Preventing Property Damage with a Drainage System
Soil imparts a significant amount of pressure on basement walls when they are saturated with runoff water, and this can lead to collapses, cracking, and other structures.
A home or business suffering from excessive water on the property could be dealing with serious damages in the future. Excessive water can travel all over the yard, from tiny crawl space areas to large areas such as a basement. The property can suffer from soil erosion, so hiring a landscape expert is a great idea, especially when that expert has services that include dealing with proper drainage systems. They can fix water problems and prevent damage from taking place in the future. Landscape professionals can oversee the damage and evaluate the structure and design of a property, providing the client with a solution based on their budget.
Potential Damage
Soil imparts a significant amount of pressure on basement walls when they are saturated with runoff water, and this can lead to collapses, cracking, and other structures. A well-working drainage system controls runoff water that is ground level, and it prevents the water from seeping lower into a basement. It is important to take into account that 1,000 square feet of tree root that only contains an inch of water equals to 625 gallons of water that needs to move elsewhere.
These are some results of damage that can come from a less-than-adequate drainage system: cracking foundation, extensive erosion, waterlogged gardens, ruined mulch, damaged lawns, puddles on the property, basement leaks, mosquitos and other pests, mildew, and mold.
Drainage Options
A few drainage options include surface drains, French drains, sump pits, and pumps. People often need a draining solution because their current one has malfunctioned and cannot prevent extensive property damage. Some issues that drainage can solve include standing water on the property or flowerbeds and downspouts or sump lines that continuously gush water with every heavy rainfall.
A French drain is a great way to manage excess water without being an eyesore in the yard. A French drain is a perforated drainage pipe wrapped in landscape fabric. This fabric can allow water to move into the pipe and be pushed away, although roots and soil cannot pass into or through the pipe.
Surface drains control the surface water on top of the yard caused by rainfall, irrigation, snowmelt, and hillside seeps. As gravity is the primary force driving this type of drainage method, it involves shaping the ground-level land in a continuous downhill slope to provide passage for the surface water. This system requires a more extreme adjustment to the land’s slope than French drains, making those the more popular choice.
These are a few key facts to remember about the importance of having a drainage system for a home or business. A proper working drainage system can prevent damage caused by excessive water coming to the property and any landscaping design that has already taken place. Contact a professional landscaping company to learn more about drainage or other lawn and landscaping needs.
Epic Lawns LLC provides top-quality lawn care and landscaping installation and maintenance to property owners in St. Charles, St. Louis, and Lincoln Counties. Call Epic Lawns at (636) 445-0824.
