Rainfall and standing water can wreak havoc on your yard. If you have not prepared your lawn before heavy rain, you can end up with many problems related to an improperly drained yard. Having proper drainage is a big step towards protecting your home and property during wet periods.
Not every drainage solution will be correct for your property. Depending on the terrain of your yard, you may need grading, a French drain or another form of subsurface drainage. Sometimes landscape beds will help ease the effects of soil erosion and standing water on your lawn. But any solution must be focused on your specific needs.
Potential Drainage Issues
Two common issues related to poor drainage include standing water and soil erosion. Standing water is a visible, messy problem on a property. If you see water accumulating in low areas and not absorbing, you most likely have a standing water issue. Mosquitoes and other pesky insects love to make their home nearby, which is not ideal for homeowners.
Soil erosion is a more sneaky problem related to inadequate drainage in a yard. If your property has any downward slopes of land, you should be concerned about soil erosion and runoff after heavy rainfall. Soil erosion washes away nutrients from the soil. It can even lead to flooding if the soil begins to block water flow from the yard.
Methods to Solve Drainage Issues
There are methods you can use to prevent damage from poor drainage. Do not let the problem get out of hand, or you may experience more than just a messy lawn. The water that accumulates in your yard may eventually lead to flooding or mess with your home’s structural integrity. Consider one of the following ways to improve drainage:
Dry Creek Beds, French Drains and Flow Wells
Dry creek beds and French drains are very similar solutions to help with drainage. A dry creek bed is essentially a small man-made creek that helps redirect rainwater. It is typically dry unless there has been rainfall. A French drain also diverts water and is a simple solution to water pooling near foundations. A flow well is a type of dry well that collects rainwater immediately on the property. All three of these solutions are different structures where rainwater can safely drain and accumulate away from structures.
Grading
The grading around your home can have a big impact on drainage. A telltale sign of poor grading is standing water if your yard or surrounding your home. If you let the water pool near your home, you run the risk of developing mildew, mold or serious structural damage.
A professional landscaping company can come in and fix the grading around your property. First, the company would need to assess your yard and its current grade. A well-planned solution will make it so that the repaired grade sends water away from structures on your property.
Robust Lawn and Landscape Beds
One of the more open options to fix drainage is to rebuild your lawn and landscaping. The best defense against drainage is issues prevention by maintaining a lush lawn and landscape beds complete with plants and mulch to absorb the water.
If your property is suffering from standing water, it may be due to a variety of reasons, contact the New Orleans yard drainage experts at Couvillion’s Landscapes for all your needs.
