How to Achieve Better Yard Drainage

Your yard is supposed to be a place where you can relax and enjoy the good weather. Unfortunately, if the drainage has been poorly done you may find that your preferred seating area is underwater. Of course, water that isn’t draining away efficiently will increase the likelihood of your home suffering flood damage. That’s why your insurance premiums are so high.

If your drainage is poor you need to take steps to improve it.

Check Your Sewers

The first step is to check your sewer pipes. You can get a drain camera that will slide through the sewer pipe and check for issues.

There are two things you should be concerned about. The first is blockages or damage which are causing sewer water to leak into the ground. This can reduce the ability for water to drain away in your garden and maybe the issue.

The second is to verify where the pipe runs. You don’t want to be digging in the garden and accidentally dig into it!

Examine The Slope Of Your Land

Your land should slope away from your home. If it doesn’t you are going to increase the likelihood of flooding and drainage issues. You may be able to adjust the soil level, creating a slope away from your home. However, this is not always possible.

A Drain Channel

To deal with the issue you can dig a drain channel. The best way to do this is to create a 6-12 inch concrete edging around your home which slopes slightly. Then dig a channel into the soil. This is where the water will go from your home and the surrounding area.

Note, you can dig a drain channel anywhere in your garden that you have a drainage issue.

The channel should have a drain fitted into it with a grill over the top to prevent debris from clogging it. You will need to set it at a slight angle to encourage water movement. The drain should move away from the house and toward the road or anywhere else you know can handle the extra water without flooding.

This is the most effective way to remove water from a wet spot.

Consider Rain Water

It is also worth looking at rainwater, such as downpipes. You need to consider where this water ends up and direct the downpipes to where you want it to go.

This could be to the drain channel or a water butt that has an overflow away from your home.

Consider Grading Your Landscape

If you can’t change the slope of your entire garden you can add slopes to projects, such as a new seating area, that deliberately drain water away from the area. You can also create different levels in your garden, effectively creating gradients and lifting the important areas above the flood zone. Of course, this only works if it doesn’t increase the risk of collecting water entering your home.

Whatever you decide, the key is to plan your approach first and then implement it. That’s the best way of guaranteeing success.