainage is not an option, a sump pump is often the only solution for removing unwanted water from an area. Installing exterior sump pumps requires careful planning to avoid freezing during cold weather.
