House owners - Drainage ideas - What are the best

House owners know that the good running of a home is all about making sure all systems function well, which includes drainage. Drainage of all water and fluids inside and out side the house can affect maintenance and ultimately the value of the property. Here are some top tips to consider for your home.

House owners drainage ideas – What to consider for your home?

clean stylish white sink with chrome taps — No matter how clean and stylish your sink drainage can quickly become an issue

Photo by Tarah Dane

There are several factors that make proper drainage a priority on a homesite. Some of these factors are flat land, high water tables and dense soil.

If correct drainage is not in place and you are out of innovative drainage ideas, it will be easier for water to collect under the home and drown vegetation. In other words, the landscape can be gradually transformed into a swamp. However, the most critical problem could be the effect the sitting water has on the house.

Is There A Drainage Issue Around on Your Homesite?

An experienced designer will take the time to analyze your landscape and may decide to ‘shoot grades’ to determine the accurate topography whether the land appears to be flat or not.

By performing a spot elevation, the designer and architect will know where the potential problems are so they can be resolved during the design process.

Ground water

Ground water can also contribute to blocked drain issues, and it is related to the typical rainfall pattern in the area. If your homesite is situated in a low-lying area, the water table may only be a few inches under the surface.

This type of condition causes many issues during home construction and can also limit the type of vegetation that can grow in the yard.

Excessive rainfall

In fact, rainfall is often the catalyst that causes drainage issues to emerge. This means that if you live in an area that has frequent downpours, a homesite with drainage issues can quickly become flooded. Combining a high-water table with frequent downpours greatly increases the potential for drainage issues and water damage.

So, before we discuss the different types of drainage solutions, it is important for landowners and homeowners to understand the different causes for drainage around a house.

And specifically for water damage restoration in Hendersonville TN read on to learn more.

Check for signs of poor draining inside & outside your propertyPhoto by Chris Scott

House owners – Check any surface water

Landscapes that have clay soil often deal with lingering water. In an ideal world, every piece of land is graded for water drainage, so the backyard water flows into a storm drain or a swale.

However there are circumstances in which builders do not use the correct grades and this leads to trapped water. As a result, planting areas and lawns become mud zones.

High Water Table

As previously mentioned, high water tables can also cause drainage problems. Low lying areas can present challenges when preparing a landscape. When the roots of plants are overly saturated soil, they do not receive the oxygen that they need during the growing season.

They will rot just as quickly as a houseplant that receives too much water. This means you are left with two choices and possible drainage ideas: Plant vegetation that can grow in high water landscapes; or use raised planter heights.

A high water table in your local area will likely affect your home

Photo by Chris Scott

What Are the Signs Of Drainage Issues Around Your House?

Even though we have discussed drainage ideas and the issues they are designed to manage on new homesites, drainage issues can also occur with older houses as well. It is important to keep your eyes open for the obvious and not so obvious signs of drainage issues and water damage around your house such as:

Basement flooding
Water pooling in driveway
Large water puddles that do not evaporate within hours after it has rained
Patio cracks
Water stains around the house, especially the basement
Huge foundation cracks

Excess water can create mould and mildew, cause health issues, cause cracks inside/outside of the house, and even encourage rodents and insects to breed. You need to explore the most effective drainage ideas to minimise damage and risk to health and safety.

house owners — Look out for signs on cracked walls

Photo by Chris Scott

Classic house owner drainage ideas

Design A Creek Bed

A creek bed can help channel the water from a low-lying area or a runoff from a garden or an empty well. When there is the good well-planned landscaping in place, the creek bed will be pleasing aesthetically, and will serve in times of flooding.

You do not have to construct a creek bed for your drainage project. A swale is just as effective and is a very subtle way to keep surface water under control. Of course, it is easier to construct the swale before you start to sod or seed your yard. It is one of the best drainage ideas for a wet area.

Rain Garden

house owner drainage ideas — Design a swale or creek bed in your garden for excess water, it can be one of the most effective drainage ideas

Photo by Chris Scott

If there is a low area in your property that typically collects rainwater, you may want to build a rain garden. Some house owners use rain gardens simply as places on the property that are designed to catch and retain water. They can be among the most practical drainage ideas on wet land.

Others focus on them as attractive features of their landscape. The only difference is that it is typically filled with plants that thrive in over-saturated soil. These types of gardens are aesthetically more pleasing than a muddy hole in the middle of the yard.

Top drainage ideas

In addition, rain gardens do not have to hold water like a pond does. Instead, it can just hold the water until it is able to drain away.

The key to having a successful rain garden is that you must choose the best plants for the soil. Plants that have fibrous roots generally do well in rain gardens.

A final word on house owners and practical drainage ideas

These are just two of the many drainage solutions that you can use on your homesite. Once the drainage issues and their causes are identified, and some practical drainage ideas can be customized to solve your problem.