While discussing drainage may not sound too exciting or raise the eyebrows of most, it’s importance cannot be stressed enough. Here are a few of the problems that can be caused by lack of drainage around your home or business.
Puddling
If you find that you are dodging a lot of puddles during a moderate rain, then you could do some drainage work. Standing water is not only a hassle to navigate around, but it can also be hazardous to small children, pets, and make it harder for the elderly to get where they need to go. Places, where puddles occur often, may never dry out properly for some parts of the year which can lead to less stable soils.
Erosion
While erosion is something that just naturally happens at times, when it gets out of hand you may find that you are losing a lot of topsoils and/or exposing tree and other plant roots. Erosion can cause a major muddy mess and can even expose pipes or buried lines. Erosion can create a scar like an effect on your landscape that can be costly and difficult to fix. The sooner erosion issues are addressed, the better.
Plant And Tree Damage
Too much water can be a big problem for a lot of plants and trees. Water that isn’t going anywhere fast enough can contribute to the aforementioned exposed roots which can make a tree or plant more susceptible to insects and diseases. A lot of water also encourages rot which can be the death of your favorite tree. That 40-year-old tree you love is not something you are going to be able to replace if you let it succumb to the effects of poor drainage.
What To Do About It
There are many ways to address drainage issues. If you can tell where the water seems to be running from then, this is a good start. ALD can help you find the causes and figure out solutions to reroute and contain water. Here are few things that can help with drainage. Just keep in mind that drainage solutions have to match to your unique property.
Install More Water-Hungry Plants and Shrubs
Some plants require more water than others. When these plants are used in wet places, they can help with drainage. This is part of the idea of having a rain garden that incorporates rock and plants to control water run off and other issues.
Ponds
Holding ponds can be beautiful additions to the landscaping around your home or business. The construction of a holding pond needs to be well done, so you don’t have any dam fails or overflow problems. The drainage system that feeds your pond also requires a lot of planning, digging, and other work which means your property is going to be a construction zone for awhile. The result is well worth the investment because you are dealing with essential drainage issues while creating a space that you can enjoy a lot over the years.
Aquaculture
If you are looking for ways to make your landscaping and drainage issues more environmentally friendly, then you might consider using ponds or rainwater catchment to grow fish. Even if you don’t want to raise them for food, having some ornamental fish is a better option than nothing. Fish help control mosquitoes and other insects that can be a problem in the spring and summer.
Of course, you need to consider what types of sprays and chemicals are used on lawns and landscaping where your water runoff is coming from. This is not an issue if you are collecting rainwater from your roof for a pond. Since it is hard to control what others around you might be using on their property, you might want to have several types of ponds that are for different uses. The rainwater pond may provide you with some edible fish while the other ponds might be just for pleasure and have mostly ornamental fish such as Koi.
Checking Gutters And Grates
It is easy to forget grates and gutters, but they are very important to good drainage around a home or business. If a gutter or downspout has come loose or is leaking, then you may be experiencing a lot more moisture around your basement and crawlspace areas. Even new gutters are much cheaper than the drainage problems that can be created without them.
Downspouts should direct water at least 15 feet away from your foundation. This is usually achieved through the use of a corrugated pipe that is attached to guttering. If you want to do rainwater collection for a pond or other use, then you will want to use drainage pipe that has no extra holes in it to disperse water. If your container or pond fills up, there is usually an overflow area that has been planned. This can get complicated to design so make sure you consult with an experienced landscaper and pond designer such as ALD.
Grates can become clogged with debris, especially during the fall and winter when trees are shedding leaves and limbs. A storm can cause a lot of debris to be swept towards grates and drains. When clogs happen, they can cause a lot of flooding and damage.
If you have areas where water is running a lot, then some solid metal channels and grates can help direct water. While these grates are not cheap, they last a long time and can prevent thousands of dollars in problems. It doesn’t take much water damage to cause a major insurance claim or loss.
Drainage Considerations
A drainage system requires considering a lot of factors and working with the landscape. Also, it is important to consider the future of the land. If you are planning on dividing a piece of property, then this is going to be a major consideration when improving drainage in an area. If major drainage work is to be done then, it may be awhile before your property looks undisturbed again. Fast establishment of grass or plants after laying lines will get your place looking better and drier as quickly as possible.