Standing water due to drainage issues can kill your grass and cause serious foundational issues, making it important to be aware of what causes drainage issues before they turn into a larger problem. This article will review five common landscape drainage problems to be aware of so that you can stop problems in their tracks and save money.
Foundational Issues
If your home was not properly elevated during its construction, water is going to gather around your home and either destroy the foundation or leak into your basement. Either way, water will leak into your concrete or floorboards, causing severe water damage that will be costly to repair. The easiest way to fix this is to improve the grading around your home so that water falls away from it instead of gathering around it.
Gutter Placements or Blockages
If you notice that water is pooling in large puddles around your spouts, it could be due to a blockage or improper placement of your downspout. Occasionally, a downspout will be too short, which prevents the water from dispersing properly. To fix this, you can extend your downspouts above ground or extend them underground so that there isn’t a long tube extending from your home’s exterior.
A blocked gutter will usually be easy to spot, as it will cause a waterfall from the overflow. You can easily clean your gutters yourself or hire a professional if you feel unequipped for the task.
Poorly Placed Plant Beds
Occasionally, plant beds can disturb the flow of water around your home. This can look like water retaining in the plant bed itself, water surrounding the plant bed, or the plant bed causing water to disperse improperly. Much like your home, you’ll want to fix the grading around the plant bed or remove it entirely to ensure the water has a place to go. Ideally, you want to create a clean and clear slope for water to pour down and away from your home and your plant beds.
Water Traps Causing Standing Water
Water traps are some of the most common causes of standing water and can quickly kill off the grass, turning the area into a swamp. This can happen if your home isn’t evenly sloped or there’s a divot somewhere in the yard. While it’s easy to spot once the water has already collected, you want to remove standing water before any damage occurs. As such, it may be worth it to have a landscaper check the grading of your home’s surroundings.
Improper Grading of Paved Areas
Lastly, water can gather around the paved areas of your home if the land surrounding it doesn’t allow proper water dispersion. Once again, this is caused by improper grading, and believe it or not, water can seriously damage concrete. This is especially true if you live in colder areas where water will freeze, expand, and cause cracks in your pavement.
Ultimately, the most common landscape drainage problems are caused by improper grading of the land surrounding your home. Luckily, Hernandez Lawnscape LLC provides lawn drainage solutions in the Baton Rouge, LA area, where proper drainage is non-negotiable.
