Underwater basement issues could include flooding of your cellar; mosquito breeding in stagnant pools of water; dead grass, trees and plants being choked out/drowning due to excessive rain; erosion on walkways and patios due to severe snow melt; as well as erosion on walkways in winter months. We will go through seven of the most frequently seen drainage problems at home – and what you can do about them.
Problem #1: Poorly Installed Downspouts and GuttersÂ
Downspouts and gutters are an integral component of a home’s exterior; however, when they are improperly installed or maintained they can create serious issues for its inhabitants. Most frequently this manifests when gutters overflow due to improper installation or leader pipe alignment; runoff will collect around the foundation of your house creating both landscape and structural issues that need addressing immediately.
Fix: To address, make sure all downspouts are pointed away from your home and lead far enough away from it. Connect spouts to an exterior drainage system if necessary in order to further carry away water from its source.
Landscape gardeners Colchester most pressing drainage concern is overflowing gutters. A tennis ball tossed up into the air may land in one and eventually hit it directly into a gutter causing an overflow. Other debris has also found its way into gutters including dead squirrels, bird nests and sticks/leaves/debris blocking downspouts – it’s amazing what accumulates and gets collected there or carried there by squirrels/birds looking for places to nest or store food sources.
If you want to know if gutters are the cause, grab an umbrella and step outside when it rains to observe the gutters and check for wet spots around your house. This quick and simple test can quickly indicate where any issues lie.
Problem #2: Improper Grading
Ideal lots are graded so they drain correctly, with water flowing away from the house through swales or drainage catch basins or to curbs. Unfortunately, homeowners, landscapers and builders don’t always get their grades right and this causes water to remain trapped or worse yet flow back toward it, potentially flooding basements, homes or buildings. In such instances, a new drainage plan must be devised involving drains to collect it before pipeing it away; subsurface drainage to collect any percolating groundwater; or regrading so the correct direction can be directed in its rightful path.
Problem #3: Running Away From Neighbors
Erosion from higher elevations is a serious issue when you live downhill from other properties, and shouldn’t be blamed on neighbors; but you also can’t exactly expect them to prevent it themselves. Therefore, the best thing you can do to reduce erosion from higher elevations is observe how water enters your yard during a rainstorm and divert it by building a berm or swale, redirecting to catch basins, dry wells or professional Landscapers west mersea; another alternative would be hiring professional Colchester Landscaping Company who specialize in grade broad surfaces grading.
Problem 4: Your Landscaping Needs Improvement
Hard to believe, but your hard work may actually be creating issues for yourself and others. Bare soil without vegetation, yards that slope towards your home, or pavement surfaces which direct water towards it could all pose potential threats – unfortunately not everyone considers these factors when making changes to their home. French drains or other creative solutions like gravel or rocks can help divert this water elsewhere.
Problem #5: Surface Depressions
If water is pooling on flat areas or remaining saturated in certain spots, surface depressions could be at fault. They allow excess water to puddle, creating an unsightly mess. A swale might be effective, or certain portions could be filled in and graded so that excess drainage escapes the low spot away from home; otherwise a catch basin or drain may be necessary.
Problem #6: SoilÂ
Have you noticed that parts of your lawn are wet while others remain dry? It could be the type of soil which is to blame. There are three basic soil types: sand, silt and clay – heavy clay won’t drain well while sandy soil will allow water to run off easily into nearby creeks causing wet spots along walls and basement wall
