How to Prevent Your Yard from Flooding

Not only is backyard flooding inconvenient, but it can be quite frustrating and can quickly become expensive to clean up the mess. If you notice any signs of flooding, such as standing water or excess water (especially in the low-lying areas), then the best thing you can do is call a drainage contractor without delay.

Remember that the faster you act to resolve these problems, the easier it will be to prevent issues in the future. 

Why Your Yard May Have Flooding Issues

In addition to cleaning up the flood, it’s important to identify the underlying reasons why your yard is having these water problems. Where is the water coming from? Where is the ideal place for yard drainage? If you know where the water flows and the reason why there is excess water, then it’s easier to find the answers to correct the problem – and prevent it from recurring in the future.

Some of the most common reasons why your yard may have flooding issues include:

• Poor Drainage: If the soil is compacted or you have improper grading, then the water might not be draining properly. A lack of drainage systems can result in water pooling, which is why it’s best to call a drainage contractor for assistance.
• Heavy Rainfall: Excess precipitation can put undue pressure on the draining capacity of your current system. Heavy rainfall can show you that you need to call a drainage contractor to improve or upgrade the current system.
• Nearby Water Sources: Natural water features in the area can overflow and cause flooding on your property. The water might be coming from sources such as lakes, rivers, or streams – which increase the risk of flooding, especially when a storm rolls through the area.
• Broken Plumbing: Do you have a perforated pipe? It’s possible that the water damage might be coming from a plumbing issue that needs to be fixed. During the investigation, an experienced contractor will evaluate the condition and placement of the pipes.
• Landscaping: Did you know that certain landscaping features can increase the risk of flooding issues? Common culprits include concrete patios and driveways that are contributing to the runoff.

Three Ways to Prevent Your Yard from Flooding

When you call a drainage contractor, you can talk about the options to prevent yard flooding in the future. The most important factor is to ensure that you have an effective drainage system to collect water and/or redirect water away from your home’s foundation.

Here are three methods that can be used to prevent your yard from flooding. Depending on your unique situation, we might recommend one of these methods or multiple methods to ensure the best results possible.

1. Plant New Trees or Plants

Trees and plants help to add beauty and shade to your property, and they can also provide functional benefits to assist with flooding prevention. When you plant new trees or greenery, they help by absorbing the excess water through their roots. These natural features reduce the runoff and also improve soil drainage at the same time.

Trees and plants are also helpful for minimizing one of the complications of flooding: erosion. When you have good plants in strategic locations, the vegetation anchors the soil and offers erosion control. By managing erosion, you are reducing the risk of flooding issues. 

Talk to a professional landscaper or landscape architect about the ideal choices for your yard. The specific recommendations depend on the quality of your soil and climate conditions in your area.

2. Regrade Your Yard

The next step is to discuss yard regrading with your drainage contractor. The way the yard is sloped will affect the direction in which water runoff moves. Regrading is the process of changing the slope of the soil, with the goal of keeping the water flow away from your home and other structures on the property.

If water is running towards and pooling at your foundation, then it can cause serious damage over time. So, regrading can be a valuable investment to ensure proper flow and avoid expensive renovations and repairs in the future.

In this situation, it’s essential that you bring a professional team on-site. Regrading and excavating can be complicated, especially when you are trying to prevent erosion. We’ll come to your property to assess the situation and then offer personalized recommendations that will give you the ideal drainage solutions in the future.

One of the benefits of regrading your yard is that it not only improves drainage but also prevents water from pooling in low-lying areas.

3. Implement Proper Drainage Systems

Make sure that you have proper drainage systems in place to handle the water that is moving through the property. It’s also important to remember that municipal regulations and guidelines must be followed to create drainage solutions that fit within the regulations of your town. A drainage contractor with the help of a soil expert can offer recommendations that can improve your drainage such as:

• French Drain: This method involves trenches that are filled with gravel. They contain perforated pipes that collect the water and redirect this runoff away from the problem areas.
• Swales: These shallow channels are designed with vegetation, which helps to slow down the water and direct the flow in the desired way.
• Dry Wells: Underground chambers that are filled with gravel. They are designed to collect the water and disperse it into the surrounding soil gradually. 

Call a Drainage Contractor You Can Trust

There’s no question: calling a drainage contractor is an excellent investment. When it comes to preventing water damage, a proactive approach is always the best solution. If you have water issues and you procrastinate on the repairs and improvements that are needed for drainage, then it’s likely that you will be dealing with much bigger (and more expensive) problems in the future.

A drainage contractor will assess your site and offer personalized recommendations so that you can avoid water damage as much as possible. If you need help with these services, then reach out to our team at Mikula. Not only are we a local drainage contractor, but we also offer other related services such as soil remediation, excavation, and more. These services are available for both residential and commercial projects.