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Water is an essential element for all living things. Unfortunately, too much water in your home's landscape could result in soil erosion and other types of damage.
Proper drainage is critical when it comes to managing water levels outdoors. You don't need to invest in costly drains or completely re-landscape your yard to address drainage problems.
Here are three simple solutions that you can use to better manage the water on your property in the future.
1. Extend Your Downspouts
A rain gutter system helps to manage moisture that collects on the roof of your home. Water drains from the surface of the roof into gutters, where it is then directed to a downspout for removal.
If the downspouts that are connected to your rain gutters aren't funneling water far enough from your home to prevent foundation problems, it may be time to extend the length of your downspouts.
You can easily use extended downspouts to divert runoff water into a storm drain or culvert. This will eliminate water from pooling in the low spots on your landscape and protect your home against water damage over time.
2. Add a Swale
Soggy spots in your yard that an extended downspout can't eliminate can be addressed by adding a swale. Drainage swales are essentially long, shallow trenches that are designed to move water away from a specific area.
A swale may seem like it would ruin the aesthetic of your yard, but there are many ways you can disguise drainage swales.
You can easily fill swales with gravel or decorative rock. This allows the swale to become an attractive focal point in your landscape without compromising the swale's ability to move water efficiently.
3. Install a French Drain
Some outdoor drainage problems can't be fixed by employing surface-level solutions. For these deeper drainage problems, you may find that a French drain helps.
A French drain is a specialized type of drainage system that is installed below the topsoil in your yard. A trench that leads from the area where drainage is an issue to a safe place for water drainage is dug by hand. A series of pipes can then be installed inside this trench.
Water drains into the pipe, then moves safely away from the foundation of your home. The pipes in a French drain system are covered with porous gravel, then a thin layer of topsoil and sod.
Your French drain will be virtually unnoticeable but will provide maximum drainage benefits for many years to come.
Reach out to an outdoor drainage contractor for more information.