Does your yard have a lot of excess water you need to know how to deal with? You’ll want to consider installing a trench drain, changing your property’s slope, or using a rain garden. There are even more drainage fixes that you can implement today that you’ll want to know about.
We put together this quick guide to help you, so keep reading. You’ll have a drier yard in no time if you use these fixes.
1. Install a Trench Drain
First, you’ll want to consider installing a trench train system, as it’s the most effective fix on this list. A trench drain redirects water safely away from your property, where it won’t impact your neighbors. It can also move a ton of water at once.
Trench drains are highly effective on any property as well. They can keep parking areas water-free, protecting your home’s foundation from moisture. Plus, you can use them in more situations than just that.
These drainage solutions are also very quick to install. So, you can get the drainage you need within a day or two, depending on how much area you need to cover. Most installations take two days at most in residential areas.
Overall, you’ll want to look into trench drains in your area. They’re highly effective, and you can trust that they’ll keep your property free of water.
2. Adjust Your Property’s Slopes
Next, you’ll want to ensure your property is sloped away from your home. If it isn’t, water runs down the slope and builds up around your home’s foundation, causing massive damage.
You’ll want to change the slope using professional landscapers to move the water away. They can excavate areas on your property to guide the water somewhere it’s safe to dispose of, like a sewer or a drainage system.
This fix can take a while and requires regular maintenance, but it’s effective.
3. Use a Rain Garden
Rain gardens are another excellent option for yard drainage. They’re eco-friendly and good for local wildlife as well.
To make a rain garden, you’ll adjust the slope of your property so that any water running down it enters a deeper area. There you’ll put many plants that are great for absorbing excess water.
Some of the best plants for rain gardens include:
- Purple coneflower
- Butterfly weed
- Swamp milkweed
- Summersweet
- Blueberry bushes
- Bee balm
- American cranberry bushes
- New England aster
There are plenty more options to consider, so you’ll want to check a reliable source, such as the Farmer’s Almanac, to help you decide what to plant in your rain garden. Keep in mind that where you live will impact what plants you can choose.
4. Inspect Your Gutters
Next, you may want to inspect your rain gutters if you see a lot of water on your property. If a gutter fails and dumps water next to your home, it will negatively impact your foundation. The running water can also cause erosion.
So, inspect your gutters or have a professional do it for you. You’ll want to ask them to clean it while at it so your gutters don’t become clogged and overflow during the next rain.
You also might want to get longer downspouts to help carry the water further away from your home.
Lastly, gutter guards can help keep your gutters in good shape between inspections. These guards keep debris from the gutters, allowing the water to flow freely. They’re an excellent option if there’s a tree nearby that drops a lot of leaves into the gutters.
5. Add a Dry Well
A dry well is another fix that you can try. It’s an underground structure that collects water and disperses it safely. You’ll want to install it in areas where you notice a lot of water sitting on your property because those places don’t have soil that drains well.
The dry well is a gravel-filled hole, allowing the water to seep inside before traveling deeper into the ground, where it’s disposed of.
It’s best to put dry wells at the bottom of slopes, under constantly soggy ground, and near the end of downspouts to make them the most effective. Finally, it’s worth noting that dry wells work best when combined with several other fixes.
6. Use Swales
Swales are another excellent fix for yard drainage. They’re natural and work well to draw water away from places where it tends to pool. Swales are shallow channels that cross your property to guide water elsewhere. They’re very controlled, and you can use them to direct water into rain gardens, dry wells, and even trench drains.
Swales are also great for erosion prevention and provide rainwater with natural infiltration into the ground. They act as filters, making the water cleaner when it enters groundwater systems too.
Swales are the way to go if you’re looking for a low-maintenance fix. They don’t need much attention to keep working at their best. You only need to mow them occasionally so they don’t become overgrown.
7. Switch to Permeable Pavement
Finally, consider switching your paved areas to more porous materials. These pavers let more water pass through, so it doesn’t build up on the surface. That way, water can soak into the ground, where it’s transported away safely.
Gravel is another good option since it doesn’t block water from getting where it needs to go. It also is good for replenishing groundwater supplies, filtering pollutants from water, and doesn’t absorb and radiate heat.
Switching to a more porous pavement material can help keep your yard from collecting water.
Check Your Yard Often
After using these fixes, you’ll want to inspect your property often, especially after it rains. Regular maintenance can make the fixes last longer, keeping your yard water-free so you don’t have to pay for costly water damage repairs.
Remember that water damage can be expensive, so these preemptive solutions are much more cost-effective. We recommend getting a trench drain as soon as possible, then try some other fixes to boost its effectiveness.