Proper Drainage Protects Your Home and Yard
Without proper drainage, your outdoor living area may be in jeopardy. Drainage becomes jeopardized when something prevents water from properly flowing downhill, or properly being
absorbed into the ground. That’s really all that’s involved.
Drainage problems can originate when someone did some repairs on your home that didn’t adhere to the home’s drainage plan. It could also be something as simple as a failed sump
pump or over-watering a plant along the foundation of the home.
Water is critical to any landscape design, but if it does not behave the way intended, it can pose a consistent issue to the homeowner. There are two main ways that drainage problems can manifest for the homeowner:
A Flooded Yard – If your yard routinely floods in the aftermath of a rainstorm, you likely have a serious drainage problem that needs to be addressed before it causes damage to the
basement. In addition to causing damage to the home, a flooded yard can also pose a health risk if that water sits there for a long period of time.
There are some solutions. If it is an elevation issue, that can be handled by bringing in topsoil to make the yard more level. The below solutions may help to solve this problem as well.
A Flooded Basement – The main objective of any drainage system is to ensure that water flows away from your home. When rainwater is allowed to pool too close to the foundation, it can cause a flooded basement, and cause significant damage to the homeowner. Once the damage indoors is fixed, it’s crucial to address the drainage issues that led to the occurrence in the first place.
Common Drainage Solutions for Your Home and Yard
Channel Drains
Channel drains are used to efficiently remove standing water from the area. This can prevent flooding or any further damage. They reduce the stress being put on your
current drainage system. Channel drains are sometimes referred to as trench drains, and they move water through an underground drainage system. They’re often used in front of garages and can be thought of as an in-ground gutter system to move water away from the foundation.
Channel drains can vary in cost, depending on the type of material, how much product is used, and other installation factors. It can cost anywhere from $30 to $150 per linear foot to have
one installed on your driveway, according to Homeadvisor.
Dry Wells
A dry well can help ease problems caused by stormwater runoff. It’s essentially an open barrel that sits in a recessed hole. It captures any runoff and slowly disperses it into the
ground. It’s a way to alleviate stress on your current storm drains. If you have water that consistently builds up at the lowest point in your yard, a dry well can help absorb that load in a
controlled manner, so it doesn’t pool and cause further damage. If your lawn is slow to absorb runoff, then a dry well may speed that process up.
The size of the well and the labor involved can impact the price. According to Homeadvisor, the national average for the cost of a drywell is $2,951. It can range from just over $1,000 to over $4,000, depending on materials, size, and other factors.
French Drains
A French drain is a rather simple concept. It’s a built-in system for handling drainage water at ground level. A French drain consists of a perforated pipe laid under a layer
of gravel that carries water away from the foundation, or wherever it pools. It carries that water to a more preferred location, such as a municipal storm drain, or a rain barrel.
If you continue to notice moisture in the basement following a rain, no matter how good your current drainage system is, a French drain might help. The length, depth, and location of a
French drain can all impact the price. The cost can range from $2,800 to $6,500, depending on these factors, according to Fixr.com.
Catch Basins
A catch basin is a simple drainage solution that does exactly what it sounds like. It’s a buried container that redistributes the water it collects. It’s typically got a slotted cover
over the top to allow water through, without landscape debris. Below the surface there are attachments for piping that can move water away from the collection area, where it’s supposed
to go.
The cost of a catch basin installation can vary by materials. The price can range anywhere from
$8 to $30 per linear foot, according to Homeadvisor.
Drain Tiles
Drain tiles can help ensure that excess water never makes it into your basement or foundation. The name may be somewhat misleading, in that modern drainage tiles don’t really include tiles. Instead, drain tiles are a system of porous PVC or flexible piping laid around the foundation of a home or building designed to remove excess water from the area. Drain tiles either work the water downhill and away from the home, or send it to a collection pit, where it can be removed by other means.
An exterior drain tile installation can cost anywhere from $6,000 to $15,000 depending on the size of the installation and the materials used, according to Homeguide.
Downspouts
When water pools too close to your home, it can often start with the downspouts. Properly working downspouts go a long way in preventing moisture in the basement. As a good rule of thumb, it’s important to make sure that you use downspout extenders as well, to move the water that comes off your gutter system at least 4-6 feet away from the foundation. Working downspouts are a great place to start for drainage solutions, and are a highly effective means to move water away from the foundation.
Downspouts are typically more affordable than some of the other drainage solutions, and they can often be at the root of the problem. The national average for downspout cost is $480,
according to Fixr.
Dry Creeks
A dry creek is a trench lined with stones that may have plants nearby, to assist with drainage. A dry creek can help prevent erosion from above the surface runoff. These beds can have an added benefit of beautifying your yard and making it look more attractive. Ornamental grasses and native shrubs can add that decorative touch, while helping to soak up the excess water.
The national average cost for a 20-foot dry creek bed is $600, according to Fixr.
Rain Gardens
A rain garden is simply a depressed area in your yard designed to soak up excess water and runoff. The rain garden more efficiently allows this water to soak into the ground. Like the dry creek, it can be a place to grow grasses or plants and beautify your yard. They have the added benefit of helping to filter out pollutants in the runoff.
The cost of a rain garden may vary, but is generally around $3 to $4 per square foot.
Drainage Solutions Help You Reduce Unwanted Runoff
Excess water or flooding around your home and yard can damage the foundation and erode the landscaping. They can pose a health risk, especially if there are young children who want to play in that water.
The above drainage solutions can help you to better manage the water and runoff around your property. Many of them can be installed by the homeowner or installed by a professional
landscaper. If you need help finding the drainage solution that’s right for your home and yard, contact Ringer’s Landscaping today!
