Your home is one of the largest investments you will ever make. Protecting that investment by avoiding the damage caused by sitting water and improper yard drainage is imperative to maintaining your home’s value and maximizing your enjoyment of your outdoor spaces. Find out how Aspen Landscape’s dedicated team can help you properly care for your home and garden with smart water drainage solutions catered to your property’s specific needs.
Why Does My Yard Need Drainage?
Here in the Midwest, we get a significant amount of rain and snow. All of this water must go somewhere, and if it is not funneled into the correct channel, disaster can strike. Your house can experience foundation damage caused by an excess of moisture or flooding in basements and crawl spaces. This excess moisture can lead to mold issues, which are both dangerous for your health and costly to repair. Standing water can also wreak havoc on the softscape elements of your lawn and gardens. Too much water can cause soil erosion in these areas, leaving buildups of soil in some spots and too little soil in others. Water that sits in one place for too long can also attract mosquitos, snakes, and other unwanted pests and leave you with less yard to utilize. Finally, having a company like Aspen Landscapes install a professional drainage system adds value to your home, as prospective buyers would be leery of a property that came with standing water issues.
Signs of Poor Yard Drainage
- Soil erosion: Poor drainage solutions can cause the surface-level soil to wash away, exposing tree roots, killing grass, and causing small channels to form in your lawn.
- Standing water: If you find pools of standing water that remain more than 24 hours after rainfall, your lawn likely needs drainage assistance.
- Shifting or settling walkway pavers or patio materials: If water is not redirected away from your hardscape elements, it can compromise these materials and cause them to move.
- Moss and algae: These plants thrive in damp environments, so if you find some in your yard or on your patio, the environment is definitely too damp.
- Yellowing or dead plants: Too much water can drown the root systems of certain plants and flowers without adequate drainage.
Which Drainage Solution is Right for Me?
Determining which kind of yard drainage solution would be most beneficial for your property can be confusing, but it is much easier under the guidance of Aspen Landscape’s team. There are many different drainage methods to choose from, and a professional assessment can help you come up with a customized plan based on your property’s soil type, degree of slope, and local weather. Some of the most common yard drainage solutions include the following:
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French Drains
This type of drainage solution requires a trench to be dug around the problem area. Then, a perforated pipe with a fabric cover is placed into the trench to collect and redirect water elsewhere. The trench is then topped with river rock or gravel, which allows the water to reach the pipe while providing a more attractive facade. French drains have a relatively simple design that is straightforward to install and very effective at keeping basements and yards dry. Because this is one of the more aesthetically pleasing styles of drain, French drains are often used in front yards to maximize curb appeal while directing water away from the house. They are considered fairly low maintenance, as the rocks or gravel act as a natural filter that keeps debris from entering the underground channel.
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Dry Well
If you have an abundance of roof run-off or have a damp area that is not in close proximity to a storm drain, installing a dry well can be a great way to keep your home’s foundation and yard dry. A dry well is a basin or barrel that’s been filled with gravel and placed into the ground. Perforations in the barrel allow the water to drain into your yard in a slow, controlled manner, which avoids standing water. Dry wells can be placed below gutters for extra assurance your home remains comfortable and dry. They are considered to be one of the more environmentally friendly drainage options, as they lighten the burden of municipal storm water systems.
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Sump Pump Drainage
Basement sump pump lines and gutter downspouts can be connected to a drain pipe and then redirected to an area of your yard that is drier. If your property has very little slope, your sump pump can also be directed to a dry well to avoid any pooling on a flat lawn. The technicians employed by Aspen can check your sump pump to ensure it is functioning properly.
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Channel Drains
If you have a large, grassy area that’s prone to collecting rainwater or is located next to a creek or other low-lying water source that tends to flood, a channel drain, also known as a surface drain, is a very effective way to prevent standing water. A long trench with a surface-level grate collects and removes water quickly and allows for foot traffic and lawn mowers to pass easily over the top. This style of drain is typically more costly to install but does not get overwhelmed by high volumes of water the way other drains do.
How Aspen Landscapes Can Help
Controlling the water around your home is one of the best ways to ensure your home and lawn remain healthy, safe, and enjoyable. Aspen’s team of professionals is knowledgeable about the Chicagoland area’s unique landscape, weather patterns, and soil, which are essential in choosing the most effective drainage solution for your property. Before getting started on your project, one of their team members will assess your lawn, provide a free estimate, and get back to you with a personalized plan. If you have standing water, soggy soil, or a damp basement, get in touch with Aspen Landscapes today to schedule a consultation.
